The Bowbells tribune. [volume] (Bowbells, Ward Co., N.D.) 1899-1969, 1905-03-17
MADDENEO MANS
BLOODY WORK
WREAkS AWFUL VENGEANCE BE.
CAUSE OF HIS DEFEAT IN
LAW SUIT.
FOUR PERSONS ARE KILLED
SHOOTS ENEMIES WITH A RIFLE
AND SETS FIRE TO THEIR
HOME.
FIERCE COMBAT WITH POLICE
HUNDREDS OF SHOTS ARE Ex-
CHANGED AND MAN IS
FOUND DEAD.
FIERCE COMBAT WITH POLICE

Denver, Colo., March IA. Three
persons dead. one missing, four others
in a serious condition and one house
in ashes sums up briefly the result OF
a fierce combat yesterday in which
George Schistler, a teamster, played
the leading part. Maddened because
of his defeat in a law suit in which
Kent Fill, the man whom he pro-
ncunced his Interest enemy, had been
victorious, and swearing vengeance
against him and his family, Schistler
armed himself with rifle and started
out to do murder. Mr.. and Mrs. Fill
and George Schistlcr are dead, child
of the Fills is missing, believed to
have been burned to death, Dr. Frank
Dulin, police surgeon, Capt. William
Bohanna, acting chief Of police, and
Mike Kelly, policeman, are seriously
wounded, and the wife of Schistler is
prostrated over the affair and
May Die From Shock.
Schistler had brooded over his
troubles with the Fill family, who
were immediate neighbors, and an
nounced yesterday that he would even
up matters. Taking rife OF improved
pattern, and brckling on belt of
smokeless cartridges, he started for
the Fill home. Fill saw Shistler ap-
preaching and heard his muff1ed
threats. He tried to avoid him by
entering the house, but Schistler set a
bullet into his brain with the accur-
acy of a marksman. He fell dead.
Mrs. Fill rushed to her husbands side
and received a bullet from Schistler's
rife, fired with uncrring aim. She,
too, fell dead beside the lifeless body
of her husband. Not content with the
fullness of his vengeance, Schistler
then
Set Fire to the Fill Home,
which was destroyed. A son of the
Fills is missing, and is believed to
have perished in the flames.
Satisfying himself that the flames
would perform their mission Schistler
returned to his own home and barri-
caded himself inside. In the meantime
neighbors appeared on the street, but
quickly retreated when bullets from
Schistlers rifle began falling near
them. A telephone message was sent
to police headquarters o.,t an ambu-
lance with Police Surgeon n::lin, Capt.
Bohanna and three officers, hurried to
the scene. Upon the arrival of the
officers and before they could leave
the ambulance a rain of bullets fell
about them. Dulin and Bohanna fell
to the floor of the ambulance wounded.
Hundreds of Shots Fired.
Aa call for reinforcemcnts brought
all the available men from police head
quarters and the sherih's officers.
Firing squads were stationed in near
by houses and a large force was in
portable fort made of baled hay piled
up on a hay wagon. During the pre-
liminary arrangements Schistlcr kept
up continuous fire in all directions.
This was returned by the officers, and
hundreds of shots were exchanged.
Kelly was wounded. Finally Schistler
ceased firing, and, with the a rush, the
officers charged the house and bat
tered down the door. They found
Schistler lying upon a bead bleeding
from several wounds. He died soon
afterward 1t is not known whether
he was hit by bullets from the weap-
ons Of the pursuing party. or commit
ted suicide.