The Washington times., 1921-06-19
MAN and 8
DAUGHTERS
DIE BY GAS
Samuel Crawford, With Chill
drsn, Found in G Street
Housewife Missing.

Three golden-haired girls, the eld-
est Eve years old, were found dead
last night shortly before midnight,
by the side of the body of their
father, Samuel s. Crawford, in hall
bedroom at sos G street southwest
Illuminating gas. which filed the
little room. led the police TO believe
it case of both murder and suicide.
The children, Caroline, aged Eve
years; Charlotte, aged three and
one-half; and Evelyn. aged two
years, were dressed in their best.
Their hair was combed and brushed,
their slippers were freshly polished.
and there was every evidence to show
that the father had carefully planned
the tragedy.
COUPLE HAD QUARREIED.
A family quarrel which acauaint-
ances said began shortly after Gran
ford married Ella Owens in Lawton,
Va, six years ago, had its ending in
the tragedy of last night.
The wife and mother was strange
~ missing. Detectives are searching
for her. She left the house yester-
day morning at $40 o'clock but failed
to return at 4;3o o'clock yesterday
Afternoon. as was her custom. She
had not returned al an early hour
today and no trace of her could be
found.
Just how long the quartet had
been dead Is not known. When Miss
Mabel Bingler, who lives in Sthe
4 house, went to the third floor last
night shortly before midnight she
snelled gas. Opening the door of
the hall bedrooun--Athe door was not
locked-she, fell back before Z the
heavy odor of gas. The Fourth
Precinct was notified. Policeman 1.
II. johnson entered the room and
turned on the gas.
START SEARCH FOR WIFE.
Detective o. w. Mansfield. of the
Fourth precinct, was ordered 20 make
an Investigation, and Detective Scr-,
gesnt Keck. of Headquarters, was do
tailed to locate the missing wife and
mother. @r
According to acausintances of the
family. both Crawford and his wife
had little to say OF their private sf-
fairs. 1t was common knowledge.
however, that there had been domes-
tic troubles and that before leaving
virginia Mrs Crawford began court
action against her husband.
Shortly before Christmas last, Mrs
Crawford came to Washington. bring
ine her three small children. She Sc
CURED work with the Shipping Board.
About seven weeks ago. Crawford
came here II is said that he left the
state to avoid appearing in the action
begun by his wife. He secured work
a. conductor with the Capital Trac-
tion Company
SAYS HUSBAND BEAT HER.
Mrs. Crawford conhded in friends
that her husband beat and abused
her. Mrs. Sarah Owens. Mrs. Gran
fcrd's mother, who came TO WASH
inFton to live with her daughter.
quarreicd with Crawford and left
Washington several weeks ago, re-
turning to her home In Lewton. va
The small room, eight feet long and
six feet wide. in which the bodies
were found, was bare, In the middle
OF the floor was a pillow on which tho
heads of the father and three children
were crowded.
An empty glass tumbIer on the
floor near the bodies contained two
Nalf-eaten pink Ioliypops. and two
chocolate bon-bons in n sack in the
hand OF the youngest child may fur
nish clue for the police. The the
ory was advanced by the police last
night that the father could have ad-
. rninistered poison through the use OF
the candy or drug in a drink OF
water before causing the children to
lie down on the floor with him. An
snaiysis will be made OF the candy
xc,p~stnusd q. Pns> a co,umn Al