DASTARDLY DADS FROM THE ARCHIVES (New York, New York - 1917)

Here's a family annihilation story with an interesting twist--and even a happy ending.

Dad JOSEPH BECKER sounds like a classic bully--at any rate, he had threatened to kill his family before. One day, he decided to make good on his threats and gas the whole family to death in their sleep. After everyone had gone to bed, he locked the doors, nailed all the windows shut, and turned on every gas jet in the apartment.

Now usually when a family annihilator is stopped in his tracks, it's by the oldest son, maybe the wife. In this case, the hero is the youngest daughter, who was only 10. The strong smell of gas jolted the girl out of her sleep, so she woke her older sister. The girl had remembered her father's threats when she smelled the gas, so she apparently feared for the worst. Together the two girls carried their mother, who had already been overcome by the fumes, to a window, which they forced open. Then they turned off all the gas jets. The children then notified the "janitress" of the apartment building, who called an ambulance. Amazing and resourceful children. The irony in all this? The only one who died...was good old Dad.

From the New York Times, November 11, 1917

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9C04E7D7123FE433A25752C1A9679D946696D6CF

GIRL THWARTS 3 MURDERS

Saves Mother, Sister, and Herself, but Gas Kills Father.

In an attempt to asphyxiate his entire family, Joseph Becker, a chauffeur, living at 1404 Park Avenue, died himself yesterday. He had locked the doors and nailed the windows and turned on every gas jet in his apartments, where his wife and two children were sleeping. Then he attached a tube to a gas jet and placed the other end of it in his mouth.

Mrs. Becker was overcome, but her condition is not serious. The younger daughter, Catherine, aged 10, saved her sister, 12 years old, and the mother. The girls and mother were asleep in the same bed. Catherine awoke and smelled gas. The awakened her sister and the two carried their mother to a window which they forced open and then turned off the gas.

Baker, who was employed by the Fifth Avenue Coach Company, is said to have made serveral threats to kill his family. Little Catherine remembered this threat when she smelled the gas. The children notified the janitress and an ambulance from Harlem Hospital was called. Becker was found dead, but his wife's condition was said to be not serious.