Connett Family Tragedy Continued

Let's pick up the rest of the Connett family story from the Oakland Tribune, which reported the murder of Archie Connett's three children on December 24, 1952.

Current photo of the house where the murders took place in 1952

"continued from page one:

High School Teacher Kills 3 Children, Stabs Wife, Then Self

TAKEN TO HOSPITAL

Connett was placed in the same ambulance in which his wife lay wounded and both taken to the county hospital.

The slaying occurred about 3:35 p.m. A friend of the family, Gordon Simons, 19, a student at San Jose State College, who roomed at Mrs. Connett's home, said he had been with them until a little after 3 p.m.

When he left for work in the post office, Simons said, the Connett's appeared to be having a friendly visit.

But he said Connett had attempted to kill his wife in a rage last year and said he thought Mrs. Connett was "foolish" to let him in the house.

Mrs. Connett was not told that her children were dead and she was not questioned at length because of her condition.

UNDER GUARD

Connett regained consciousness during the night, but a deputy on guard in his hospital room said he was not rational.

Mrs. Connett's home in the new Garden Gate Village tract, had been furnished to serve as a day nursery, which Mrs. Connett had been operating for about a year.

Simons came to the home about Thanksgiving from Denver, Colo., where he had known Mrs. Connett previously. Mrs. Connett's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gottlieb, live in Denver. Mrs. Gottlieb is flying to the Bay area and is expected today, the Santa Clara County sheriff's office said today. 

Connett was a member of Phi Beta Kappa honor fraternity at the University of Colorado, where he received his BA degree. During the war he served as a Navy rehabilitation officer.

STANFORD DEGREE

Connett received his master's degree at Stanford University. He taught at Rolling Hills, Los Angeles County, from 1947 to 1948, and joined the James Lick High School Faculty in San Jose in 1950.

He came to San Lorenzo High School last September after resigning from the San Jose teaching post because of his domestic troubles, according to William Woodworth, principal of James Lick.

Principal Carl Ekoos of San Lorenzo High, said of Connett: "He was one of my best teachers."

Last Friday, just before going to his wife's home in Cupertino, Connett had taken part in a faculty Christmas play at the school.