The Washington herald., 1906-10-19
GAS ENDS I'LL LUCK
Princely Salary for Actor
Fails to MaterialiZe.
PREFERS DEATH TO STARVING
Duncan G Best. Of Illinois. Found
Dead in Bed in New York by Land
lady. Who Brought Letters from
Home-Left Note to EIk Lodge.
Was Victim of Dependency.

New York, oct. 1S.-The Dostman blew
his whistle outside the door at 81 West
Forty-third. street this morning and stood
at the front stooD sorting his mail when
Mrs Fleischmann. the landlady. came.
Letters for Best he said; two Of
them"
Mrs. FIeisChmaHn. with the remark that
perhaps they might contain something
which would carry a message Of good
cheer To her roomer, Duncan &. Best,
took them from the carrier. Best haG
been respondent enough of late, poor fell
low. She mounted the steps lightly 10
his room, knocked on the door and re-
ceIving no answer, walked in. Best lay
on the bed partially dressed. with his
head where his feet ought to be, and
a blanket pulled over It. No movement
came from him as Ers. Fleischmann en-
tered.
Poor fellow" she said; "aH tired out
! III just lay these letters on the bureau
where he viii see them as soon as lie
gets up.
She started for the bureau. on the way
/ she tripped over something and nearly
( fell. dropping the letters. She looked down
/ to see whether it was a wrinkle in the
carpet which had tripped her feet. and
was startled 10 find there q rubber tube
/ extending to the bed. One end Of it had
I been attached TO the gas jet and the
other end was lost 10 view under the
/ blanket pulled over Best-s head. In q
moment the whole truth flashed over hex
and she hurried for the police.
Had Been Promised Big salary.
The man was dead when the ambulance
from Roosevelt Hospital got there. He
/ had put the tube in his mouth so that
there should DC no slip in his plans. but
/ had forgotten TO close the window. That
was one reason why there was only a
very faint odor Of gas when Mrs. Fleisch-
mann came She had detected il on hei
way through the hall, but the gas meter
leaks somewhat now and then. and sh,
laid the odor TO that
Hard times had come TO Best. lie was
/ an actor IN the West before he came or
here, and a rather good one. Mrs. Fleisch-
mann was led to believe. He had told heI
that he had been engaged by the theatri-
cal combine at Il salary Of <15e week
but when he arrived here a hitch devel-
oped in his plans and he lost his good
/ spirits He received considerable mail
and Mrs. Fleischmann noticed that all his
letters were marked Return to Emma E.
Best. Hflsboro. H."
In what relation Emma Best stood with
the actor Mrs. Fleischmann did not dis
cover. She noticed that ne was "a we'll
read man. and that or the shelves in his
room was a set of Molierie's works and
the plays of Sophocles. There was other
good literature scattered about which
Best read by his evening lamp.
On the bureau the man had laid note
addressed to the secretary of the Els
lodge. Majestic Building telephone 335l-
Columbus. The note continued a simpls
/. request that the secretary of the lodge
notify Secretary NJ. ". Smell. Of Lodge
654. Ridgeheld, H., and he would notify
Emma E. Best. as well as communicate
with the dead mans friends and relatives
That was all and Mrs. Fleischmann Wa,
left to infer that he had chosen the 81:
rather than st2rve-