Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-08
MAN FOUND DEAD IN ROOM
CORONER INVESTIGATES AND
GIVES CERTIFICATE OF SUICIDE.
Dead Man Partially Identified as
Jonathan B. Donaldson, Ex-Sol-
der, Of Missouri.

With three gas jets open and all key
holes and door cracks closed, pensioner
of the United States government whose
name is believed to be Jonathan B. Donald
son, sixty years old, Of Springfield, Mo.
was found dead in his room at the lodging
house at 3O7 d street northwest shortly
before noon today. Coroner hewitt was
notified of the death and, following an in
curry, gave certificate of death by sui.
eide and ordered the body removed to the
morgue. Efforts will be made by the police
to find the mans relatives.
Donaldson came to the lodging house
where he later took his own life, last Mon
day afternoon. He stated then that he
had come to Washington to see about an
increase of his pension, and that he expect
ed to be In the city only short time. He
hired small front hall room on the second
story, and was frequently seen by the
other inmates Of the house from that time
until his body was found in the room. He
was last seen about o'clock last night
walking through the hallway.
When the chambermaid tried the door OF
the room this morning she found it was
locked. She waited for some time and
unsuccessfully tried to open the door, Short
ly before II o'clock 1t was decided to ente,
the room, and Thomas P Sheridan, one OF
the dodgers in the house, opened the door
with the master key. The gas poured GU,
of the room into the hall in volumes.
Body on the Floor.
Donaldson was lying on the floor and his
body was cold. The gas Jets were found
to have been opened wide and the poison
GUS gas was pouring from all three of
them. The window of the room had been
closed tightly. In the keyhole of the door
a curtain had been stuffed, and under the
door at the bottom was sheet In this
way the aged man prevented the escape OF
gas into the other rooms and to the hall.
A pint bottle about half full Of whisky
was found on the washstand.
> Mr.. Sheridan determined to summon a
physician, and the Emergency Hospital
was at once notified through the sixth pre-
ambulance, and pronounced the man dead.
Policemen Scriven and Kelly of the sixth
precinct reached the scene soon afterward
and took charge of the personal effects of
the old soldier
In the coat worn by Donaldson were
found papers which gave a clue to his
identity. Several letters addressed to Jona-
than B. Donaldson, Springfield, Mo-, were
pension voucher calling for SIG per month
The paper stated that Donaldson was
given the pension for injury resulting in
the loss of his left eye. The paper says
H, 7th Regiment, Provisional Enrolled
Missouri Militia Infantry"
Money on Deposit.
bank book and certificate Of deposit
found among the papers indicated that
Donaldson had some money. The certificate
showed that he had deposited $z73 in the
Peoples Bank of Berryville. Ark, Febru-
airy 8, 1907. The book also showed deposits
aggregating about $500 with the Hamilton
Banking Company at Springfield, sMo.
The cause of the suicide is not known, as
Donaldson left no note and had said moth
ing to the other inmates of the house about
taking his life. 1t Is believed, however, that
he had made an application tor an in
creased pension and was disappointed.
Inquiry at the pension ofhce developed
the fact that Donaldson served in the civil
war and was discharged on account of a
gunshot wound on the left side of the head.
causing the loss of his left eye. His ad-
dress there is care of general delivery
Springfield, Mo-