Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-07
Gas NEARLY KILLS TWO MEN
James ,. white Of Omaha and John
sohmitt Of Minnesota Are Overcome
LATTER HAS SLIM CHANCE FOR LIFE
Both Cases Regarded as Accidental,
as There f. No Evidence I'm Either
90 Suggest Thought Of
Suicide,

James p. White, 172S South twenty
ninth street. agent for the Pacific Express
company and John schmitt of winona,
Mimi, were overcome by gas Monday night
and the latter may die, while Whites re-
covery is regarded as reasonably certain.
Both cases are believed to have been ac-
cidental.
Mr.. White was found in a sen1i-consclous
condition about 1O15 Tuesday morning In
room in the Murray hotel with one of
the gas jets turned fully on. The room
was filled with gas as the windows were
tightly closed and the transom was only
open about one inch. 1t is believed that
Mr. White inadvertently turned on the gas
upon retiring.
One OF the guests in the hotel reported
| to the clerk that there was a strong odor
of gas on the fourth floor and o. +. Alfred,
| a bell boy, was sent to investigate. He
| traced the odor to the room occupied by
/ Mr.. White and summoned help. The door
| was broken open and Mr. White was found
lying on the he'd partly dressed. One Of
| the gas Jets was burning a low flame, but
the other jet was turned on but not lighted
The police were notified and Police Sur
geon Harris responded. He had the patient
removed to the Omaha General hospital
Il is believed Mr.. White will recover, al
though he had narrow escape from death
by asphyxiation.
Mr.. White went to the hotel shortly be-
fore midnight. He said he left one of tho
gas jets burning, but had no knowledge Of
the other being turned on, although he said
he had intended to light both. He had been
/ exceedingly overWorked for the last few
months and after working so late Monday
night, went to the hotel in preference to
going to his home, 1723 Park avenue, where
he resines with his wife and two children.
After being taken to the hospital he COM
pletely recovered consciousness and his
chances OF recovery are considered ex-
cellent.
Minnesota Man May Die.
Within an hour after Mr.. White was
found unconscious in a room filled with gas
a second message was received at the DO
lice station that man had been found In
a room at 112O Farnam street with the gas
Jets turned on. Police Surgeon Harris was
again pressed into service and found Johr
schmitt Of Winona, Mimi, lying uncon.
scious in the rear room on the second fiooi
Of the premises on Farnam street.
Schmitt came to Omaha Monday after
noon from Willard, where he had beer
working the Union Pacific cutoff as
laborer, and obtained a room from the pro
prietor w S. Harrie. He retired abou
II p. m. and his disappearance was no
noted until about 1890 Tuesday morning
when the colored porter smelled gas issuinl
from the room and entered it from one ad
Joining.
Dr. Harris worked over Schmitt for som,
time, using artificial respiration and admin
, istering hypodermic injections of strych
nine, which seemed to relieve Schmitt con
; siderably, but his ultimate recovery is ex
ceedingly doubtful. He was removed to 81
/ Joseph's hospital for further treatment
where he now lies in a precarious condition
l Among Schmitt's effects were found let
tiers from Miss Mary Bess of 1914 Yves
, Broadway, Winona. MIMI who is evidenG
= sweetheart OF the man. A lodge car
also was found showing that Schmitt was
:, member of Ancient order OF Druids.
= 1t is not believed that Schmitt intended t
= commit suicide, but that after turning OF
the gas he careessly turned It on agar
: He is about "a years OF age and had worke
r in grading camp at Rapid City, s. D.