Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-07
EUGENE M'CABE
IS FOUND DEAD
MILWAUKEE ENGINEER DlSCOv-
Erred THIS NORTHUMBERLAND
CAME SATURDAY NIGHT.
HOUSE WAS ON FIRE
Coroner Slauqht Asserts Indications
Point to Fact That suffocation
Was Cause Of Death-Mc-
Cabe Fought Flames.

Hanging over the edge of the sink
pans and kettles and firmly clutching
kerosene lamp, Eugene McCabe, a
Milwaukee engineer, aged about fifty.
five years, was found dead in the
kitchen of his home, GIG West Sec
ond street at IL o'clock this morning
The body was frozen rigid in its crum
pied position, indicating that death
came many hours before. Information
given by neighbors shows McCabe has
l. not been seen since Saturday after.
noon. 1t is probable that he met his
death Saturday night as the snow
which fell on that night, was unbroken
at every door. The partial destruction
by fire of a bed in room adjoining
the kitchen and of tub full of bed
clothes just beside the sink, together
with burns of McCabe's hands and
head, indicate that death was the re-
suit of being overcome with smoke and
perhaps gases from the lamp. Mr..
McCabe lived alone.
l.. G. Stiles, meter reader for the
Ottumwa Railway & Light Co., made
the grewsome discovery this morning.
Mr.. McCabe has been accustomed to
leave the key to the house, when
absent, in place where Mr.. Stiles
could get in and enter the house to
read the electric meter. The key was
missing this morning. Going to the
rear door Mr. Stiles found it unlocked.
Entering, the first sight that met his
eyes, was the form of Mr.. McCabe
bending over the sink. Mr.. Stiles i'm
mediately telephoned to the police.
Patrolman Al Lightner answered the
summons and after taking charge of
the house, called Coroner A. w.
Slaught.
Met Terrible Fate.
Coroner Slaught after making an
investigation, asserted that 1t was
very probable Mr.. McCabe was over
come with smoke. The room indicates
that McCabe came home, removed his
hat coat and vest, all of which were
found hanging over chair nearby
and was preparing to go to bed. The
coal oil can was found sitting on a
gas stove near the wash stand and
from the oil that had emptied from the
lamp into pan just beneath, as 1t was
held by Mr.. McCabe. it appears as
If he had filled the lamp. How the
bed in the next room caught on fire,
those who were on the scene, cannot
account for. 1t is thought that Nc
Cabe endeavored to fight the flames,
neglecting his own safety and thus was
victim of suffocation by smoke.
When the man toppled over in the
sink it is evident that the lamp was
burning as his hair was slightly singed.
The burns on his hands seems to
show that they had been received in
his attempt to extinguish the fire in
the bed as the mattress was torn and
the excelsior thrown on the floor.
There was also a coating of ice on the
floor showing that water had been
used on the flames.
Another Fire Started.
Very near the sink was tub full of
charred bed clothes, the burning Of
which cannot be accounted for. 1t is
possible that their nearness to the
stove caused ignition by intense heat.
The floor was slightly charred at the
edge of the tub. Another fact that
indicates Mr.. McCabe was in the act
of retiring for the night is that his
clothing was unfastened and one sus-
pender was down.
Mr.. McCabe has lived alone, his
wife having passed away just year
ago.
Jury EmpanelIed.
In order that the exact conditions
might be known to the jury who would
sit at the inquest, Coroner Slaught
secured three men before he permitted
the body to be touched. George
Phillips. Henry Wagers and Bert