Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-01-23
OENEEN SAVES
B|LL|K FROM
GAlLOWS
LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR
CONDEMNED MURDERER
Illinois Governors Action
Closes Legal Battle Unpar-
aIeIIed in Annals Of State; Six
Times Sentenced to Die,
my Morning journal Special LEASED wfrsi

| Springfield, H., Jan. 22.-Governor
Charles Deneen tonight commuted TO
| life Imprisonment the sentence OF
death which had been pronounced on
Herman Billik. OF Chicago. who was
condemned to hang for the murder OF
Mary Vrzal, whom he was alleged TO
have poisoned, with other members of
the family.
The commutation is made on rec
lommendation OF the state board of
pardons, after the supreme court had
refused 70 interfere, saying that the
records showed no reversible error,
and after affirming the Judgment OF
| the criminal court OF Cook county
The state board of pardons. In max
ing the recommendations TO Governor
| Dcneen for communication of sentence,
| says that after the final action of the
supreme court, Jerry Vrzal, brother Of
| Mary Vrzal. and one of the principal
witnesses for the state at the trial of
Billik, appeared before the state board
OF pardons at the hearing of the PEE
tition for Billik's pardon and swore
that all his testimony at the trial
| against Billik was false, except as to
unimportant facts
The legal battle of Herman Bllik to
| escape the sentence OF death first inn
posed upon him on July Is, 1907, Is
without parallel in the criminal rec
| ords of Illinois. Six times Bllik was
granted respites or stays Of execution.
the reprieves coming twice within four
| days of the dates set for his execu-
tion, and once when the death march
| to the scaffold was about to start
| The case has been fought through
the criminal appellate and supreme
| courts of the state, from the federal
| district court to the United states SUI
prcmc court aud to the Illinois state
board Of pardons, which, with Cover
| nor Dencen sitting as presiding Off
| cial, held a special session in Chicago
to consider it. 1t was made an issue
in the political battles OF Cook coun-
", and the champions of Billik insist
that their efforts were In greater part
responsible for the defeat of states
Attorney Healy. who had opposed a
new trial for Billk. and who failed of
denomination.
The crime for which Billik was con-
victed was the poisoning OF twenty
two-y year-old Mary Vrzal Tndict-
ments accusing him OF causing the
deaths Of six members OF the Vrzal
family had been returned, and he was
convicted on the first Of the charges
After the conviction of Billik, Jersolo-
bat Vrzal, a seventeen-year-o broth
cr of the victim, and the chief witness
against the accused man, repudiated
the testimony he had given in the
trial and declared he had been coerc
ed by the police and officials of the
states attorneys office into giving
false testimony against the defendant.
The youths declaration was the basis
for the long struggle made by bcliev-
crs in Billk's innocence to procure al
retrial or a commutation of his SEN
tence
The revelations OF the poisoning OF
the Vrzal family startled Chicago fol-
lowing the arrest of Billik on Decem
ber 4 1906. The suicide of Mrs. Rose
Nrzal. Billek's alleged co-conspirator,
in her home. 1886 Fifteenth street. pre-
ceded his arrest by a few hours. Bill
lik later was accused of inducing the
woman to commit suicide. The man
was an itinerant fortune teller and
admitted swindler who lived upon the
fIthuUlN VI IbntilliiU ifSih'lA0 VI
The western section Of the city. Bill |
lex came from Bohemia TO the United
States in 1886. For several years he
resided In Cleveland, Ohio. where his
mother. Barbara Billik. had been a
fortune teller for many years, and
where she died recently, broken heart
ed. but believing in her sons inno- |
cence TO the last Bilik worked as a |
butler and chef before coming to Chi |
cago.
In the Bohemian section Of Chicago |
he became known as a charm work
er" and fortune-teller. About five |
years ago he became acquainted with |
the Vrzals. who resided at 677 West |
Nineteenth street Martin Nrzal. the
husband and father. was milk deal |
er, who owned the residence in which |
the family lived and who had acquir-
ed a small hank account, his total saw
ings being about $4,000 All the mem |
bers OF the Vrzal family were insured |
in fraternal organizations for small /
amounts. the policies varying from
about $50 TO $1,000. II was to Sc
cure this money that Billik is said to
have conspired with Mrs Vrzal to
poison her husband and children.
Martin Vrzal was the first OF the
family to die. his death occurring on
March %. 1903 The children who
died were Mary. twenty-five years old.
July rs. 1906: Tillie, twenty years old,
December %. 1905; Rose. eighteen
years old. August 26. 1906. and Ella.
twelve years old. November 80. 1906.
The father was insured for $4,000 and
the children for smaller amounts. The
money was collected by Mrs Vrzal.
and according TO testimony given in
the trial, much Of It was given by her
to Billik. The series of deaths arous-
Cd suspicion among the neighbors Of
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