The Grit-advocate., 1905-03-17
THE DENVER TRAGEDY
DETAILS OF THE AWFUL CRIME
Murdered Man and Murderer Had Been
Bosom Friends-Two Innocent
Families Bereft-Deed Done in an
Insane Passion Of Rage.


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 & 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.
Sill lived with his family, consist !
\ ing Of a wife and two daughters, Fran. |
ces, aged ten; and Josephine, aged |
fourteen Shissler seemed to be equally |
contented in his new home with his |
wife and five children, Spencer, a
baby of four years; Charles, aged ten:
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
a division fence, becoming involved in
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 to pay the judgment against
him. He went back home and came
out into his front yard with 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. Baldridge's horse
started to run and Shissler fired at
Dol Tha hp shot
Sill again, infiicting a wound tha,
must have been instantly fatal
Frank Kelly. who was in Sill's barn.
started on horseback to summon help.
and Shissler shot at him, intiicting
flesh wound in his left leg.
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 Fl. Fitzpatrick,
1882 Monroe street. 100 yards away,
screaming that Shissler had killed her
father
Josephine Fitzpatrick, 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 fred into the different
rooms of the house and Miss Fitzpat
rick and Frances Sill crawled under
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. Q, please
spa"
A bullet punctuated the sentence.
Cruelty it sped on its terrible mission,
shattering the bone in the womans
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 ND
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
a 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 tor MS
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 the rifle barrel on the
fence, took careful aim and fired at the
men on the seat. The first bullet cut
a hole across the Top of Captain Bo-
hannas felt hat.
About" commanded Captain Bo-
hanna.
Before McClanathan could respond
there came a fusillade from Shissler.
A dozen shots must have been fired
before the horses were finally turned.
The second shot caught Captain Bo-
hanna in the right hip; then another
bullet caught DR.. Dulin in the right leg
and another bullet pierced the body OF
the "off" horse Just back of the fore
legs.
After this shooting a great crowd
of people gathered. Sergeant Patter-
son appeared with a force Of policemen
and Sheriff Armstrong also came with
several officers.
They fired into the house in which
Shissler had barricaded' himself, firing
rapidly at first to keep them at bay.
Finally a wagon loaded with bales OF
hay was pushed toward the house n
front of some of the officers. who
rushed to the door and broke it down.