The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-31
Burglar Had Twice Tried
to Asphyxiate Verrall's
Family Of Seven.
he IS SHOT THREE TINES
Cry Of Restless Infant Awakened
Neither, Who Discovered Odor
of Gas -- Second Attempt
Made Later in Morning
Proves Fatal to Intruder.

NEW YORK. Aug. 31.--Caught in the
act of attempting to asphyxiate the
seven members of George Verralls
family. a burglar who planned to rob
the Verrall fiat, on East Eighty-third
street, was shot down and killed early
today while endeavoring to make his
escape. A cry of a restless infaut saved
the VerraH family. The burglar made
two attempts to asphyxiate the family.
He was shot three times by Verrali and
Instantly killed.
Early today the cry Of Mrs. Verralrs
infant awoke the mother, who detected
the odor of gas. She hurried to the
kitchen, where she discovered that the
gas stove, unlighted, was going fun
tilt. The room was fast filling with
gas. She turned off the jets and re-
ported to her husband that something
peculiar had occurred.
81 can't understand it." she said. Il
left the stove Jets closed. I know
did,
Mrs. Verralls brother. Patrick Kier-
nan, had not returned home from work.
The Verralls sat up for a time and
then went to sleep.
Mrs. verral was awakened at 1880 o'clock
by an empowering smell OF gas Again
she found the jets in the kitchen stove
open and the Jets in the dining-room also
-fewing and unlighted,
Verrall was now frightened for the safety
of his family. He took them all over to
sr.tz 4 of MrQ V1ra
rails brother-across the hall. The Kier-
mans were as much disturbed as the Ver-
rails. Soon the entire house was awakened
and IT was determined by all the families
to sit up for the rest Of the night.
''Something Is wrong with the gas sup
ply suggested Verrall.
Mrs Verrall suddenly screamed: Il hear
some one In our apartments.
Verra and Kiernan heard the noise, too,
and crossed the hall to encounter man
rIhing bureau drawer In the front bed
room, Verrall made for a trunk TO secure
n revolver and the man dived out OF the
front window and disappeared. A man IN
the street saw him climb along the coping
like n cat and pull himself into the window
of the Kiernan apartment
Verrall and I<ie.nan ran to the street
and met Patrick Kiernan. who was sent
for the police The man apparently had
made good his escape.
The two families sat In the kiernan
apartment waiting for the police when
Miss Jennie Herman. one of the daughters
of the house. screamed:
''Theres man there hiding behind the
curtains.
Al the same instant a man leaped out
and bowled over the young woman and
two other children who happened to be IN
his way. He was making for the Kitchen
window in the rear when Verrail began TO
fire. At the first shot the burglar screamed.
The shot had passed through his left wrist,
breaking his arm. A second shot caught
him in the stomach as he turned about.
evidently to fight, and a third hit him
squarey in the chest and he toppled over
dead.
Just as the man fell Patrick Kiernan
came In with Policeman Shea. of the East
Eighty-eghth street station. Shea called
an ambulance from the Presbyterian Hos
pital and DR.. Corsaden said the man had
been killed instantly.
Searching the body the police found
bunch OF skeleton keys together with two
watches, one a silver plate article and an
other a ladys gold watch. There also We're
two gold rings, one with red stone and
the other set with white stone. and some
cigars and cigarettes.
The man appeared to have been about %
years old