The Elbert County tribune., 1907-05-02
MURDER WILLOUT
SLAYER OF MAURICE cAPLAN
CAN'T KEEP SECRET.
DENVER CRIME BURNS BRAIN
After Two Years Aimless Wandering,
John Shire Confesses to Commit
ting Cold-Blooded Murder in Den
yer Home.

YER Home.
Butte, Mont-John Shire. held in Jail
here to await an examination as to his
sanity, confessed that two years ago
he murdered Maurice Caplan, Den
yer auctioneer, shooting him down
while his victim was seated in his par
lor with other members of his family
in the early evening. When first ar
rested it was evident that something
was preying Shire's mind, and repeated
questions finally induced him to tell
Haunted by the memory of the deed,
he had resorted to cocaine and whisky
in an effort to forget, and SO induced
temporary delusions which resulted
in his arrest as an insane man.
In his confession Shire stated that
Caplan was a wealthy man, and while
in his store he exhibited large roll or
bills. Shire said he was destitute and
he followed the autioneer home for the
purpose of getting his money.
81 got into the place by back door
after he had entered the front door,
said Shire, "and, while going through
hallway IN my search for the man,
met his daughter and she gave an
alarm. When the man appeared / told
him to throw up his hands. Instead OF
obeying he picked up stool, which
he moved as IL he was going to assault
me, and / shot him dead. l then went
back to the saloon where | was en-
ployed as bartender. ] remained there
for over day. Several men who, as l
knew. were detectives" continued
Shire, "came around the place where l
was working several times and l got
frightened for fear that they were on
my trail, but they never did anything
about it. The man who ran the saloon
where l was employed was no goot.
1 tended bar for him, but he never paid
me anything for my work, and all he
did for me was to keep me drunk all
the time"
1t was believed that Shire was labor
ing under temporary delusions through
the use of whisky and cocaine at first.
1t did no good to remind Shire that he
was behind locked and barred doors,
where nobody could get at him and do
him harm. On all other matters tho
man seems to be perfectly rational.
He gave connected and clear details OF
the murder he confesses he commit
ted
The murder of Maurice l.. Caplan
was the most cold-blooded and brutal
ever committed in Denver. Caplan,
who was president of the Denver Auc-
ton Company, was shot down by bur
glar in the parlor of his home, 14191a
East Sixteenth avenue. The merchant
and Nathan Stryker. a prominent
wholesaler, were playing cards. In
the room with them was Mrs. Caplan,
who sat in corner reading. Little
Ruth Margaret Caplan was just enter
ing the parlor from the vestibule when
the burglar came in through the front
door, which had been left jar.
A revolver in each hand, the burglar
covered the occupants of the room, or
dering them to turn over all their
money. Caplan had in one pocket over
$500. He produced three or four
dollars in silver and laid the money
on the table, while Stryker laid down
65 cents, the contents of one pocket.
81 want all you've got" said the rob-
ber. Caplan then turned to his wife
and asked her to go into the next room
and bring more money. She did as re-
quested, returning in moment with
about $14 in cash, which was added to
the pile on the table.
But this did not satisy the robber.
Il want the money you took in to-
day." he said.
This remark apparently infuriated
Caplan. He had been sitting passively
through the minutes that it took his
wife and Striker to turn over what
money they had, but had grown gradu
ally more pale. After commanding him
to turn over the money from the sales,
the robber bent over the table to pick
up the little pile of silver. At that mo-
ment Caplan thought he saw an oppor-
tunity to save his property. Reaching
| down he started to pick up stool on
which his feet rested. The robber fired
the pistol he held in his right hand,
the bullet entering in the region of the
heart and causing instant death. Then
the thug fed