Evening journal., 1913-10-28
DEAD In HIS
CHAIR WHILE
GAS ESCAPES
Frank J. May Believed to
Have Accidentally Turned
on Jet
GAS COMPANY MEN
DOUBT ASPHYXIATION

His body reel ing in a rocking chair,
with a newspaper spread across his
knees as if it had dropped from his
hands, Frank J. May, aged 40 years, one
of the best-known residents Of this city
was found dead in his bedroom at his
home, No 1921 Washington street, by
his sister, Mrs. George w. Phillips, last
night Gas flowed from an overhead jet
slightly turned on, but a question has
been raised by Gas Company officials
whether he died of apoplexy or from the
effects of gas accidentally turned on. A
door from the room in which he had
been reading into the front room was
open and a window in the front room
was open The electric lights overhead
were lighted evidently by Mr.. May be-
fore he began reading. II may be that
he partly turned on the gas as he light
ed the electric lamps.
Mr. May. who was unmarried. has
been making his home with his sister.
Mrs. Phillips. He has been employed
as a foreman in the plant of the Har-
Ian and Hollingsworth Corporation for
several years. He had gone home
to supper last evening and about Z
O'Clock went to his room with the in
tention Of taking a bath. and then
to read awhile. The bath room ad-
joins his room.
When Mrs Phillips went to his
room about 9 o'clock to talk. to him,
she found the door closed, and when
she got no reply TO her knock she
oponed il and started to walk into
the room. She found a depressing
Odor of gas and confronted her
brothers body reclining in a rocking
chair with newspaper spread across
his knee. as if 1t had dropped from
( his hands.
Mrs. Phillips screamed. and her hus.
band ran 10 the room. He notified
George G.. Stewart. who lives next door,
and they endeavcfed TO find some physi-
clans, finally locating Dr. Frank Roop
Smith. He and Dr. Marshall with
two nurses from the Delaware Hospital,
went TO tho house The police were no.
titled and the gas company was asked
for its pulmotor.
The Wilmington Gas Company's pull
motor was operated for more than an
hour, but all signs of life had gone from
Mr.. Mays body. He was finally given
up as dead and Coroner Spring notified
While Dr. Smith gave lis opinion that
gas asphyNiation had caused Mr.. Mays
death, some of the gas company's en-
lployes viewed the case in different light.
One official said the room where Mr..
Nays body was found contained 10000
square feet of air The gas Jet was
one from which five cubic feet Of gas
Twill flow in an hour II was only partly
lopen, so that if Mr. May had accident.
ally opened it when he FIRST went into
the room, and if he had been there from
TO o'clock, there was less than tel
cubic feet of gas in the place, and thii
in 10000 cubic feet of air. il was claim
ed by the official, would not kill any
thing. They were inclined TO the belief
that Mr.. May died as the result Of a
stroke of apoplcxy or paralysis, and
claim the body had no appearance of a
gs victim.
Coroner Spring today said he be-
lieved May died from the effects
CT gas He sad 'hs windows we're
down and the room was full Of gas
when he arrived there. He said there
would be no autopsy unless The gas
company officials demanded It.