Notes:
Easton Express, Thursday, October 11, 1934, page 1
George Gruver Found dead
Firemen Came Across Body in Gas-Filled Kitchen
George Gruver, 68, years old, life insurance salesman, died
of gas poisoning in his home, 101 North Warren Street, Late
yesterday afternoon.
William Wanamaker, of 32 North Warren Street, a fireman off
duty attracted to the lace by an explosion which followed igniting
of illumination gas by a pilot light in the stove, broke open
the back door and found Mr. Gruver seated in a chair near the
stove.
Wanamaker and Harold Diehl, another fireman, who arrived with
the fire fighting apparatus from Central fire Station rushed
Gruver to Easton Hospital but he had already expired.
Dr. Theodore Reichbaum, deputy coroner, and Sergeant Boylan
and Detective Stem, of the Easton police were called in and
decided that Mr. Gruver had committed suicide.
When Wanamaker force hs way into the place he found all the
burners on the kitchen stove ignited and the oven door blown
from its hinges. The room was filled with a strong odor of
gas.
The explosion also force off its hinges a door leading from
the kitchen to the dining room. The slight blaze which followed
the blast also ignited a curtain on the kitchen widow and singed
the wood work. The firemen did not have to go into action.
Mr. Gruver’s eye brows, eye lashes and the hair on his
head were singed by the flames but did not cause death. Dr.
Reichbeum decided today when he issued a certificate of suicide
by inhaling illuminating gas.
No note informing member of his family of the decision to
commit suicide was found by authorities but they did uncover
a note to a nephew directing him how to proceed to collect
the lodge benefits carried by him.
Relatives were at a loss to ascribe a season for suicide. |
