Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-03-04
WATCHES BOYS
sink TO DEATH
IN ship CANAL


INDIANA HARBOR, Ind. Mar s.--
CPl-A father confessed today that
he had caused the death Of his two
sons by tricking them into casting
themselves into the Indiana hnrbor
ship canal ON IA promise that Inv Ac
doing they would zee their grand
mother, who is dead.
George Chisholm. alias George
Smith. formerly of Montreal an
East Chicago, Ind. foundry worker,
made the statement in identifying
the bodies Of two boys, 3 and z years
old, found floating In the canal. an
his sons
Chisholm, who was known here as
Smith, said he decided to kill hlB
three sons, George, Jr., ., and Ed
gar and Robert, twins, and himself
because as he did not believe he
could provide q home for them. and
thought all would be better off de8d~
He said he brought them from Mon~
treal, where they had been with rela-
tives after his wife and hn had runrI
relied and she had returned tn Eng
land, and on February took George
and Edgar to the ship caEal after
dark, bound them together with wire,
and placed a plank over the canal
along which he induced them 20 walk
promising them that liz they jumped
in they would see their Rrandmuthers
whom they had begged to visit.
George toppled I'm pulling Edgar
after him, Chisholm said and the
father watched them drown, intend-
ing also to kill his other son and
himself but lost his nerve. Chisholm.
who said that his real name, although
he had lived here three years az
George Smith, told 80 many versions
Of his story that the police tonight
were not certain what parts we're
true.
In fact, there were 80 many dis
crepancies in Chisholm's story that
the police expressed the belief that
he has not told the entire truth and
tonight were continuing the Ques-
tioninR which started this morning,
after Chisholm's neighbora had iden-
titled the bodies OF the two boys
one or which was found floating in
the canal on February 22, and the
other OF which was found two days
ago. In order to try TO inouce him
70 tell more Chisholm was taken
late today to the morgues where the
bodies of his two sons lay. He broka
down and sobbed as he looked down
on the eldest son.
"You we're stronger hearted than
was" he cried a. tears trickled
down his cheeks, and referring, the
police believe, 70 bis loss OF nerve
when it came time for him to follow
his boys into the canal.
Chisholm was employed i'm a Calu-
met City foundry. He said he for
merly lived in Montreal, but mad
trouble with his wife who is now in
England. Three years ago he said
he came 20 East Chicago where hA
had since lived and worked. He
placed the boys in an orphanags
near Montreal. he said. but had
brooded because he feared they
would not be reared as they should
be.
Finally. "a month ago, he said hd
decided that he never could provide
home for the children and him
self and so would kill them and then
kill himself. He went TO Canada, his
statement continued, and brought the
children to East Chicago, housing
them iE the roomin9 house whore
he had lived. Then he seized or their
desire 20 see their grandmother tu
lead them To their DEATH intending
TO commit suicide
He told the police, however, that
he lost his nerve and returned 70
the rooming house. explaining TO his
landlady that two cf his children had
returned to Montreal.