New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-28
Henry KneIl Calmly Writes
Will While Waiting for
Death by Gas.
BODIES FOUND
NEAR XMAS GIFTS
Slayer Steel Company Off
cial, Church Treasurer;
Active in Glendale.
FINANCES STRAIGHT.
EMPLOYER SAYS
Worry Over Condition OF Ills
Heart Prompted Quadruple
Killing, Is Belief

best ~ spirits. with the family tree
stiIl standing. and tho many toys he
had given 20 his two children scattered
about tho floor whore they had lo't
them. Henry Knell. of 80 80 Dry Har-
Dor Road. Glendale. Long Island early
Yesterday morning shot his wife ~
death as she lay sleeping in bod. Then
after calmly writing new Will he
pulled the gas fixture bodily out of lie
socket and asphyxiated himself and his
children i'm the same room with his
wife
The new will, which left everything
TO his wife's brother. August Emke, Of
No. III Foxhall street, Ridgewood. was
carefully drawn in concise form ana
correct legal phraseology. At the bot
tom Of the will. which was dated De-
cember %. and then changed to De
ccmber q. he wrote:
AS was alone when this will was
drawn and Emily was already dead
VIXEN ] signed it, there are no wit
uesses. but request that the above be
considered my last will and testament
Brooded Over AiIment.
Anxiety over the fact that he was
affected with heart disease was the
cause given for his act by the dead
mans family, members Of which SAID
they were sure he and his wife had
been devoted and happy and that there
were no financial troubles TO worry
him.
Added to his physical condition was
the fact that he had overworked him.
self lately. both in his business and the
various activities in which he was in
terested. which they thought had added
TO his morbid condition of mind.
They said he had brooded great
deal recently. especially following the
refusal of several insurance companies
TO grant him additional insurance on
account Of his heart, but he had never
given any inkling that he contemplated
taking the lives of himself and family.
.I think he had a morbid idea that
he could not live long" said one OF his
friends last night, "and could not bear
the thought of leaving his wife and
children behind"
Although his brotherin-law August
Emke. said that financial matters could
not have been the cause of knelfs act
a close friend of his family, Mrs Mary
Seeley, of No 1921 Elm avenue. Ridge
wood. said that Knell had his pocket
picked Of S4O0 on Christmas Eve and
had been much upset by his loss. She
thought this had aggravated the lnor-
bidness of his mind. although he had
shaken himself together and had ap-
peared cheerful during the family fes-
tivities.
Knell was employed as secretary ot
the Philadelphia Steel and Forge Com
pany. of No. 30 Church street Manhat-
tan. receiving a salary according 10
William c. Pearson, the president, OF
between $1,000 and $4,000 a year. Mr.
Pearson void not make a positive
statement last night as to whether he
thought business troubles were tn.
cause of the tragedy.
Il think, however" he said, that r
a large amount Of company money Was
missing we would have noticed IL, as
we are small company. Knells sui
eide is a severe shock TO us all He
had risen entirely on his own merits
and we had complete confidence in him.
He entered the business ten years ago.
at the age of about eighteen, and no
suspicion has ever attached to any
thing he did | shall go over our books
tomorrow and may issue a statement
after doing So