Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-24
WEREOVERCOME BY GAS
TWO INDIVIDUALS FOUND DEAD
IN BED YESTERDAY.
Body of One Identifed-Other Re-
moved to Morgue-Registere at
Rooming House.

Charles N. Turner, a carpenter. fifty years
of age. who is said to have resided near Con-
gress Heights prior to last Friday, was
found dead in his bed yesterday at the
rooming house of Samuel Gassenheimer, CD
Pennsylvania avenue where he registered
Saturday night with a woman as Il. 5.
Minor and WIFE Baltimore. The woman,
who was not his wife, was also dead, the
demise of both having been caused by illu-
minating gas. There was nothing found in
the room of the couple to indicate the iden-
tity of the woman, hut membership card
of the local carpenters union furnished the
police the clue which led to the establishing
of the Identity of Turner Two empty
whisky TASKS and a third one that contain
ed a quantity of the intoxicant, were found
in the room.
The couple called at the rooming house
Saturday night about II o'clock and asked
to be accommodated for the night. The man
carried a small satchel, and his converse
ton with the night clerk gave the latter the
Impression that the callers We're from Bal
timcre. Both were comfortably dressed. but
there was nothing about their appearance
to indicate prosperity.
Wanted to Be Called.
Call us at O'clock" the man directed,
and the clerk assured him he would be
called at the time designated.
Promptly at s o'clock yesterday morning
the co.ored porter called to the occupants
of the room and he thought he heard the
man respond: "All right He paid no more
attention to the guests until about noon,
when the clerk directed him to make an
other call. Then it~was that the odor of gas
was detected and the door of the room was
forced open. The bodies of the couple We're
found on the bed, and it was evident that
they had been dead for several hours A
physician who was called TO the house
stated that the condition of the body was
such that the man could not possibly have
responded to the call four hours earlier.
An investigation of the fatal occurrence
was made by Detectives Warren and O'Dea.
who were sent to the house by Inspector
Boardman, and it was by means of the
union card that they managed to bring
about Identification of the body. The Ana
costa police obtained information at Con-
gress Heights that Turner left there last
Friday. Prior to Friday, 1t is stated, he
had been drinking. His wife and three sons
departed from Congress Heights week
before.
May Have Been Shopping.
Articles found in the room indicated that
the couple had probably been shopping,
and although the night clerk said he
thought they did not seem to be under the
influence Of liquor at the time they called
at the house, the police think they had been
drinking. 1t is known that Turner had
been drinking since several days ago. but,
it Is stated, nothing had been seen of him
by his friends since last Friday. A cheap
aluminium cup upon which the word baby
was engraved, and a box containing a
baby's handkerchief were found in the
room. Because Turner has no small chill
dren, the police think the articles belonged
to the woman.
Friends of the man identified his body and
had an undertaken take charge and prepare
the remains for burial.
Mrs. Turner and her sons reside at 217
10th street southeast, and the funeral will
take place from the family home tomorrow.
The shoes that were worn by the woman
bear the mark of a firm in Kansas City,
Mo-, and the police thought she had prob
ably come from that city. Her body was
removed to the morgue to be held for iden-
tificatiOn