The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-10-12
DEFECTIVE GAS
 COCK COSTS LIFE
 OF IRON WORKER
First Night in Bridgeport Proves Fatal to StaIwart Young
 Man

A defective gas cock in bedroom on the top floor of Mrs. John G.. Knablin's boarding house at TO Main street, cost Charles Charkowski, a structural iron worker of Milwaukee, his life. Charkowski's body was dis covered this morning by a maid who traced the odor of escaping gas to Charkowskis bedroom. At first it was suspected that his death was sl1A- cidal Later investigation by Medical Examiner Garlick satisfied him and the other authorities that Charkowski came to his untimely end through ac- cddent.
 The gas jet in Charkowski's bedroom is controlled by an old fashioned style of cock which unlike the modern gas devices does not come to dead stop with the shutting off of the gas but turns completely around.
 When the cock is at right angles with the pipe, the flow is shut off, but if the cock is turned still further the gas begins to flow again, and this was the condition of the jet when Charkowskfs body was found lifeless in his bed this forenoon.
 Charkowski was about 30 years old. and so far as can be learned was unmarried. He was employed by the
 
 and Throop streets, Chicago, in their various contracts throughout the country,a and frem diaries and other material found among his enects it was learned that he travelled all over the country.
 Completing job for the Standard Oil Cloth Co. at Passaic, N. J., he received instructions to report to Will liam Tam, foreman on the construc- lion of a water tower for the Loco- mobile Go. He reached this city yes terday, and securing lodging with Mrs. Knablin, and making arrangements with Tam, was to, report at the Loco- mobile plant this forenoon for work.
 This morning at S:3O the chamber maid traced the odor of gas to his room, and not knowing that it had been rented the night before, she opened the door. All the windows were closed, and the room was stif1l- ing with gas fumes. The maid cried to Mrs. Knablin, and the two entered the room together and ascertadned that the roomer was dead. Flinging open the windows they notified the authorities.
 Tam had been on other jobs with Charkowsl1i, but he couldn't furnish much information as to his family. He believed the man was unmarried. Among the victims effects were let ters indicating that he has a sister, Anna, employed at the Waverly Ho- tel, Waverly, Minn.. also other rela- lives in Minnesota.
 Charkowsd was apparently in fine physical condition, about feet 10 inches tall, well built and muscular. Correspondence with his employers in dicated that he held a position of trust. Medical Examiner Garlick turned the remains over to Rourke & Rourke, who sent out messages to the ad- dresses found in the dead mans ef- fects, also to his employers.
 Mrs. Knablin told the medical ex- aminer that yesterday when she show ed the room to Charkowslxi she found that the gas jet worked with extreme difficulty. She said she believed that the roomer had tried to adjust the jet and made it work so easily that when he thought he had turned it just far enough to shut it off, he in reality turned it almost half revolution, which not only extinguished the flame, but turned the gas on anew. The remains are held at the morgue awaiting word from relatives.