Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-25
ENDS LIFE BREATHING GAS
Describes Sensations in Writing as
End Draws Near.
LEAVES FINAL DIRECTIONS
Deceased an Employe of the Bureau
of Engraving and Printing.
Funeral Plans.

dlih oii'iS ''Nu"'S VI WV
recent death of his wife, Arthur d.
Adams sought relief yesterday by ending
his life with Illuminating gas. AS his
life flame fickered under the influence Of
the deadly illuminant Adams. pencil and
notebook in hand. jotted down certain
memoranda and a description of his feel
ings as the flame neared the eXtinguish-
ment point.
Adams was a boOkbnder and was en-
ployed at the bureau of engraving and
printing. He resided at $40 Eth street.
His wife, Mrs Annie Adams, died in Salt
Lake City the Sd instant. The husband
was not able to attend the funeral be-
cause of the long distance from this city.
After receiving particulars of the death
and burial Mr.. Adams was a changed
man. His former cheerfulness settled
into deep gloom and he became morose.
his mind being fixed at all times on his
life partner who had passed away so far
from him. Her image seemed eternally
photographed on his mind and scenes OF
their former days of happy companlonshlp
became vivid pictures of memory. Ills
life became one of misery. lie seemed ~
live in the past alone.
Finally, unable to bear the memories
and their pictures. he sought to take
flight to his departed companion and end
ed his mortal life by inhaling gas. AS he
iotted down his last worldly expressions
on the notebook Adams no doubt saw
through the filmy death mist the features
of the wife he was anxious to rejoin,
for his countenance in the hour of death
took on an expression OF contentment anu
he seemed to have died happily.
In his last hour Adams willed what little
property he possessed to Anna S. Adams,
1O5 B street, Salt Lake City. His friends
were greatly surprised and shocked last
night when they learned of his tragic act.
1t is not known just what time the young
man returned to his room yesterday ana
wrote the first of the three messages ne
left. but it was not until after o CLOCK
that the odor of gas attracted the attention
of Mrs Eta Edmonds, the landlady She
summoned Albert Basdekian. roomer,
and had him make an investigation
Sees Body on Bed.
Basdekian opened the door, entered the
room and was able to see the body OF
Adams stretched on the bed. He opened
the windows, turned off the gas. and then
hurried to summon a physician. The
physician-Dr Maclay of the Emergency
Hospital-found that life was extinct, al
though the body was still warm. Ihefe
was nothing that could be done for the
suicide other than have an undertaker
remove the body and prepare 1t for burial,
ana effects revealed the three notes. The
one Adams is supposed to have written
first reads:
ITO Whom it May Concern: !. Arthur ID.
Adams. want Anna S. Adams of 100 b
street Salt Lake City, Utah. to have any
thing belonging to me, and my remains 10
be buried in the family lot with my WlIe
Della. Goodbye.
ARTHUR D. ADAMS"
Disposes of Effects.
Not forgetting his heir, and being deslr-
Gus of having friend in this city notified
of his death, Adams wrote:
II hereby assign all my earthly belong
ings to Anna S. Adams, 105 B street, Salt
Lake City, Utah. Please notify her
when I am found Very respectfully.
ARTHUR D. ADAMS.
up S.-Also notify A. l.. Pending, 1859
Monroe street. city. Goodbye .rt,,7p,
In the third message he asked that
Postmaster Thomas of Salt Lake be no.
titled. the message concluding:
Here goes nothing-a life spent in
misery. Whatever faults had. l am my
own worst enemy.
Il am sinking lower and lower from
the effects of asphyxiation. which has
killed so many people. My head is burst
ing-I am OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
1t is believed by the police that the
unfortunate man threw himself across the
bed after writing the farewell message
and awaited the end. The position of his
body indicated that death came without
having caused struggle.
Polite and Affable.
Adams had been a roomer in the house
for only a short time and other occupants
knew little of him or his habits. They
were surprised last night when they de-
| tected the odor of gas and found that the
bookbinder had committed suicide. Al
though they had not come in contact with
him to any great extent, they had found
him polite and affable man. He always
had a pleasant word to say.
The deceased was a member of the Ma
tional Union and Bookbinders' Union. He
had been employed in the bureau of en-
craving and printing since August /,
| 1907 Among his effects the police found
letter from Anna Adams, inclOsing "A
clipping which told of the death of his
wife.
Friends of the deceased took charge of
the remains last night and had an under
taker take the body to his establishment.
message sent to Salt Lake brought the
response that his sister, who is named in
one of. the notes as beneficiary, wants the
| body buried here temporarily. Later, it
was stated, she will have the remains
transferred to Salt Lake and inferred
alongside the body of his wife.