Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-01
GAS JETS LEFT Open
Mysterious Happening in
Home of Mrs. Motley.
POLICE ARE AFTER CLUES
Mother and Daughter Suffering
From Partial Asphyxiation.
THEFT OF MONEY REPORTED
Apartment House Owner and Police
Chief Offer Rewards for Per-
petrator Of Crime.
POLICE ARE AFTER CLUES
THEFT OF MONEY REPORTED

Headquarters detectives and policemen
Of the fifth precinct are endeavoring to
solve the problem Of how four gas jets in
the parlor Of the home Of Mrs. Bette
Motley, S21 I street southeast, were opened
some time last night.
The police Of the fifth precinct were in
formed this morning by Mrs. Motley that
during the night some one had stolen So
from her oocketbook which was On the
bureau In the bedroom &C he home. WIZ
she arose this mo, ming she and r d gh
ter. Miss Mamie NJ. lie +. Wee SUITE. ,..s
from the effects of inhaling illuminating
gas, which had escaped from four open
jets in the parlor.
The house Is q two-story apartment.
Mrs. Motley, who is a widow. had &C.
cupied the lower Of the two apartments.
with her three daughters and two sons.
for about one week. About 1O:45 O'Clock
last night Mrs. Motley retired to her
room. Shortly afterward one of her
daughters, Miss Mamie, who is employed
as q telephone operator at q local hotel,
retired to bed in her mothers room. The
other daughters and q young son. Harry
occupied rooms allotted to them, and
shortly before II o'clock the eldest son,
William, returned home.
kitchen to get q cup of coffee before re-
firing. While there he heard a noise at
the front door. but upon making an in
vestigation did not see any one He
later went to bed.
Heard Noises in tho Night.
Mrs. Motley stated that on two occa-
sions during the night she heard a noise
in the place, but did not discover the
cause. She went to sleep. on each occa-
sion, the last Of which was early this
morning. She awoke the third time
about s o'clock. and called her daughter
to get up and prepare to go to her place
Of employment. The daughter complain
ed to her mother Of feeling i'll and
stated that she detected the odor Of gas.
Mrs. Motley attributed this to the fact
that the apartment had been closed for 80
long time before she took possession.
Shortly afterward the daughter dressed
and went out into the hallway. The
mother heard sound as If her daughter
had fallen. but thought she had merely
upset some articles of furniture, and did
not Immediately investigate.
Within a few minutes she went into
the hall. where she found the young
girl clinging to a piece of furniture in
an apparently dazed condition. She took
her to the bedroom, where she found
that her face had a peculiar appear
and 1t was afterward regarded as be
ing caused by the effects of the gas
The two. sons and daughters ran 20
their mothers bedroom when they heard
her call. They hoisted the bedroom
sash, which had previously been raised
but a few inches, and aided the mother
in caring for the stricken daughter
Upon going to the front Of the hall the
eldest son detected the odor of gas and
found the four gas jets wide open.
Fortunate Circumstance.
Only the fact that the door between
the parlor and that of the bedroom
occupied by the two women was closed
it is believed, kept them from being
asphyxiated. DR.. Chester Pyles of 91s
Sth street southeast was summoned and
administered treatment to the two
women. The mother was the least af-
fected and soon recovered, but the
daughter was quite i'll. She later re-
covered.
Mrs. Motley told Star reporter sht
was unable to tell how the, money wa.
taken from her pocketbook She said thu
front door Of her home was never locked
and that she believed the person who
took the money entered by that way and
also turned on the gas.
When MahIon Groo Of 1118 F. stree,
northeast, the owner of the apartment
was notified of the attempt at asphyxia.
ton he Immediately offered a reward OF
800 for the arrest and conviction of the
person or persons who commltIed the act
The superintendent of police late this
afternoon offered a reward Of $25 with