Case No. 3990

Summary from Coroner's Verdict

Ella Curtice died on 10 March 1898. The coroner's ruling was that she committed suicide by gas. She was 22 years old, born in the U.S. and had brown eyes and dark hair with a "dark" complexion. She stood about 5' 5" tall and was of medium build. She was a housewife by occupation. Her body was shipped to Rochester, New York for burial.

Testimony of Irving M. Curtice, Husband

Testimony of Fred Wagner, Police Officer

Irving M. Curtice, being duly sworn testifies as follows, I reside at No 367 Sibley St. I am the husband of Ella Curtlce, I returned home last night soon after six o'clock, I wife was at home, we wore both at home during the entire evening, right after I got home my wife and I had some differences of opinion, after our argument, she started to get supper. I did not eat any supper, she took super alone, I immediately retired to bed, and feel asleep. I slept untill about six o'clock this morning, I woke up and smelled gas in the room the gas in my bed room was turned on, I turned it off and opened the window, as I turned from opening the window I saw Mrs. Curtice lying on the couch in the dining room, both gas jets were turned on in the dining room, also, I turned them off, one of them was located over the head of the couch, a rubber hose was slipped over the burner, I turned off the gas, picked up my wife, found her riged, then sent for a doctor, Dr. Frost did not come, I. then went and got Dr. Burdick, he pronounced her dead and thought that she had been dead about two hours, She was about to make, a visit and was very much excited.

Cleveland March 10 1898

Fred Wagner, being duly sworn, testifies as follows, I reside at No. 10 Gale Ave. I am a policeman, NO 69. About 8:15 this morning my attention was called to investigate a sudden death at 387 Sibley St, up stairs , by Dr. Martin. I went to th house, when I got there, I found a man who proved to be Mr. Curtise he took me up stairs, in the dining room where his wife was laying on a couch, the couch was immediately under a gas jet, a rubber hose was attached to the gas jot, an the other end of the hose was near the mouth of Mrs. Curtice, the gas at this time was turned off, the windows of the house were up and had been up for at least two hours I have been informed, she was lying on her right side as if she was sleeping. the room was somewhat in disorder, some matches were lying about the floor, burned matches, there was some food upon the table, plates were set for two, but one of them only soiled, there was no indication of any broken furniture, nor torn clothing, I went into the kitchen and found gas tip upon the floor, burned matches also upon the floor. the floor of the pantry was unclean, as if oat meal and bead crumbs had been thrown over the floor, I then went into the front room and found a trunk open top up the tray of the trunk on the floor, seemed to be all packed,

There was another gas jot ii the dining room about three feet back of her feet, about the same height as the other one, about four feet and a half from the floor, I had a conversation with Mr. Curtice at this time he told me that last sight he and his wife had had a few words, that he had retired first, and that he did not know whether his wife had come to bed at all or not, that in the morning ho woke up with a sense of suffocation, that he noticed a strong smell of gas in the room that he examined the gas burner in his bed room, which adjoins the dining room, and found the gas turned on, he Immediately turned the gas off and raised the window, the door between the bed room and the dining room was open, he then went into the dining room, and found that the two jets in that room were turned on also, he turned them off and raised both windows in that room, he then noticed his wife, lying on the couch, he tried to rouse her but failed, there was a hose fastened to the gas jot over the couch, and I asked. him where that came from, he replied that it belonged to the gas stove in the kitchen, I looked around on the tables and found an accident policy., I found no other papers, I learned at this time that Dr. Burdick had boon called. Her husband appeared dased, and could assign no motive for 'the. act 'of his wife. There was some womans clothing on a chair the head of the bed, her shoes and stockings wore lying in front of a chair on the floor in the eastern part of the room.

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