The West Australian Newspaper Mon 28th Sept. 1936

Fatality in Barrack-st. Shop.

Frederick John Thomas Congress (45), bicycle manufacturer, was found dead at the premises of Congress Cycles. Barrack-street, Perth, on Saturday morning. It was supposed that Mr. Congress. while working late on Friday night. was overcome by gas fumes when en- gaged in stove-enamelling the frame of a bicycle.

About 6 o’clock on Friday evening, when Arthur John Horlin, an employee of Congress Cycles. left the prem- ises in Barrack-street, Mr. Congress was still busy in the shop.

Wearing his apron, Mr. Congress was seen in Barrack-street about 9 o’clock. Shortly after 9.30 o’clock gas fumes were detected by the proprietor of a shop next door to the cycle shop, and he communicated with the Electricity and Gas Department. He was advised to ring a certain telephone number, and, on doing so, was given instructions how to turn off the gas leading to his establishment, because at that time it was thought that the gas leak might be in his premises. He was unable to find the handle of the gas tap, and about 15 minutes later he again communicated with the gas complaints office. Shortly afterwards, he found the handle and turned off the supply of gas to his premises. In spite of this precaution, a strong smell of gas invaded the shop but, having done his best to trace the leak, the proprietor completed his work in his shop and left for his home later in the night.

Anxiety concerning the non-appearance of Mr. Congress at his home in Monmouth-street, North Perth, caused his daughter, Jean (16), to go to the Barrack-street shop about 7.30 am. on Saturday. As the front door of the premises was locked, the girl went to a lane and entered the premises from the rear. The shop was reeking with gas, but the girl made her way to the front of the premises, where she saw her father lying face downwards near the enamelling oven. She opened the Barrack-street door of the shop and called the police. The police found that Congress was lying near the gas jet of the enamel- ling oven, and the gas was turned full on. In one of the man’s hands was a box of matches. and it was assumed that he had turned on the gas and was about to light the jet when he collapsed and was overcome by fumes.

Inside the gas oven was the frame of a freshly enamelled bicycle and a paint pot and brush on a nearby bench indicated that the frame had just been enamelled.

Constable Gault turned off the gas, and Constable Bluck removed Congress in an ambulance to the Perth Hospital, where a doctor said that death had occurred several hours earlier. The City Coroner was notified.