The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-01-14
WHOLE FAMILY DEAD.
Terrible Work of a Dependent
Chicago Man.
KILLS SIX PEOPLE AND HIMSELF.

Aiter Ills VIE ana rive Children Retire for
the Night the Insane Father aud Hus-
band Turns All the Gas Jets In tho
House and Then Calmly Lies Down and
Awaits His Own and Fsmiiy's Death
Notified "a Friend of His Intention.
CHICAGO, Jan. 14.-Driven flcndishly In q.
sane by dosponduncy, Peter Hougaard. a
Dane, took the lives Of his wife and 1--WE
sunny eyed little children, and when he
had completed his horrible work he cooily
laid down IN the noxious gas saturated 4 ir
of his home and breathed the deadly fumes
that swept an entire family from the list
OF the living. The atrocity Of the fathers
awful crime could not have been greater
had he used a bloody weapon. Death
came TO tho children and the patient
mother while they slept Sunday night
In the little cottage at 73l Sixty first street.
that has been the Hougaard residence for
some time. Hougaard disclosed his MUIR
dorous resolve in letter, but with the
cunning OF maniac he took good precau-
ton TO render the warning void by en-
trusting u TO the United States mail for
delivery. This letter. written i'm Danish
10 courtryman Of the murderer, was re-
ceiyed Monday morning and the horri-
He'd friend heard of Hougaard's ) determin-
alton to Kill his family and end his life.
Horriiied Friend Notifies the Police.
With promptness born of the fear that
the Danish milkman really intended TO
execute his threat, the friend sent the let
ter to the police at the Chicago Avenue
station. Captain Larson made q transla-
tion of the communication and instantly
the police wires To Captain Gibbons sta
ton In Englewood were put into use.
''GO To 73i Sixty-nrst street, Peter
Hougaard's, and prevent the man from
murdering his family" was the impera-
tive message sent
Then began the race OF the police TO
save the lives of the little innocents the
watchful mother and the insane father.
Captain Gibbons headed detail that hur-
ried To the Huugaard residence Instinct
lively the bluecoats OWNED that they had
arrived too late. There was an awful air
OF desolation about the house, with its
drawn curtains and impressive silence
that betDkened something wrong Re-
peated ringing ut the doorbell brought no
response Shouting did not awaken tho
victims and the cruel murderer within
Forced the Door Open.
Boys, the door must be burst in," ex-
claimed the captain, and the next moment
the big policemen had forced the door
from rs ninsSsssxa 5ssStly sa; s:ilefSSs S
We're met with a wave of air laden wits,
Illuminating gas. The fumes were n
powerful that the police were .lomentarily
overcome by them. Bot. pushing on un-
der the orders of the captain, the officers
searched the first floor for the bodies they
knew must be in the house.
Every gasjet they encountered was open
and pouring out many cubic feet OF dead
ly gas. These jets were hastily closed
and the searchcrs continued their progress
upstairs, where seven corpses were dis
covered. The children and mother had
died without knowledge Of the murderous
intentions of the father. Hougaard had
evidently waited until all had fallen
asleep sunday night and then opened the
Jets.