DASTARDLY DADS FROM THE ARCHIVES (The Bronx, New York - 1922)

In an account from 1922 that sounds suspiciously contemporary, Dad WALTER LIDDLE says he drowned his infant son because he felt suicidal and wanted to die himself. The police bungling and the complete failure to mention the whereabouts of the baby's mother are also familiar aspects of modern articles of this type.

From the archives of the New York Times, February 28, 1922.

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=980CE3DE1F30EE3ABC4051DFB4668389639EDE

POLICE IN LINE-UP IN BABY'S MURDER

Young Father Unable to Identify Officer Who Failed to Arrest Him.

INVESTIGATION IS BEGUN

Parent Who Admitted Drowning Infant is Held Without Bail on Homicide Charge.

Because a policeman at Willis Avenue and 143rd Street on Sunday afternoon failed to arrest Walter Liddle, the 19-year-old boy who drowned his 8-month-old son, an investigation was begun yesterday by the Bronx police. Up to a late hour last night neither Liddle nor his two brothers-in-law, who accompanied him, had identified the policeman to whom Liddle had first reported the killing of his baby.

Liddle was arraigned in West Farms Court yesterday on a charge of homicide. By request of Assistant District Attorney Frank Oliver, Magistrate Simpson remanded the prisoner to jail without bail for further examination Thursday. In court Liddle adhered to the story that he killed the baby because he wanted to die.

At 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon Captain Matthew Robinson of the Alexander Avenue Station lined up the squads about to go on duty and asked Edward and Terry Corrigan, Liddle's brothers-in-law, to pick out the policeman to whom Liddle had reported that he had drowned his baby. The brothers inspected the line as the policeman stood at attention, but they were unable to find the policeman in question.

Captain Robinson then ordered that the incoming squads go through the same procedure, but again the brothers failed to identify the officer. Captain Robinson asked the Corrigans to return to the station house this morning at 8 o'clock to inspect the four squads which did not take part in yesterday's line-up.

Police officials said that the policeman to whom Liddle said: "I have drowned my baby," and who referred Liddle to the Tremont station house because his home was in that precinct, should have taken Liddle into custody, so that his story could be investigated.

On the other hand, it was said that the policeman might have been off duty, and inclined to take the young man's story as a joke. Neither of the Corrigans could recall whether the patrolman carried a nightstick, nor could they remember any part of his shield number. They said that Liddle approached the policeman at the northeast corner of Willis Avenue and 143rd Street at 5:30 o'clock in the evening.

An autopsy performed at the Fordham Morgue on the body of little William Liddle revealed no marks of violence or poison. It was a simple case of forcible drowning, physicians said.