Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-03
Gas KILLS TWO IN A NIGHT
Sylvester Kirtly Believed to Have Com
mittsd Suicide at Union HOtsL
DEATH OF FRANK KUNc ACCIDENTAL
Kirtly, BabOrer from lows, Asks Tor
Room with Gas when He
Registers with
Clerk.

Death by gas OF two men in quick sue
to the police station Wednesday morning
Sylvester Kirtly, a laborer, whose home
is believed to be at Stuart. Ia. went to
the Union hotel. Eleventh and Mason
streets. for his gas, and Frank Kunc. a
cook. picked out a room at the Prague
hotel Thirteenth and William streets, for
his fatal dose. which is supposed to have
been inhaled accidentally and with no in
tention of self-destruction.
Kirtly was found dead in his room at the
Union hotel about 9 a. m. Wednesday, with
one gas jet turned on. From several cir
cumstances surrounding the case It Is be-
lieved to be a clear case of suicide. Cor
oner Bradley took charge Of the body and
will hold an inquest.
Kirtly went to the hotel about u. m.
Tuesday and asked to be assigned to a
room that was lighted with gas, as he
said he wanted to write some letters. Moth
ing further was seen of him until a cham
bermaid detected the odor of gas coming
from his room Wednesday morning and,
after breaking in the door, the man was
found dead in his bed. Police Surgeon
Harris was called but the man had evil
IDENTIFY been dead for hours. The gas jet
was on at full force and all the windows
and the transom had been tightly closed.
Letters found among his effects Indicate
that he came from Norfolk, but had a
mother living at Stuart. Ia. Letters we're
also found from .Iay Pearl Slaughter, 1916
BLUM street, Des Moines. He registered
under a name at the hotel that could not
be deeiphered, but gave his address as
''ver Kirtly."
THE man 49,. aAa..A
is evidently a foreigner.
Kunc Death Not Suicide.
Within an hour after the suicide of
kirtly was reported to the police the call
was received from the Prague hotel where
Kunc was found dead in his room about
10 a. m. by John Buresh, a clerk at the
hotel. His room was filled with gas, az
the windows and door were tightly closed
and one of the gas jets turned on to it's
capacity. 1t is believed Kunc accidentally
turned on the gas, as no motive for his
taking his life could be assigned by any
who knew him.
Kunc was last seen about D. m Tues
day. when he left the Office of the hotel and
said he intended TO retire. Suspicion was
not aroused when he failed to appear
Wednesday morning until the clerk de-
tecteu the door. OF gas In the hall and
traced 1t to the room occupied by. Kunc.
The door was broken in and the police
station notified. Dr. Pugsley responded
and found that the man was beyond human
aid, as he had been dead for several hours.
Kunc was a Bohemian and had lived at
the hotel for four years, but had resided
in that vicinity for over twenty years.
Little is known of his personal affairs and
1t Is not known IL he has any relatives in
the city. Coroner Bradley will hold an in
quest over the body at p. m. Wednesday.
1t is believed Kunc was slightly de-
mented, as he jumped out of a second
story window at st. Josephs hospital about
four years ago when he was at the institu-
ton being treated for an affection of the
throat. He was also at the county hospital
for some time and was released about two
months ago. The attendants at the latter
hospital said he acted strangely at times
and it was evident his mind was not nor
NAL While at the county hospital Kunc
told fellow patients that he came from
Clarkson. and an investigation is being
made to ascertain If he has relatives al
that place.