Samples of the blood of three
men, one a city fireman, whose
deaths were caused yesterday by
poisonous fumes in a linseed tank
at the Mann Bros. Company plant,
340 Ohio Street, were taken last
night to determine the nature of the
fumes.
The men who lost their lives were
Matthew O. Merzig, 30 years old. 46
Tuscarora Road, a fireman attached
to Rescue Squad No. 1; Helmuth
Stoettele, 31 years old, 1010 Jeffer-
son Avenue, and Nicholas Foit, Sr.,
64 years old, 162 Whitfield Avenue.
The two last named were employes
of the plant.

Fire Captain Overcome

Capt. Leo J. Sullivan, 639 Good-
year Avenue, commander of the
rescue squad, also was overcome in
trying to rescue the plant employes
and Merzig. He was pulled from
the tank by means of a rope he had
attached to his waist and was re-
vived.
The investigation into the mysteri-
ous deaths is being conducted by
Medical Examiner Rocco N. De-
Dominicis. The medical examiner
is being assisted by City Chemist
Edward J. Powers, to whom samples
of the blood of the three victims
were given last night by EJf. De-
Dominicis. It will be a day or two
before analysis of the blood is com-
pleted.
In addition to Dr. DeDominicis' in-
vestigation to determine the nature
of the poisonous gas, Mayor George
J. Zimmermarm directed his secre-
tary, Martin P. Flemming, to request
Fire Commissioner Castimore to file ....
ENQUIRY BEGUN
Continued on Page Eight

Thursday Morning, August 29, 1935
Buffalo NY Courier Express 1935

While mystery still shrouded the
cause of a tragedy Wednesday in a
linseed oil tank at the Mann Broth-
ers Company, 340 Ohio Street, which
killed three men. the victims, Mat-
thew G. Merzig, city fireman;
Nicholas Foit, Mann Company em-
ploye, and Helmuth Stottele, anoth-
er employe, were buried yesterday.
Services for Fireman Merzig, who
died in a rescue attempt, were held
at 8.30 a. m. at his home. 46 Tusca-
rora Road, and at 9 o'clock in St.
Thomas Aquinas Church. City fire-
men and fire department officials
attended.
Funeral services for Mr. Foit were
at 9.30 a. m. at his residence, 162
Whitfield Avenue and at 10 o'clock
in Holy Family Church. Rites for
the third victim of the tragedy,
Helmuth Stottele, were at 2.30 p. m.
at his home, 1010 Jefferson Avenue.
Officials of the Mann Company
closed the plant to permit employes
to attend the funerals. No further
reports have been received from Ed-
ward J. Powers, city chemist, who
said Friday that a complete lack of
oxygen was the cause of the deaths
of the three men.

Sunday Morning, September 1, 1935
Buffalo NY Courier Express 1935