Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-24
SIX MOTORISTS DEAD DEATH DUE TO GAS
Speeding Car Leaves Road No Evidence That Charles 7.
and PIunges Into Canal. Browning Killed Himself. :
THREE BODIES RECOVERED OFFICIAL REPORT DELAYED
Two Women Among Victims New Death Occurred Sunday
Orleans Accident Notified Wednesday.
SPENT NIGHT AT RESORT FIRST TERMED SUICIDE
att Satisfied With De-
Daybreak When Fatal Mis- cision,
Prominent in Rusn.ss
No Evidence That Charles 7.
Browning Killed Himself. :.
OFFICIAL REPORT DELAYED
Death Occurred Sunday; Coroner
Notified Wednesday.
FIRST TERMED A SUICIDE
Relatives Not Satisfied With De-
cision, and Inquest Was Held. :,
Prominent in Business. &

While the primary cause of death IN
this case was. from the evidence. H.
Eliminating gas. yet we. the jury. fail to
establish the fact of self-destruction'
The foregoing Is the verdict of the cor
oners jury in the case of Charles Thomas
browning. president of the grocery firm
OF Browning & Middleton
Mr.. Browning was found in serious
condition at his home. 14th and Girard
streets northwest. last Saturday and died
Sunday. The case was not reported to
the coroner until Wednesday, the day
set for the funeral. Relatives OF the de-
ceased failed to agree with the coroners
opinion Of suicide and the inquest was
ordered.
Testimony at Inquest.
When the inquest opened this morning
William Oscar. Roome. jr.. clerk in the
health department, was the first witness
examined. He identied the certificate of
death as the one issued in connection
with the demise Of Mr. Browning. The
paper was turned over to the jurors for
examination.
Miss Caddie Browning. sister OF the de-
ceased. told the jury that she was the
first person to detect the gas turned on
In her brothers ROOM 1t was 1:15 o'clock
last Saturday morning when she called
her brother. She did not detect the odor
of gas until she opened the door OF his
| room.
When she entered the room she found
her brother lying on his back He was
opened about one and one-half inches
from the top. Since her brothers return
| from Europe he had had such a severe
| cold that he did not keel the wirdow so
lvrrt6 10 l,o t,oA Wars cf
Il turned both gas jets on the wit
ness stated. in response to the coroner's
| questioning. II was so excited I can't
| say they were fully turned on
Miss Browning said her brothers
| health was miserable and that he had
spent no more than two well days since
his return from Europe. He seemed
perfectly happy. however. and SO far
as she knew there was no reason why
he should have committed suicide.
Witness said that no time was lost
summoning medical aid, DR.. Hooe being
the first one to respond. She did not
would have taken his life.
He expected to be married in jan
uary." Miss Browning said. "and he
seemed perfectly happy"
| DR.. w. H. Heron, the family physician
Of the Browhings witness stated. reached
the apartment shortly after O'clock.
Are you acquainted with the lady your
| brother was to marry?" asked the
coroner.
mo. SIR" the witness stated: none
Of us knew her.
Attorney Calvert explained that Mr..
Browning met Mrs. Richardson. his
fiancee. on his trip to Europe. He start
ed abroad last May and returned the Sth
instant.
Mrs. Richardson. witness stated is a
graduate Of the Paris Conservatory of
Music. is a highly cultured woman and
has considerable means.
Complained of Illness.
Mrs. Mamie Browning Carr, another
sister of the deceased, testified that she
was at her home in Hyattsville when she
was advised of her brothers condition.
She hurried to the city. and went to the
apartment Of her mother. brother and
sister. She saw her brother Tuesday of
last week at the store on Pennsylvania
avenue, and conversed with him. but he
said nothing about himself. He complained
at that time that he was suffering from
cold.
She said her brother brought to the
house a package of letters belonging TO
Mrs. Richardson. The package was ad-
dressed to her at New York hotel
where she intended to stop when she re-
turned from Europe. Mrs. Carr said she
had objected to the probate OF her
brothers will
Detective Berman testified that he made
an. investigation of the death of Mr.
Browning and related the statements the
several witnesses had made to him. Mrs
Carr he stated, told him that she had
been cut off in the will and she thought
her brother had committed suicide.
DR.. William H. Heron testified that he
treated Mr.. Browning for bronchitis after
his return from Europe. When witness
was called to the house last Saturday
morning the patient was unconscious Or
Hooe had treated him before witness
reached the apartment. Witness SAID the
MT HvnAt
cate that he had inhaled gas for any
great length Of time.
DR.. Heron told Of the treatment
given the sick man. He seemed to get
better. but later In the day MS Ieve6 ever
O'Clock, he died, Witness said Mr.
Browning had been subject to severe
attacks of bronchitis. He was told
that the sick man had been taxing
something to induce sleep, and witness
thought the medicine may have been
partly responsible for his unconscious
ness
Coroner Nevitt questioned witness about
the certificate giving pneumonia as the
cause of death. He said he had made
out another certificate giving gas as the
primary cause of death, but he had some
doubt as to the part the gas had played
in the case. and he changed It, witness
said he tried to reach Health Officer
Woodward or DIR. Fowler at the health
office, and he finally got DIR. Fowler. Inc
la tier advised him to consult the coroner
He said he wanted to ascertain II the
coroner would class the case as one OF
suicide.
When witness reached the Browning
anartment he detected slight odor or
gas but the face of the patient did not
nresent the appearance such as Is usual
i'm gas cases. There was every inocalioh
of pneumonia.
Witness suggested that Mr.. Browning
NAV have been delirious from fever ana
accidentally have turned on the gas
DR.. Robert Hooe testified that when ne
reached the Browning apartment he
found the patient in a condition of coma.
Witness could not recall that he detected
the Odor of gas in the room, his atten-
tion having been directed to the patient.
Mr. Browning. said witness. did not re-
gain consciousness while he was treating
him.
He remained there from 7:15 o'clock In
the morning until nearly noon. Witness
thought the gas must have been turned on
early in the morning. as death would
have ensued earlier had 1t been turned on
all night
Results Of Autopsy.
DR.. Charles s. White. deputy coroner.
testified to having performed the autopsy
at Congressional cemetery Wednesday.
three days after death, and he found the
ears were pink. there was bright red
blood in the kidneys and the muscles
were red. These unusual conditonsk he