GAS-POISONING CASE IN VICTORIA.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 289, 11 August 1888, Page 5

GAS- POISONING CASE IN VICTORIA.

Another terrible case of gas- poisoning, even more fatal than the recent one afc Malverri, has occurred ab North Melbourne,

resulting in the death of three young men — viz., James Strafford, aged 22, a tinsmith ; Win. Fitzmaurice, an employe* of Messrs Rowland and Lewis, cordial - manufacturers, aged 28 ; and Wm. Grey, cutler, aged 20. The catastrophe occurred at No. 9, Birchill-terrace, A'Beckett-street, in a house occupied by Mrs Stafford, who keeps boarders. All three young men slept in one room, a small one, 14ft. by 12ft. Gray and Fitzmaurice went to bed about 11 o'clock, while Stafford retired an hour and a-half later. This morning none of the inmates responded to the usual call, whereupon the door was opened by Mrs Stafford,- who found her son and the two other young men dead on their beds and the room full of gas. Dr. Rose was called in, and found death had occurred some time previously, the bodies being quite cold and stiff. The gasalier had been pulled down low, and there boing very little water in the receiver the gas had full opportunity to escape. As the door was shut, the window down and the iireplaco closed up, there was no ventilation in the room and the young men must have been speedily suffocated. Jas. Stafford was the chief support of his mother, who is quite stricken down at the loss of her boy. At an inquest on the remains of the unfortunate youths, Mrs Stafford gave evidence to the effect that the three young men had been taking part in the Trades Demonstration connected with the opening of the Exhibition, and had retired to bed quite sober. Dr. Rose certified to the cause of death, which he stages must have been quite painless. A verdict of accidental death was returned.