The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-17
County Attorney Decides to In
yestfgate Richards Deaths.
Bodies Will Be Exhumed and
Examination Made.
MYSTERY IN TRAGEDY
Doubt Whether Gas Could Have
Caused Deaths.
CorOner's Inquest May Be Held
Following Autopsy.

The suspicion entertained by County
Attorney J. j. Schenck and Sheriff J.
D. Norton that foul play figured in the
strange death of the Richards family
last Sunday afternoon at the home at
1925 Lincoln street, has resulted in the
decision of the attorney to have the
bodies exhumed and a thorough post
morten examination held under the
supervision of Coroner H. H Keith.
The uncanny sight which met the
sight of Mrs. Thomas P. Richards, a
daughter Of E. H. Hewins, when she
returned from visit to her father S
house-her husband lying at the foot
of a window. dead. his father, John P
Richards, sitting dead in chair and
his mother lying dead in another room
en- the bed and which has given her
nervous prostration. has impelled the
officers to more thorough investiga-
ton.
The deaths were readily attributed to
gas fumes and so plausibly that the
coroner decided that an inquest was
unnecessary. Yet there was suspic-
ion that the older Richards had been
robbed. That, too. was finally secuted,
however, and the matter was apparent
ly dropped County Attorney Schenck
made the following statement:
1.-The case has been one of the most
peculiar on record and at first there did
not seem to be suspicion as to any
thing criminal. Later developments.
however, as various conjectures have
been thrown aside as improbable if not
impossible, make me believe there may
have been something criminal behind
the deaths and if that is true, we want
to know it by all means.
Il accuse nobody. 1t is possible
never shall accuse anybody. But the
circumstances surrounding the death of
three grown persons in broad daylight
at their home in the city is SO strange
and the manner of death has lacked
so much of a satisfactory explanation
that 1 believe the only thing to do will
be to exhume the bodies and subject
them to a severe examination"
One of the points seriously considered
as +discrediting the theory that death
resulted from inhaiing gas fumes is
dead several hours. They were discov-
cred by Mrs. Richards at $50 o'clock
She had left all three we'll and uncom-
planning about noon. Hence If they had
been dead several hours they must
have expired shortly after she had
gone out Suppositions differ as to the
length of time in which gas fumes
would cause asphyxiation.
Many questions have arisen since the
tragedy in many minds and both SherlH
Norton and Coroner Keith have been
piled with questions of those who are
The thousands of people using gas for
fuel have also been questioning them
selves and friends concerning the ad-
visibility of continuing to do so.
II can not believe" said the county
attorney, that three persons in their
right minds should have been asleep
in the middle of the day and that the
gas fumes should become SO strong as
to asphyxiate them without any of
them detecting the danger. The fumes
did not prevent Mrs. Richards from en-
tering the rooms several hours later
when they should surely have been
much stronger. And why did not the
gas explode when Mrs. Richards struck
a match
AN inquest will not be called" said
Sheriff Norton, until after a thorough
examination of the bodies and their
vital organs has been made and rea-
sons found for such action. No specific
time has yet been set for exhuming the
bodies but it will likely be SOON"