Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-22
SCOTT VERNON
FOUND DEAD IN
GAS FILLED ROOM
Death Believed an Accident;
Was Former Newspaper
Editor.
REALTY BROKER RECENTLY

W. Scott Vernon, aged so years. a
lifelong Wilrpingtonian, and very well
known, was found dead this morning,
I'm an office at sia Orange street. in
a gas-filled room. 1t is not known
whether his death was the result of
an accident or suicide. as conflicting
information has been given. An au-
topsy will only reveal the cause OF
death.
The body was found lying on the
f,oor In the office OF s. r. Tarhutton
and Son, in the rear OF at4 Orange
street. MIR. Vernon had desk room in
the front office.
He left his home at s22 West street
yesterday afternoon about and as
far as is known, went immediately To
the office. The circumstances under
which the body was found make IL
uncertain as to the cause of death.
Miss Anna Schiosser. 1i2 West
Twenty-sixth street, who discovered
the body, ran screaming to the street
and summoned a stenographer from
an adjoining building, who in turn
called George Winters of sfo Orange
street. MIR. Winters said that when
he went into the roam, he found the
man lying on the floor. with his head
facing n gas jet near the floor. from
which a tube leading to a gas-stove
had been disconnected in some manner.
MIR. Winters, who was the first per-
son to reach the scene, declares that
il was not a case of suicide but that
death resulted from the man falling
MIR. Winters said that he believes the
man had been sitting at desk in the
office. and that he either was taken
iii and fell or tripped as he rose, and
that i'm doing so, his foot likely dis
connected the tube from the gas con-
nection, leading from the floor. Wins
ters said the hose was lying beneath
the body which was cold. One OF Mr..
yernons hands clutched the side of a
nearby chair and held it firmly, ac-
cording 10 Winters. who removed Ii.
Winters notified the traffic officer at
Tenth and orange streets, and he SUM
moned the police ambulance, which ar
rived on the scene in a short time with
a puImotor. The mans body was re-
moved to the Delaware hospital at
once. lie was pronounced dead at the
hospital.
Several of tho business raen OF that
section report that Mr.. Vernon had
been complaining the past week or two
OF poor business conditions.
Mr.. Vernon was candidate Tor the
appointment as magistrate to succeed
Harry l. ellis and made an active
campaign to secure the appointment
He was son OF George w. Vernon.
for many years editor and publisher
OF the Daily Republican. Scott Ner-
non succeeded his father as editor and
part owner OF the PAPER. lie later
entered the real estate business and
at the time Of his death was thus en-
gagged.
He was lifelong Republican and
is survived by his widow and two sons.
Harvey and Robert, who live out OF
the city. Robert lives in Connecticut
He is also survived by two brothers,
Howard and Albert Vernon. both liv-
ing in this city. There are three half
brothers and one half-sister, as fol-
lows: Frank. Walter and Wesley YER
non and Mrs. A. G. Davies, all OF this
city.
Mrs. Vernon. the widow. last night.
made an effort to locate her husband.
when he had not returned home by
dark. She went TO sli Orange street
but having no key was unable to gair
admission. She found everything IL
darkness at that time.
According TO information obtained
today. the aged man had been dead for
eight or ten hours when found this
morning.
The funeral services viii be held
probably on Thursday afternoon, from
the residence of the mother. 703 West
Nineteenth, with interment in vii
mington and Brandywine Cemetery.
Coroner Bullock will hold an inquest
in the case tomorrow night.