New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-05
GAS KILLED WOMAN
Police Satisfied Death Was
Accidental or Suicide.
AUTOPSY SHOWS NO DRUG
Also No Liquor, Although
Glasses Were Found in Miss
Van Auken's Apartment.

Investigation into the death Of Anna
NJ. Van Auken, stenographer, who was
found dead Sunday night in a bathtub
filled with water In her apartment at NO.
52l West 13Ith street, was practically
dropped yesterday by the police when
they became satisfied that death was
the result Of either accident or suicide
and that there was apparently nothing on
which TO base any suspicious of foul
play, which 9t first was thought TO have
been the cause of her taking off Her
brother, w. J. Van Auken, Of Passaic,
DECLARED he believed she had met death
through an accident. The police inclined
to the suicide theory.
The autopsy performed yesterday at
the morgue revealed the fact that the
woman had been asphyxiated by illumi-
mating gas, which was flowing from an
open Jet In the bathroom when the body
was found. Conditions in the house, the
police said, precluded the possibility of
the gas having been turned on by any
but the woman. Analysis of the contents
Of the stomach failed TO reveal any trace
OF poison or Of knockout drops 1t
was at first thought she had possibly
been drugged by a narcotic placed In her
drink, four glasses, two partially hlled
with beer and the others with whiskey,
being found on the table in her apart
ment. The analysis show that she mad
not even drunk any OF the liquor.
The woman's brother said he could not
believe she had taken her own life, as she
was always OF a cheerful disposition, and
there could be nothing In her life, he
said, to move her to Kill herself. lie took
charge Of letter found In her apartment
addressed to him, but refused TO disclose
it's contents.
Another element of mystery was re-
moved from the case when IL was learned
that the dead womans father, who was
living with her, and who was supposedly
missing, was at the home Of a second
brother, I'm Schenectady, and had been
there almost a week.
Contrary 10 the first report made by
the police. the womans clothing was
not missing from the apartment but was
found on chairs In the living room, where
she had evidently left II preparatory 10
going into the bathroom.
The police base their theory Of suicide
on the fact that there were no lights In
the house, the windows were all closed
tight. and the gas jet in the bathroom
the door OF which was closed, was turned
on full II could not have blown out
accidentally, they say, since the window
was closed and there was no draft The
valve was not found 10 be loose, which
might have lent some support 10 the acci-
dent theory There were slight bruises
on her knees. but these according TO the
Coroner might have been caused by a
slight blow I'm coming In contact with the
edge OF the tub.
Miss Helen Freeh. OF No 527 West l3ith
street an Intimate friend Of Miss Van
Auken said yesterday that the dead
womsn's mother had teen pronounced
mentally unsOund after an attempt 10 end
her life under conditions similar 10 those
which caused the daughters death. Mrs
Van Auken II now In the Mani titan
State Asylum, on Wards Island.
Joseph :. O'Eonohuc. jr.. a real estate
man, Of No 3f7 Fifth avenue, by whom
Miss Van Auken had been employed for
number Of years, said last night that he
did not believe she had committed sui
eide. He said nothing in her manner or
words ever indicated that she was de-
spondent. She was thoroughly efficient, he
said. and he thought most highly OF her
In every way.
1t f. supposed that some time before
her death she entertained a party OF
friends IN her apartment. which would
account for the empty liquor glasses. 80
one was found yesterday by the police
who was a member Of such a party.
Mrs. ". J. Van Aukcn. of PassaIc, y. j..
sister-in-law Of the dead woman, said
yesterday she was convinced death was
due to heart failure. from which the
woman was a sufferer.
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