Gilpin observer., 1905-03-16
THE DENVER TRAGEDY
DETAILS OF THE AWFUL CRIME

Murdered Man and Murderer Had Been
Bosom Friends-Two Innocent
Families eereft-Deed Done In an
Insane Passion Of Rage.
Denver, Colo, March 14.-Following
are some of the incidents of the terri
BILE tragedy in Denver Sunday when
George Shissler shot and killed Kay
Sill and his wife and wounded Police
Captain William Bohanna, Police Sur
geon Frank Dulin and Frank Kelly,
driver for Sill.
Shissler and Sill had worked to-
gether in the Denver e. Rio Grande
shops and had been close friends.
Some three years ago they jointly pur-
chased five acres of land in what is
known as the Park Hill addition. in
the eastern suburbs of the city. Both
had been careful and their investments
had proved to be successful. Two
small but comfortable brick houses
were built, two barns were added to
the joint estate and gardens and COW
pastures contributed to the content
ment of the two families.
Sill lived with his family, consist
ing of wife and two daughters, Fran
CeS, dScu lcl, anu JOSeDHluc, dSeI
fourteen. Shissler seemed to be equally
contented in his new home with his
wife and five children. Spencer, a
Blanche, aged thirteen: Frank, aged
fifteen, and Harry, aged eighteen.
Finally an estrangement grew up be-
tween the two men. They agreed to
divide the property and quarreled over
n vi ici inc In, n
a law suit in which the decision was
in favor of Sill.
About 10 o'clock Sunday morning
Shissler telephoned to his attorney.
Mr.. Hilliard, and is said to have been
advised ito pay the judgment against
him. He went back home and came
out into his front yard with a shot
gun.
Sill was talking with David Bald
ridge and William Brannen, who were
in front of his house with carriage.
Shissler called out to Sill and i'm
mediately shot him. Baldridges horse
started to run and Shissler fired at
Baldridge and Brannen. Then he shot
Sill again, infiicting a wound that
must have been instantly fatal.
Frank Kelly, who was in Sill's barn.
started on horseback to summon help.
and Shissler shot at him. infiicting a
flesh wound in his left leg.
Shissier then went to the barn.
where he found Charles and John
Lundeen, who live in the neighbor-
hood and who testified for Mr.. Sill in
the different law suits brought by
Shissler.
He put the muzzle OF his rife agains:
the temple of Charles Lundeen, boy
of twenty, and made him get down
on his knees AID beg for mercy.
When the shooting began Mrs. Sill
ran around in front of her home and
her daughter, Josephine. aged four.
teen, ran diagonally across the street
to the home of James H. Fitzpatrick
1882 Monroe street. 100 yards away,
screaming that Shissler had killed her
father.
Josephine Fitzpatrick, a young lady
of twenty-five, who is a teacher In
Wallace's business college, ran quickly
to the Sill home. Shissler turned his
gun on the woman and said. Get into
the house, you scabs."
Shissler fired into the different
rooms of the house and Miss Fitzpat
rick and Frances Sill crawled under a
bed to hide
Mrs. Sill tried to run to the Fitzpat
rick home and Shissler ordered her to
stop.
Dropping on her knees, Mrs. Sill
raised her hands pleadingly toward
Shissler and begged that her life be
spared.
Spare my life, Please spare it! for
the sake of my children" sobbed the
woman pitifully you have killed my
husband, and they will have no one to
care for them If you kill me. o, please
spa"
A bullet punctuated the sentence
Cruelty it sped on its terrible mission
shattering the bone in the woman's
right leg Immediately below the knee
Mrs. Sill staggered a few steps and
dropped to the ground.
Shissler went back and broke into
the room where the two girls were hid.
ing. Not finding them, though he
poked his gun under the bed, he car
ried Goals and set the bed on fire. He
left the room and they ran to the Fitz
patrick house. The fire caused the de
struction of the building.
Shissler went out and shot Mrs. Sill
second time with a revolver. which
he placed against her head, killing her
Instantly.
Meanwhile Messrs. Baldridge and
Brannen had driven to where they
could telephone to police headquarters
Captain Bohanna Immediately ordered
out the police ambulance. DR.. Frank
Dulin, police surgeon. and Patrolmen
John Phillips and Frank Mulligan were
detailed to go with Captain Bohanna
Patrolman C. T. Power, who had been
on house duty during the forenoon
and who was Just departing for his
home, volunteered his services. The
ambulance was driven by Sydney Nc
Clanathan, the regular driver.
When they arrived at the scene OF
the tragedy Shissler retreated into his
yard, placed tho rifle barrel on the
fence, took careful aim and fired at the
men nm the seat The first bullet cut