The Topeka Daily Capital Wednesday January 2, 1952 Topekan Is Burned To Death in Room. A man identified as Richard FARRIS was found dead of burns and suffocation in his room at 424 East Fifth about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. Farris, who was about 55 years old, was found when other residents of the rooming house smelled smoke and broke down a door to his room. He was lying on the floor, partly under the bed. Much of his clothing has been burned off his body. Firemen who answered the alarm said an eletric hot plate in his room was turned off, but the bed hardly had been damaged by the fire. Dr. Donald H. Macrae, Shawnee County coroner, said that Farris died of burns or suffocation or both. He said information obtained by police and firemen indicated that Farris may have fallen against the hot plate, setting his clothes on fire. Farris was said by other occupants of the rooming house to be a World War I pensioner.