The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-11-21
THE SPIRITS TOLD HIM.
Herman Siegler Does Some Very
Bloody Work With Gun
in Chicago.
The Parents Of His Wife Killed
and She Herself Is
Wounded.
Only After Reing Shot, and Wounding u
Policeman, Is tho Insane Murderer
Captured.

CHICAGO. Nov 20.-The criminal annals Of
this city record no more horrible crime, nor
one accompanied by more sensational de-
tails, than that which this morning brought
death into the home of Herman Sieelar, Il
German. living with his wife and three
children at the residence of the wIfe's pa
rents, Henry and Caroline Silas. 723 North
Pauline street. Siegler shot his father in
law and his mother-in-law. instantly kill
ing them. His next victim WAS his wife,
but she was only slightly wounded. Before
the police we're able to disarm and arrest
Sieger he was wounded in the right side by
bullet from a policeman's revolver. He
was removed to the county hospital.
Siegler told his wife this morning that he
intended to go hunting. and went to his
brothers residence to borrow gun. This
he secured together with fifteen cartridges,
and returned to his own residence. He
first placed the gun in small closet in the
kitchen. bus removed it almost immedi-
ately, aud went into the parlor with the
weapon. The sight of the weapon terrified
Seigler's little son, and his screams brought
Mrs. Silas As she entered the room
Siegler attempted 10 elevate the gun as
though to shoot her. She rushed
up to him, threw her arms about
his neck, and tried to take his gun away
from him. keep away, God is with me-"
shouted Siegler, as he pushed the aged
woman violently aside. Then pointing the
gun against her left breast he fred. and
sank to the floor dead. Mrs. Siegler. hear
ing the shot, ran out calling for assistance,
and taking her children with her as she
passed through the hall. Leaving them in
the care of friends, she returned to the
house. As she catered her husband fred
again. Some of the bullets struck her.
One entered her right ear, another her left
arm, and another the right breast. None
of the wounds are fatal The commotion
aroused Silas. and as he descended the
stairs Siegler met him, and raising the gun.
which he had reloaded, fired. Silas raised
ceived the full charge. The flesh was torn
from the bone and a number Of shot en-
tered his right side. 1t ia believed Siegler
discharged the other barrel of the weapon
in his father-inlew's face. as a portion of
the latter's neck and right cheek were torn
away.
The shooting occurred while large con-
gregation was leaving tho church close by,
and soon a great crowd surrounded the
house and cnlls were sent for the police.
The officers soon arrived and entered the
front door of the house, finding the dead
body of Silas lying in the hall. Seigler was
standing in the dininR-room and as he saw
the officers he aised the gun, but did not
fire, for they hurriedly backed out. Sei2-
Ter followed closely, and when he reached
the door threw it open wide. The people
who had collected fell back, and as Officer
Simonson drew his revolver he orde ed
Seigier to surrender. The reply WAS a shot
z orn tina cun which fnrtunatalv want hich
injuIing no one. Simonson returned the
fire and SeiRler staggered back with bull
let in his light side.
Other officers arrived by this time, and
an advance was made on the house. They
tried to TO ce omen the door, which Seigler
had locked when he staggered back, aud
they were greeted with another discharge
from the gun. Officer Donohue received
slight Wound in the face. All was then
quiet for few moments, when Seigler
opened the door and came out. still holding
the gun, and STATED up Pauline street. ap-
pnreutly i'll Il dazed condition.. The officers
immediately seized him. They had some
difficulty in placing him in the patrol
wagon near by. as the crowd was thor
oughiy infuriated. and one man made a
vicious attempt to strike the prisoner.
hreats of violence were heard on every
hand. and II number of revolve's were
drawn by citizens, whose actions indicated
TINT tnev were anxious to punish the mnr-
derer without waiting for the course of the
law. Siegler was struck repeatedly, but at
last he was placed in the wagon and the
horses whipped into n gallop. He was
driven to the West Chicago avenue station
and ut once taken into Capt. Ripley's pri-
vate Office. There he made statement,
which was brief. incoherent and indicative
of insanity. He said This morning
| went to my brothers house to get u gun,
"a | was told by our Lord to 60 and get
it, The Lord said to me to-day is the day
OF judgment and you've got to be there
brought the gun home and my mother-in-
law, who is il witch, said to me; You've
got to die and said: 'Fll not go whore
you want to send me- / shot her, ana the
old man came down stairs and fired at
him, and then went out on the steps and
the patrol wagons came up. Then was
confused altogether. ] have been sick and
have had torbie."
SieRler's wound did not seem to pain him,
but it bled profusely and it was thought
best to send him to the county hospital.
The doctors there p! p!onCunced the wound
not fatal.
This evening Segler again talked of the
shooting, saying: "Why did kill them?
Why, because | was told to do it. The
| message came from above aud | could not
refuse to obey it. ! came from Germany
and there the spirits used to tell mo what
! to do. | only did what the spirits told me.
| and when get out of here there's going to
! be another big fight"
The noise of the shots aroused tho CON
pregntion in the adjoining church. and
| created such excitement that it seemed for
n moment IA though there would be u
| flightful panic.
Murdered and Hung to u Beam.
BRADFORD, Pa. Nov. 20.-Mrs. Lucette
Grossmnier, of Farme, 3 valley, this county,
was biutailv murdered last night. She
went to milk the cows. and stay ing longer
than nsual, an investigation was made and
her dead body found swinging from the
| lAn,., AT IIaa Il