Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-30
Edward Taylor Discovered
Overcome by Gas.
KEYHOLE WAS STOPPED UP
Suffered Reverses in Business
Venture.
HAD CONDUCTED THE GROTT0
Coroner Will Have a Jury 1nvesti-
gate the Matter Tomorrow
Morning.

Edward Taylor, forty-five years old.
who was recently in the saloon business
in the basement at 18th and streets,
was found dead in bed in his room at
g42 New York avenue this morning. Two
open gas jets explained the cause of the
death. Coroner hewitt decided to have
q Jury pass on the matter. The inquest
will be held at the morgue tomorrow
morning.
Detective Hewlett visited the room IN
which TAYLOR had died and made an in
vestigation. He says he found that the
| keyhole of one of the doors had been
stuffed with a piece of rag, while across
the floor was a pair of pajamas, placed
there, the detective thinks. to prevent
the gas from escaping into an adjoining
room. His bathrobe. 1t Is added, had
been used to prevent the gas from es-
Gaping into the hallway.
Two razors were found on the floor near
the bureau. It is the belief of the de-
tective that Taylor got out the razors
with the intention of cutting his throat.
but that he changed his mind and turned
on the gas instead.
Had Financial Reverses.
Eddie Taylor, as his friends called him.
met with financial reverses in his bust
ness
said, but friends who saw him yesterday
say he showed no signs of dependency;
that he seemed happy. and that no word
he uttered gave indication of any thought
Of ending. his life.
Taylor went to his room about 1:3C
| o'clock in the afternoon, and was not seen
by other occupants Of the house to leave
1t. Mrs. Howard, occupant OF an adj
l - T1U v1>~ to- II ID,
and a sound, she thought, Of some one
falling to the floor. In fact, several
noises in his room attracted her atten-
ton, but she attached no special 1mpor-
lance to them.
It was not until Mrs. Sadie Lusby, the
landlady. went to the room this morning.
in the course OF her daily routine, that
the tragedy became known.
Odor Of Gas Detected.
| Mrs Lusby detected the odor of gas
before she reached the top floor. She
| thought. it came from fixture In the
| hall. but she traced it to the room Taylor
occupied She cut off the flow Of gas
and summoned a physician. He found
life was extinct. The police were notified
Later Coroner hewitt made an investi
CATION and directed that the body be
| taken to the mOrgue.
Mr.. Taylor was native of this city
Many years ago he resided with his par.
ents near 9Th and G streets northwest
Later he was business broker, dealing
chiefly in the sale of saloons and sto. es
He was employed by John F. Costello
owner of a>lOcal publication. Later he
opened the Grotto at 10th and + streets
| He made several unsuccessful efforts tc
| have the liquor license transferred t.
other locations, and at the beginning OF
| the present license year permitted the
| license to expire.
Taylor was married and leaves a wife
Mrs. Annie Taylor. and daughter. II
| is stated that Mrs. Taylor and the daugh
| ter have recently been living at the for
mer home Of her father, the late Gen
Joseph Gerhardt. 1126 9Th street north
west, and that she had been in the habit
of calling to see her husband once Of
twice q week. Her brother. Joe Ger.
| hacdt, who was a famous ball player
years ago, is in the hotel business al
| TarrytOwn, n. Y.