The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-13
TEAMSTER CAUSES
AN AWFUL TRAGEDY
George SchistIer Caused Death
of Three Persons
BARRIcADED IN HIS HOUSE
He Fired Upon Approaching Officers
Wounding Two of Them, and
Was Finally Killed Dur
ing the Melee.

Denver, Colo, March 12.-Mad with
rage because of his defeat in law suit
in which K. Fill, the man whom he pro-
nouneed his bitterest enemy had been
victorious, and swearing vengeance
against him and his family, George
Sohistler, a teamster, armed himself with
a rifle today and started out to do
murder. When the smoke of battle had
cleared away three persons were dead
one was missing and three others lay
wounded, two az least dangerously. The
dead:
X. FILL.
MRS. K. FILL.
GEORGE sCHIsTLER.
The missing;
A child of the Fills.
Wounded: DR. Frank Fultin, police
sergeant; Capt. William Bonhanna, act
ing chief of police; Mike Kelly.
The wife of George Schistler is pros
trated over the AFFAIR and may die from
the shock
Brooded over His Troubles.
Schistler had brooded over his troubles
with the h i'll family who were immediate
HGlknDOTSt anu dIIlOuHtGO lObo9 hAoN -
would even up matters. Taking rifle
OF improved pattern and buckling on a
belt of smokeless cartridges he started
for the Fill home. Fill saw Schistler ap-
preaching, and tried to avoid him by
entering the house but Schistler sent a
bullet into his brain. Mrs. Fill rushed
to her husbands side and was instantly
killed by a bullet from Schistler's rife.
Schistler then set fire to the Fill home'
which was destroyed.
A son of Fills is missing and is be-
lieved to have persisted in the flames,
Schistler returned to his own house and
barricaded himself inside. In the mean
time neighbors appeared on the scene
but quickly retreated when bullets from
Schistler's rifle began falling near them
A telephone message was sent to police
headquarters and an ambulance with
Police Surgeon Dulin, Captain Bohanna,
and three officers hurried to the scene
Upon the ARRIVAL of the officers and be-
fore they could leave the ambulance,
rain of bullets fell about them. Dulin
and Bohanna fell to the floor Of the am
bulanee wounded. The driver refined his
horses when another shot from Schistler
dropped one of the animals to the ground
With the assistance of spectators the
wounded men were removed from the
scene.
Dulin was shot three times, once in
each leg and another time in the left
thigh. His condition is critical. Bohan-
ma received bullet in the leg, but is not
dangerously hurt.
Hay Wagon Used as Fort.
A call for reinforcements brought all
the available men from the police head
quarters and the sheriffs office, and q
consultation was held to formulate a plan
to capture Schistler. Firing squads were
stationed in nearby houses, and larger
force was placed in a portable fort made
of baled hay piled upon hay wagon.
During the preliminary arrangements
Schistler kept up a continuous fire In all
ficers, and hundreds of shots were ex-
changed. Kelley was slightly wounded
Finally Schistler ceased firing, and the
Ray wagon fort was moved cautiously
toward the house. When the attacking
force reached the front gate without a
shot being fired. one of the officers step
ped out into view, thinking to draw the
fire of Schistler if he were still alive.
None came, anG with q rush the officers
charged the house and battered down the
door, They found Schistler lying upon a
he'd bleeding from several wounds He
died soon afterward. 1t is not known
whether he was hit by bullets from the
weapons of the pursuing party or COM
mitted suicide
Mrs Schistler was away from home at
the time. and when she learned of the
affair fell PROSTATE. 1t is thought she
will die from the shock