South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-13
YOUNG GIRL IS
THE VICTIM Of
QUARTER ME- TER
Marjorie Frain, Sixteen Years
Old, is ASphyxiated When
Coin is Dropped in Slot as
Gas Gets Low.

While her girl chum waited for her.
Marjorie Frain, 10. 700 y. st. Louis
St. went up stairs to prepare TO go
out calling. Marjorie had been slightly
i'll and lay down for a short rest.
Marjorie went 10 sleep. Marjorie is
still sleeping. and viii continue 10 sleep
forever Her mother came up stairs
a short time later and found Marjorie
unconscious on the bed and gas jet
turned on full.
A doctor was summoned, the po-
lice pulmotor rushed to the little bed
room but all efforts failed. Twenty
minutes did Officers Parker and
OConnell and Dr. r. +. Dugdale work
with the girl but were forced to go
back defeated. Death had q big lead
when they came and could not be
OVertaken.
1t was a sad climax TO a glad Easter
day in the little home. Marjorie,
true and devout Catholic. attended
low mass in the morning and ap-
preached the sacred board where she
partOOk of the blessed sacrament and
came home happy, ready for a glad
Easter day. Then she arranged with
her girl chum to make a call which
was never made. a quarter gas
meter is believed responsible for the
death of the girl.
Girl Goes to Her Room.
According TO the grief-stricken
mother, Marjories friend arrived
shortly before s o'clock Sunday night.
Marjorie went upstairs and told her
to wait while she would get ready
What transpired after Marjorie got
upstairs will probably never be known.
The theory is this:
Marjorie turned on the gas and
Oh 1o 70 TnCt
for a little while. The gas in the
quarter gas meter is believed TO have
been low and while Marjorie lay on
the bed and probably dOZed, the light
went out Mrs. oscar Henrick, the
mother. who was downstairs saw the
light below get low and dropped an
other quarter into the meter. Then
the gas again Jared forth from the
open jet in MarjOrie's room and when
she realized it. was perhaps too weak
and stupefed to reach safety This is
the theory Of Coroner Swantz. who
said the mother said she dropped an
other quarter in the meter. DR..
SwantZ pronounced it accidental
death
When the girl failed to re-appear
downstairs the mother went up TO
investigate and found the girl stretch
ed on the bed unconscious. She rush.
ed frantically to telephone ana
summoned DIR. Dugdale. In the mean
time the police were notified to rush
to the house with the pumotor. The
physician and police arrived at the
same moment. DR.. Dugdale made
hasty examination and said mo hope"
but told the police they might try
anyway And try they did but 1t was
too late. Marjorie's eyes glazed while
her heart and pulse ceased. Dr.
SWantz was called. and after an eX-
animation and questioning Of the
household gave his accidental death
verdict.
The mother said she could see no
reason for suicide as the girl always
seemed satisfied and happy and was
looking forward to an evening OF en-
joyment with her girl chum.
Coroner Swantz suggested another
theory The girl might have finished
dressing. turned off the gas and then
in laying down possibly caught her
sleeve in the jet and unconsciously
turned on the gas again. The girl
had practic1Sy no chance as all WIN
dows were ti,N2tly closed.
The girl is Survived by her mother.
ana a half brother, Oscar, and half
sister. Katherine. She was born IN
this city Jan. %, 1898.