Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-12
KILLED BY GAS FUMES
Bodies of Thomas Mangan
and Wife Found in Kitchen.
ASCRIBEO TO ACCIDENT
Odor Noticed by Neighbors, Who
Summon the Police.
DECISION OF THE CORONER
Believe That Wife Was Overcome
When She Went to the Assist
ance Of Her Husband.
DECISION OF THE CORONER

Thomas Mangan, sixty years OF age.
and Mary Mansan. his wife. were found
dead In the kitchen at their home. III
7th street northeast. shortly before 6
o'clock pm. yesterday. They had died
from inhaIing illuminating gas. which.
Coroner hewitt thinks, was left turned on
by accident. They were last seen
Wednesday afternoon. when the husband
returned from tho propagating gardens.
where he had been employed many years.
and was met In the front yard By his
wife.
Neighbors state they remained In front
sof the house several minutes. chatting
pleasantly. and that was tho last time
either OF them was seen alive. Yesterday
afternoon occupants Of the house adJoin-
ing the Mansan homo detected the odor
OF gas and made efforts to find the leak.
but were unsuccessful. B. p. Entrikin,
occupant of house 7lq It'll street, was Ill
and the gas annoyed him. Mrs. Florence
Howe. occupant OF rs. also complained Of
the nauseating odor.
ploye Of Mangsn called at the house to
see him. He had been requested to make
inquiries to ascertain why the latter had
not been at work yesterday. his absence
having caused other employees to believe
he was III. Not receiving any response
at the Mangan house the man called at
the house OF Mr.. Entrikin and made in
ouiries.
Mrs Entrikin told him that nothing
had been seen OF her neighbors since
"Wednesday evening. Recalling that she
had detected the odor of gas about her
house. Policeman John A. Pearson was
summoned to the house and told of the
suspicious conditions. He found the front
door and blinds of the Mangan house
fastened. but when he reached the rear
of the premises he was able to open the
kitchen door, the lock not having been
turned.
Gas Jet Found Open.
when the door was opened the odor of
gas almost stiied him. In few mo-
ments. however. he was able to enter the
kitchen. where he found the bodies of
Mr.. Mangan and his wife. The body of
Mrs. Mangan was stretched upon the
floor. while that of her husband was on a
sofa. One gas jet was open. while the
other was lighted. There was no ques-
ton that both were dead. the bodies be-
ing cold and rigid. but the policeman
summoned physicians from the Casualty
Hospital to examine them.
Capt. Daley Of the ninth police pre-
cinct, Detectives Warren and Mullen and
other members OF the police department.
went to the house to make an investiga-
ton. There was no suspicion OF suicide
or murder, the police assert. but they
deemed IL best to make a thorough ex-
no complaint could be made later. Moth
ing i'm the house had been disturbed, nor
was any note Of explanation found, and
the police were satisfied that the deaths
OF the couple had resulted from an acci-
dent.
Mrs. Ellen Sullivan, sister of Mrs Man
gan. called at the house yesterday morn
ing to pay visit. She was unable to
get any response to her efforts to have
occupants of the house hear her, and
went away. Last night she was shocked
at hearing Of the finding of the couple
dead. They were undoubtedly dead at
the time she called at the house earlier
in the day.
Decision Of the Coroner.
Coroner hewitt reached the house soon
after the policeman went there and
found the bodies. He made a careful ex-
animation Of the premises and found that
two keys to the gas jet were close to-
sether.. and there was no stop to the one
that was found open, making II an easy
matter for the accident to have occurred.
His idea Is that the husband was first
overcome and that Mrs. Mangan sue
cumbed when she went to his assistance.
Certificates of accidental death were
given, and Undertaken ]. William Lee re-
moved the bodies to his establishment.
Mr. Mangan, who was a native Of Ire
land, had lived in this city about thirty
five years. During the many years he
had been employed at the public gardens
he had frequently been assigned to duty
at the White House, and was well known
TO the employees there. The Mangans had
no children.