Evening journal., 1913-10-25
FOUND DEAD
in CHAIR WITH
GASTURNEDON

Lying back in rocking chair, his
spectacles clutched firmly in one
hand Thomas B. Townsend, aged 76
years, who resides at No. 1871 West
Second street, was found locked in
the bath room in his home about 1890
o'clock this morning. with the gas es-
Gaping from an open Jet. The aged
man was dead when found. and siren
Gus efforts on the part of physicians
and several officials OF the Wilmington
Gas Company failed to revive him.
The body of the aged man, who is a
cripple, he having lost one leg in for
mer years, was discovered by Samuel
Handler, who keeps o grocery store
on the corner of Second and Lincoln
streets. Mr.. Handler was delivering
an order at No. 1888 West Second
street, next door to the Townsend
home, about 1880 o'clock, and when
he was unable to raise the occupants
OF that house by ringing the door
bell, he decided 10 leave the order in
the house next door, believing his Gus
toners were away from home. He
rang the bell of the Townsend home.
Mrs. Townsend, an aged woman,
came TO the door and the grocer I'M
mediately detected that something
was wrong.
Wont you please come in and see
what's the matter with my old man
Townsend?" she begged. in a quiv-
ering voice, and Mr. Handler entered
the house. He detected the odor of
gas when he entered the hall, and
he hastened up the front steps, leav-
ing Mrs Townsend on the first floor.
He looked into the bedrooms but
could see no one and he then ap-
proached the bathroom, the door Of
which he found was locked. Handler,
who is a large man, placed his
shoulder against the door and force
ed II open. For a moment he was
almost overpowered with the gas
which rushed from the room. He
found the aged man reclining in a
big rocking chair. which he had evil
IDENTIFY carried into the bath room for
the purpose, one hand grasping his
spectacles and the other dangling
over the arm OF the chair. Braving
the gas which filled the room he
rushed in and tried to arouse the vic
tim. Finding this impossible he car
ried him out to the outer room, and
as he did not know just where the
Edc jet was ritudltN ht lurntu " Ant
cellar and turned off the gas with a
wrench, after which he notified the
gas company and took Mrs. Town
send into the house next door.
w. j. McCorkindale. manager of
the gas company, with the pulmotor,
Harry Corake, with the pulmotor
FASTENED 20 the house, accompanied
by Drs. Stuhbs and Kelly The ply
sicians pronounced the man dead as
soon as they had examined the body,
and while an effort was made To re-
vive him with the life-saving machine,
II was in vain
The aged wife of the dead man is
prostrated with grief. and It is fear
ed that the shock may result seri-
ously. II is believed that ill-health
and melancholia prompted the old
man to end his life. he having been
in poor health for a long time. He
had lived retired for some time.
Mr. Townsend is survived by his
wife and four children, John w, FL.
mer r and Mrs J. F. Rutter, of this
city, and Paul R., of Salisbury Md
He had only been living at the house
in which he ended his life about ono
year, having formerly resided at No
500 Harrison street. He has been q
resident of this city for many years
Coroner John T. Spring made an
investigation this afternoon. He pro-
nounced the cause Of the mans death
as asphyxiation, The funeral ar.
rangements have not been made.