Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-08-06
Convicted Of Murder, Sen.
teRCedtO HaDga ndRespited.
May Prove Innocence
Poison Found in Victims
Body Indicates an AIibi
for BiIlek

Chicago, ILL.,, Aug. 5-Arsenic in
deadly quantities was found yester-
day by Chicago chemists in the stom-
ach and intestines of Henry Niemann
of {Downer's Grove, father-in-law of |
Mrs Emma Niemann, who was En-
ma Vzral before marriage to VIM.
Niemann. |
This startling discovery may save
from the gallows Herman Billek,
now under sentence of death for the
murder of the Vzrals by poison, and
five other indictments for murder
pending against him.
Father P. J. O'Callaghan, of the
Paulist Fathers, and Frances E.
Hinkley, who have labored to pre-
vent the execution of the Bohemian
fortune teller, were jubilant at this
latest turn in the case. They de-
clared the hand that killed Niemann
administered the fatal poison to the
4 Vzrals.
An arrest is expected within "a
hours. The warrant charging muir
der probably will be sworn out by
the Dupage county officials after the
; inquest, which will be held at Wheat
on tonight.
Emma Neimann will be in a cell
> with me in few hours" said Billek
joyously in the county Jail last night.
'I have insisted all along that Henry
Niemann was poisoned. .~. .@@%
"I begged the states attorney to
7 have the body dug up. But no one
would pay any attention to me.
''I never was at Henry Niemann's
house. I could not have poisoned
, him. His death occurred in the
midst of the period when the vzrals
were dying like sheep. The person
who killed Niemann killed the
S vzrals That person benefited by
o his death. He left big farm and g
IS small fortune in the bank. There
e. were three children. William Mel
n mann, husband of Emma Niemann
d inherited $4,000 in money and thire
II of the farm.
E. "This discovery proves that I an
st innocent. I thank God for the proof
g when it seemed no proof would turf
ID up. Now, despite the police, wh'
E. would railroad me to the gallows
despite the officials, who would han
h. me because it would be good poll
d. ties I am confident my life will b
ID saved"
~ my work in efforts to save Bill
IT. lex are finished now" said Fathe
IL O'Callaghan last night 81 hav
I'd proved that Henry Neimann was kill
OF ed by poison. Billek could not hav
as murdered him. The logical infer
ence is that he was killed by tn
d. subtle poisoner who sent the Vzrals
le one after an" her, to their graves
e, Henry Niemann was y years oil
Up when he died on August II, 100;
ID His death occurred between that c
I'll Mary Vzral, on July %, and that {
- Tillie Vzral, on December %, of tn
d. same year. The series of Vzral mu
n ders had begun in March, 1905, whe
to Martin Vzral, Mrs. Willim Niemann
father, died. Then the deaths {
Mary, Title, Rosie, in August, 100
Ella in November, 1906, and Mr.!
H. Vzral in December of that year, TO
~ lowed in the order named. Thu
II it will be seen, two of the Vzral
m died before Niemann and four afte
Niemann was buried without
death certificate. It was the di
covery of this irregularity, and til
he insistence of Billek, that led Fathe
II O'Callaghan to induce Corner N.
an Mather and States Attorney Charlie
he Hadley, of Dupage, to exhume tn
re remains. 1t was found that Nieman
s,rs had been attended by Drs. C. 2
w Tohe and Fox. They had diagnose
oh his malady as alcoholism
cy He left farm of one hundred acre
uv in the midst Of country where Ian
IN 4 sells for 500 an acre. In addition h
left about $4,000 in bank The none
/ and the real estate were divided b
H. his will among his three children
Mrs Emma Niemann lived wit
OF the Varals when Martin and Mar
ed died. She went to live with Nieman
ne on Aug j, seventeen days before tn
SO old mans death. she was living
rst the farm when Niemann died.