Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-04-08
ClARENCEv|LlE MAN
ASPHYX|ATED BY GAS
Lifeless Body of Charles N.
Beerwort, IS Years Old, Found
in Bed in Room at Van Ness
House-Clearly an Accidental
Death
Death

Lying on his face in his bed in room |
1863 on the fourth floor of the Van Ness !
House Charles Nelson Bcerwort of !
Clarenceville p. O.. brother of Mrs. !
Mary G. Sails of this city, was found |
dead early yesterday afternoon by Man !
o Brien, death being due 10 asphyxiation.
Mr.. Beerwort arrived in tho city Tues
day evening and came to the hotel about
II O'Clock. He went to bed Immediately.
Yesterday morning on their way to
breakfast the maids who live on that
floor thought they smelled slight odor
OF escaping gas but it was so slight that
they paid no attention to it. About $50
Mrs. Nellie Brunell, one of the maids
who occupies the next room, room 1874,
which has n door connecting it with 1853,
began to notice a strong smell of gas.
AS Tuesday night was so cold. instead of
opening her window as usual she had
left II closed and opened her transom
thinking she would get enough air in
this way. SO the gas coming under the
door did not escape. She notified the of
fee and a man was sent up but he could
not find any leak about the gas let in her
room. The odor grew stronger and Mrs.
Brunel was finally forced to leave her
room as it made her head ache. II was
then that a systematic investigation was
started but no one could determine the
direction from which the gas was COM
ing. During the morning the maid in
charge of the fourth floor had tried MIR.
Beerworts door but as she found II
locked had concluded he was sleeping. II
was bell boy who finally decided the
f,A IL pa1r
chair and looked over the transom
which was OPEN and thought Mr. Beer
wort was in an unnatural position so he
notified Mr.. Harding. This was about 30
o'clock.
After Mr., Harding had knocked several
times on the door and received no re-
Spouse he worked the key out of the lock
and turning him over found Mr.. Beer
| wort dead. His body was still warm but
| his hands were cold There was strong
, odor of gas in the room but il was not
| sufocating as the transom wide
| open. The gas cock was partly open. Mr..
| Harding opened the window and then
called the police and Health Officer DR..
| Charles A. Ravey. All efforts to resusci-
tate the man were futile and after an
autopsy was performed DR.. RaVev said
that death was due to monoxide poison
| ing. undoubtedly accidental.
All of the evidence in the case seemed
| TO point to the cause as an accidental one.
Ifor Mr. Beerwort had prepared for bed in
a normal way. putting his valuabes UNI
der his pillow. His transom. too was left
wide open. The gas cock was only partly
open and as II works hard it was suggest
ed that he might have turned it to be
sure IT was off and as he was not strong
had not turned it completely back. The
fixture s a combinat ton gas and electric
one.
Mr.. Beerwort had with him small
travelling bag and a large flashliSht Tied
70 the bag was piece of paper on which
was written G. n. Beerwort, Alburg. Vt
Among his papers was one saying that in
his railroad pass book would be found
his will. This divided his money. prop.
erty and valuables among four sons
Bartlett c.. Edison n and Wilburt G.
all Of Hartford. Conn. and Melvin H. OF
'ath, Me In a diary was a note saying
lin case of accident notify r. G. Beerwort
III Church street Hartford. Conn. OF
NJ. H. Beerwort. 673 Washington street
Bath. Me. There was also about $50 ir
money and bank book on the Canadian
Bank of Commerce in Clarcnceville, F
O., showing a balance of $500. The ad
dress of II. H Sails was also given anC
on communication with Mr.. Sails it was
found that Mr. BeerWort had been visit
ing his son in Bath, Me, and was on hi
way to visit his sister. Mr.. sail s mother
who is not very well. He said that Mr.
Bccrwort was S. years old and had lv
ed in Clarenceville for over 20 years. Dur
ing his early days he had been a farmer
but of late he had dealt in real estate
He had been in good health and his ii
nances We're on perfectly sound hasi
so there was no reason, according 4
Mr.. Sails. why he should want to die Hi
family had all lived long lives ono rela
tive living to he nearly 100, and Mrs. Sal
is now 81 He had Travelled n great dea
and as Mr.. Sails said, did not like 70 dis
turb anyone so probably had stopped n
he hotel simply because it was so late
meaning to 60 to Mr. sails homo at .
North Wnooski avenue in the mornns
| The body was removed TO the funera
arlors OF Corhin, Frye ~ NORM and III
sons were notified. AS soon as they ar
rive the body will be taken 10 Clarence
vile. whore tho funeral will he held.