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Foreign News
October 3, 1902
The Bourbon News
Paris, Bourbon County, Kentucky
What is this article about?
Emile Zola, famed French novelist and Dreyfus defender, died accidentally from stove fumes in Paris on Sept. 30. His wife survived. The event shocked Paris and drew international sympathy, including from London press and the pope.
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Full Text
EMILE ZOLA IS DEAD.
Noted French Novelist Accidentally Asphyxiated.
He and Wife Had Just Returned to Paris From Their Country House at Medan—Zola's Death Caused a Sensation.
Paris, Sept. 30.—Emile Zola, the novelist, who gained additional prominence in recent years because of his defense of the Jews and of former Capt. Dreyfus, was found dead in his Paris house Monday morning. Asphyxiation resulting from the fumes from a stove in his bedroom is given as the cause of death.
M. Zola and his wife retired at 10 o'clock Sunday night. Mme. Zola was seriously ill when the room was broken into Monday morning. At about noon she was removed to a private hospital, where she recovered consciousness for a short time and was able briefly to explain to a magistrate what had happened. M. and Mme. Zola returned to Paris from their country house at Medan Sunday. Owing to a sudden spell of cold weather the heating stove in their bedroom was ordered to be lighted. The stove burned badly and the pipes of the stove are said to have been out of order.
To the magistrate Mme. Zola explained that she woke early Monday morning with a splitting headache. She wakened her husband and asked him to open a window. She saw him rise and attempt to move towards a window but he staggered and fell to the floor unconscious. Mme. Zola fainted at the same moment and was therefore unable to give the alarm.
The servants of the Zola household, not hearing any movement in their master's apartments Monday morning, entered the bedroom at half past 9 o'clock and found M. Zola lying with his head and shoulders on the floor and his legs on the bed. Doctors were summoned but they failed to resuscitate him.
Mme. Zola was unconscious, but after prolonged efforts on the part of the physicians she showed signs of life, but it was some time before she became conscious.
A slight odor of carbonic gas was noticed when the servants broke into the bedroom. From the position of M. Zola's body it was evident that he had tried to rise but had been overcome by the fumes from the defective stove. The servants immediately opened the bedroom windows and sent for physicians. A commissary of police was also summoned.
The death of M. Zola, which became generally known only late Monday afternoon, has caused a great sensation in Paris, and Monday evening there was a constant stream of callers at the Zola residence. M. Zola's body lies upon a divan in the center of the spacious drawingroom of his house under a canopy of rare and ancient hangings. The body is covered with a sheet and electric lamps throw their vivid light upon the waxlike features of the dead.
Mme. Zola was informed of the death of her husband before she left the house for the hospital. She at first refused to believe the news and was terribly affected. She did not wish to leave the house but the physicians finally persuaded her to allow herself to be removed to the hospital.
A large crowd assembled in front of the Zola residence Monday evening. Among the callers at the house were almost all the literary celebrities of Paris.
London, Sept. 30.—The tragic circumstances of M. Zola's death have called out a great display of sympathetic regret in the British press. M. Zola is regarded as having been one of the last great pillars of the 19th century literature, whose death is a serious loss to the world. His methods and work are freely criticised but no word is heard against his absolute honesty and sincerity, which are held to have been proved by his courageous defense of former Capt. Dreyfus.
On hearing of his death, it is reported that the pope exclaimed, "If he was an enemy of the church, he was a frank one: God rest his soul."
Noted French Novelist Accidentally Asphyxiated.
He and Wife Had Just Returned to Paris From Their Country House at Medan—Zola's Death Caused a Sensation.
Paris, Sept. 30.—Emile Zola, the novelist, who gained additional prominence in recent years because of his defense of the Jews and of former Capt. Dreyfus, was found dead in his Paris house Monday morning. Asphyxiation resulting from the fumes from a stove in his bedroom is given as the cause of death.
M. Zola and his wife retired at 10 o'clock Sunday night. Mme. Zola was seriously ill when the room was broken into Monday morning. At about noon she was removed to a private hospital, where she recovered consciousness for a short time and was able briefly to explain to a magistrate what had happened. M. and Mme. Zola returned to Paris from their country house at Medan Sunday. Owing to a sudden spell of cold weather the heating stove in their bedroom was ordered to be lighted. The stove burned badly and the pipes of the stove are said to have been out of order.
To the magistrate Mme. Zola explained that she woke early Monday morning with a splitting headache. She wakened her husband and asked him to open a window. She saw him rise and attempt to move towards a window but he staggered and fell to the floor unconscious. Mme. Zola fainted at the same moment and was therefore unable to give the alarm.
The servants of the Zola household, not hearing any movement in their master's apartments Monday morning, entered the bedroom at half past 9 o'clock and found M. Zola lying with his head and shoulders on the floor and his legs on the bed. Doctors were summoned but they failed to resuscitate him.
Mme. Zola was unconscious, but after prolonged efforts on the part of the physicians she showed signs of life, but it was some time before she became conscious.
A slight odor of carbonic gas was noticed when the servants broke into the bedroom. From the position of M. Zola's body it was evident that he had tried to rise but had been overcome by the fumes from the defective stove. The servants immediately opened the bedroom windows and sent for physicians. A commissary of police was also summoned.
The death of M. Zola, which became generally known only late Monday afternoon, has caused a great sensation in Paris, and Monday evening there was a constant stream of callers at the Zola residence. M. Zola's body lies upon a divan in the center of the spacious drawingroom of his house under a canopy of rare and ancient hangings. The body is covered with a sheet and electric lamps throw their vivid light upon the waxlike features of the dead.
Mme. Zola was informed of the death of her husband before she left the house for the hospital. She at first refused to believe the news and was terribly affected. She did not wish to leave the house but the physicians finally persuaded her to allow herself to be removed to the hospital.
A large crowd assembled in front of the Zola residence Monday evening. Among the callers at the house were almost all the literary celebrities of Paris.
London, Sept. 30.—The tragic circumstances of M. Zola's death have called out a great display of sympathetic regret in the British press. M. Zola is regarded as having been one of the last great pillars of the 19th century literature, whose death is a serious loss to the world. His methods and work are freely criticised but no word is heard against his absolute honesty and sincerity, which are held to have been proved by his courageous defense of former Capt. Dreyfus.
On hearing of his death, it is reported that the pope exclaimed, "If he was an enemy of the church, he was a frank one: God rest his soul."
What sub-type of article is it?
Notable Death
Literary Figure
What keywords are associated?
Emile Zola Death
Asphyxiation
Paris Sensation
Dreyfus Defense
Literary Celebrity
What entities or persons were involved?
Emile Zola
Mme. Zola
Capt. Dreyfus
Where did it happen?
Paris
Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Paris
Event Date
Sept. 30
Key Persons
Emile Zola
Mme. Zola
Capt. Dreyfus
Outcome
emile zola died from asphyxiation; his wife survived after treatment.
Event Details
Emile Zola and his wife returned to Paris from Medan. Due to cold weather, a bedroom stove was lit but malfunctioned, filling the room with fumes. Monday morning, Mme. Zola woke with a headache, asked her husband to open a window, but both collapsed. Servants found Zola dead and his wife unconscious; she later recovered and explained the incident. The death caused a sensation in Paris with crowds and literary visitors. Reactions in London praised Zola's honesty in the Dreyfus defense; the pope commented on his frank enmity to the church.