Idaho Springs siftings., 1905-03-18
THE DENVER TRAGEDY
DETAILS OF THE AwruL CRIME
Murdered Man and Murderer Had Been
Bosom Friends-T~o innocent
Families eereft-Deed Done In ar
Insane Passion Of Rage.


are some Of the incidents Of the terri
BILE tragedy in Denver Sunday when
George Shissler shot and killed kay
siil and his wife and wounded Police
Captain William Bohanna. Police Sur
geon Frank Dulln and Frank Kelly.
driver for Sill.
shlssler and Sill had worked to-
gether IN the Denver 4 Rio Granda
shops and had been close friends.
Some three years ago they jointly pur.
chased aYe acres OF land in what is
known ms 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 ta
the Joint estate and gardens and COW
pastures contributed to the content,
ment Of the two families.
SIN lived with bis family. consist
ing Of a wife and two daughters. Fran
eea, aged ten. and Josephine. aged
fourteen. ShissIer seemed 10 be equally
contented in hIs new home with his
wife and Eve children. Spencer. a.
baby Of four years Charles. aged ten
Blanche. aged thirteen; Frank. aged
fifteen. and Harry. aged eighteen.
Finally an estraugcment grew up be
tween the two men They agreed TO
divide the property and quafreled over
division fence. becoming involved In
a law suit In which the decision Was
in favor of Sill
About 10 O'Clock Sunday morning
Shlssler telephoned to bis attorney.
Mr Hlliard. and Is said 70 have been
advised TO rag the judgment against
him. He went back home and cams
out into hts front yard with a shot
gun.
Sill was talking with David Bald
ridge and William Braunen, who were
in front Of his house with a carriage.
shlssler called out 10 Sill and i'm
mediately shot him Baldrldscs horse
started to run and Shissier fred at
Baldridge and Braunen. Then he shot
Slli again. indieting a wound thai
must have been instantly fatal q
Frank Kelly. who was In Sill's barn,
started on horseback 10 summon help
-and Shlssler shot at him. inhictinE
flesh wound In his left leg.
Shissier then went to the barn
where he found Charles and John
LBndeen. who live in the nelghbOr
hood and who testified for Mr SUI IN
the different lR1 suits brought By
Shlssler.
lie put The muzzie of his rifle against
the temple Of Charles Lundeen. boy
II twenty. and made him get down
on his knees and beg for mercy.
When the shooting began Mrs. Sill
ran around in front Of ksr home and
hor daughter. Josephine. aged four
teen. ran diagonaliy across the street
TO the hame Of James II. Fitzpatrick
2sS2 Monroe street. loo yards away,
screaming that shbsieF had killed hei
father
Josephine Fitzpatrick. young lads
Of twenty-five. who is teacher ir
Waliace's business college ran quickly
10 the Slil 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 Slu crawied under
bed 20 hide
Mrs. siu tried Ia run 10 the Fiizpat
rick home aud Shissler ordered her tc
stop.
Dropping on her knees, Mrs. stll
raised her hands plcadingiy toward
Shissler and begged that her life bs
spared
Spare my Ifs, Please spsre H. for
the sake of my children" sobbed the
woman pltiiuliy ~lou have killed my
husband. and they win have no one to
care for them II yoa kin me. o. please
spa"
A bullet punctuated the sentence
Cruelty It sped ON It's terrible mission
Fhatterlng the b1ne In the womani
rigbt iez Immediately below the knee
Mrs Sill staggered a few steps ant
dropped 10 the ground.
Irf.fHss fVf
the room where the two girls were hid
ing. Not finding them. though he
poked his gun under the bed. he car
risd eoais and sef the bed on fire. lie
left the room and they ran to the fttz
patrick house. The fire caused the de
struetiun of fhe building.
ShissIer went out aud shot Mrs Sill
n second time with a revolver. which
he placed against her head. killing her
Instantly
Meanwhne Messrs. Baidridge and
Brannen had driven 20 whore they
could telephone to police headquarters.
Captain Bohauna Immediately ordered
out the police ambulance. Dr. Frank
Duiin. police surgeon. and Pairnlmen
John Phillips and Frank Mulligan were
detailed TO 20 with Captain johanna
Patrulman C. 4 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.
Wher they arrived at the scene Of
the tragedy Shissler rctreated into his
yard. placed the rife barrel on the
fence. took careful aim and fired at the
men on the seat The first bullet cut
hole agrpua fhsa ton 1af EaDta4n Rr-
hanna's felt hat.
About" commanded Captain 10
hanna
Before McClanathan could respond
there came q fusillade from Shissler.
A dozen shots must have been fired
before the horses were finally turned
The snl.1na shnf ranrhf cantair Rn-