The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1934-02-26
FRICHTFUL EVENT
AT DARTMOUTH

NJ. Wentworth, Jr, 81, Chicago, all
seniors; America S. Demasi. 20,
Little Neck, l.. L.; Harold d. Wat
son, 81, of Wilton, Me; William IL.
Schooley, 20, of Middletown, N. Y.
all juniors; John J. Griffin, 10, of
40 williams Street, Wallingford,
| Conn, and Alfred Moldenke, 20,
| brother of Edward Moldenke, fresh
| men.
A white Siberian sled dog, the
fraternity pet. also was found dead
beside the bed of his asphyxiated
master, Wentworth.
Eight other members of the fra
ternity, who also roomed at the
house, were out of town over the
weekend.
An examination of the basement
convinced authorities the furnace
had exploded, bursting a pipe
which connected it with the CHM
ney. Poisonous gas poured from
the broken pipe and filled the
house.
Five of the victims were found
in q dormitory room on the third
floor. They were Fullerton, Smith,
Schooley, Watson and Alfred Mol
denke, whose brother, Edward was
suffocated in an adjoining room,
with De Mast. In still another room
on the same floor, Investigators
found the body of Wentworth.
Griffin's body was found in a room
on the second floor. He had been
entertaining q half -sister, Kathleen
of New Haven, Conn, during the
weekend. She left for home Sun
la that holf- hrn-
Their was dead.
Little made his grim discovery
during q third visit to the house.
In the morning he went to the stu
dents rooms and saw them ap-
parently asleep. Solicitously, he
closed windows in two of the
rooms because of the intense cold.
He found the smoke pipe of the
furnace had been blown off dur
ing the night. He replaced it.
Little returned to the house at
1880 p. m., and attended to his du-
ties on the lower floor. He thought
the students were at dinner.
Three hours later when he re-
turned to make the beds, he en-
tered the dormitory and found the
students in the same positions as
on his early morning visit.
They were lifeless.
The frightened janitor notified
Police Chief Dennis ]. Hallisey and
college authorities. Medical Referee
Ralph II. Miller was called. He
announced death was due to car
bon monoxide poisoning.
Authorities reconstructed this
picture of events leading to the
tragedy.
Some of the Theta Chi men play
ed bridge until long after midnight.
Rugs had been rolled back, appar-
emily for dancing.
Just before retiring, one of the
youths who had been assigned to
tend the furnace, went into the
basement and found the flue clean
out door had been blown off, Per-
haps by a coal gas explosion. He
replaced the door insecurity and
went to bed, apparently not MOTTO
ing in the dimness of the cellar,
that the smoke pipe was discon-
nected.
Then the gas spread death
through the house.
Most of the victims were prom
inent in extra-curricular activities.
Fullerton was a member of the ed
itorial staff of the Daily Dartmouth
| undergraduate newspaper. Edward
Moldenke was advertising manager
of the 1894 Aegies. His brother, AL
| fred, was a member of the fresh
ma nbasketball team. Wentworth
was on the varsity soccer squad
De Mast, a native of Fabrizia, Italy
was the college foils champion.
Members of the fraternity who
| were absent are: Richard l.. Emer-
son, Manchester, N. H.; ]. Clar-
ence Davies, Jr, New York City;
Nicholas Zanthaky, of Manchester.
N. H., Ernest Draper, Jr, of Sara
| toga Springs, N. Y; William H
Mann, Jr, Great Neck, L. l., Ed
ward Whytlaw of Bronxville, N. Y,
| Gerald L. Hasbrouck, Reading, Pa
and Bruce w. Smith. Sayleville, X
Xanthaky, who returned to the
campus last night from an out OF
town "date" collapsed when he
heard the news. Revived, he moan
ed:
"she saved me; my girl saved
me-"
Wallingford, Conn, Feb 26-(U
PO-John j. Griffin, victim o.
the Dartmouth College tragedy
was an honor graduate of Lyman
Hall high school in 1882 ant
prominent in school athletics.
News OF his death was received
here two hours after sister, Miss
Kathleen Griffin, who had been Wis
iting her brother during the an.
nual alumni carnival. returned
home last night. She had attempted
to call him several times on the
telephone before leaving Dart.
mouth, and believing he had over
slept, departed In ignorance OF the
tragedy which cost the lives OF hei
brother and eight other students.
Griffin Is survived by his mo-
ther and three sisters.
Dartmouth MOuPns
Hanover. N. H., Feb 1e.--(UP,
- Dartmouth undergraduates
crushed by the most tragic oe
eurrence IN the history OF the col
lego, attaneed classes "ae usual
to-day, while the campus flag flew
At hsis.olafs Coz nine students Wit
diod In their sleep % een polsop
ms IN the Theta Chi sFatsFHlsl
AZ me susvesiion O sdmInlsira
tive etiisiaIa the eeileee. isoiats'