Toppins, Edward

Deadly gas fumes from a triple-effect gas stove were believed by acting county attorney Gayle M. Pickens today to have snuffed out the lives of an entire Cardin Oklahoma family while they were apparently preparing for bed last night. The dead are: Edward Toppins, 23, miner; his wife, Wilma Jean Toppings, 19, and their two sons, Charles Toppins, 2 years old, and Billy Gene Toppins, 3 months old baby. The bodies were discovered by Mrs. Ralph Cole, mother of Mrs. Toppins, living nearby, who called at the home at 7:30 this morning to inquire about the condition of the baby, who had been ill. Opening the door, the grandmother was assailed by heavy gas fumes as she saw the bodies sprawled motionless on the floor. Entry to the home was made possible after Carl Heatherly, a neighbor summoned by Mrs. Cole, opened the doors and windows, allowing the gas fumes to escape. When acting county attorney Gayle M. Pickens, together with deputy sheriff Milt McCullough and John Durnil, Picher funeral director, arrived at the home, they found the father on the living room floor of the small three-room frame house. He was partially unclothed and apparently ready for bed with one shoe off when he died, McCullough said. Mrs. Toppins was clothed in her night gown in the kitchen, and evidently had tried to open the door, when she was asphyxiated, Pickens stated. Near her lay her 2 year-old son, dressed for bed when he died. The 3 months old baby apparently was overcome while sleeping in his crib. The family moved to Cardin Oklahoma from Picher Oklahoma three weeks ago. They had previously lived at Picher for the past four years. According to acting prosecutor Pickens, the large gas stove was without a pipe to carry fumes to the chimney. Because of the recent cold wave, the stove was turned on full-blast, causing heavy gas fumes to foul the air inside the house, which apparently caused the deaths of the entire family, he said. Officers theorized that death came to the family at about 9 o'clock last night. The bodies were taken to Picher, where funeral arrangements will be announced by the Durnil funeral home, Picher.