Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-23

an itinerant fortune teller and admitted
swndler who lived upon the credulity OF
Bohemian residents of the western section
of the city. Billik came from Bohemia TO
the United States in 1856.
In the Bohemian section of Chicago he
became known as a charm worker and
fortune teller. About five years ago he
became acquainted with the Nrzals. who
resided at 61I West 10Th street. Martin
Nrzral. the husband and father. was a
milk dealer who owned the residence in
which the family lived and who had ac-
quired a small bank account. his total
savings being about $1,000. All the mem
bers of the Nrzal family were insured in
traternal organizations for small amounts.
the policies varying from about $50 Ia
5000. Il was to secure this money that
Billik Is said to have conspired with Mrs.
NrZal to poison her husband and children.
Martin Nrzal was the first of the fam
lily TO die. his death occurring March -.
1903 The children who died were Mary.
twenty-five years old. July IS. 1905: TIL
lie. twenty Years old. December ~. 1900:
Rose. eighteen years old August 70 1!p6,
and Ella. twelve years old. November 50.
1906 The father was insured for S2.eS
and the children for smaller amounts. The
money was collected by Mrs. Nrzal. and.
according to testimony given in the trial
much of ii was given by her to B.lltk. The
series of deaths aroused suspicion among
the neighbors OF the family. but no COM
plants were made TO the police. The at
titude of her nelghhorS caused Mrs. Nzral
and her two children Jersolobat and Ber-
tina to move to another section OF the
city. The police finally were made aware
of the series OF deaths and questioned
Mrs NrZal in her new home. After their
departure Bilik secretly visited the house
and the suicide Of Mrs. Nrzal followed
Mrs Emma Nrzal Neremann. the oldest
daughter of the family. denounced Billik
as murderer while at the bedside of her
dead mother, and his arrest followed
Admitted Dipping the Family.
His wife also was arrested. but was re-
leased after a few days. Blink. who
seemed little perturbed by his arrest.
readily admitted that he had duped the
family for years; that he had made love To
Mrs. Rose Nrzal and that he had procured
large sums of money from her. He denied
strenuously that he had any knowledge
of the family being poisoned.
He told the police he had Concocted
love phlters' at the request OF the
parents to bring about the marriage OF
Emma Vrzal; that he had given harmless
medicines to the father several times.
and that he had obtained money from
Mrs. NrZal on score of preteXts
July Is he was found guilty and sen
fenced to death. the execution being set
for October L.. Rev. +. j. OCallaghan.
pastor of ST. Mary's Roman Catholic
Church, while visiting prisoners in the
county jail became impressed with the
belief that Bilik was not guilty and took
the lead in the determined struggle to
procure a new trial for the man. The
priest appealed to the public for funds
TO carry the case to the Illinois supreme
court. and October Judge Barnes grant
ed Bilik his first respite. that the case
ght be taken before the higher tribunal.
November > he again was reprieved. and
November q the supreme court issued a
writ of error while it took the case UNI
der consideration. February 20. 1908. the
supreme court refused Bilik a new trial
and he again was sentenced to hang.
April ~ being fixed as the date Two
weeks before the date Father O'Callaghan
procured from Jerry NrZal an affidavit
almost completely repudiating the testi-
mony given by him at the trial. He as
serted that Inspector Of Police Shippy.
who since has become chief of police, and
two assistants of the states attorney
hal induced him to give false testimony
against Billik. The damaging effect Of
the young mans testimony was indi-
Gated by affidavits from six of the jurors
in the trial. who declared they would
no. have voted to convict Billik save for
the testimony of the youth.
4 special session of the state board
of pardons. with Gov. Deneen presiding,
Thea was called in Chicago States At
torney Healy protested against new
trial declaring that the boy had told
was urged 10y former Mayor Dunno and
other lawyers The board of pardons met
April IL and April ~ Billik was granted
d respite by Gov. Deneen until June IL.
Prisoners Prayed for Him.
Mass meetings were held to urge Glenn
ency or a new trial for Billik. and one
Sunday 600 prisoners in the county jail
united in prayer that he might be freed.
Two days before the date set for the ex-
ecution it was announced that the board
of pardons had refused To interfere. Prep
arations for the hanging of Billik were be-
gun, and the morning of June II the man
had been prepared for death, when Fed
eral Judge Lands again stayed the ex-
ecution by granting him the right TO APP
peal to the United States supreme Court
In granting the writ the jurist declared
his belief that the plea before the SUI
preme legal body would be futile. While
the case was pending in the United States
Supreme Court friends of Bilik had the
body of Henry Niemann. the father-in-
law of Mrs. Emma VrZal Niemann. ex-
humed and a coroner's jury declared the
man had died a result of poisoning.
No action was taken, however, against
Mrs. Niemann.
On October 10 the United States Su-
preme Court rejected the plea of Billik's
attorneys and the case was dismissed
from its records. The convicted mans
lawyers then made their last stand. con-
tending that the date fixed for his eX-
ecution had passed. therefore. he was
legally dead and must be released from
custody. The contention was denied by
Judge Barnes. and November Il he again
sentenced Billik to be hanged. which sem
tence the governor has commuted to life
imprisonment