The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-06-26
KILLED HIS FRIEND
Patrick Hogan, an Ex-COnEict,
Takes Geo. Seiber's Life.
He Is Afterward Slain by Com
panion OF Seiber.
mad DRUNKEN FRENZY
Had Said Earlier He "Was Go
ing to Kill a Man"
Hess Who Killed Hogan Is Ex-
Onerated by Jury.
INADRUNKEN FRENZY

ayp0 from Qt LIN t-~-@~--
an ex-convict and who served a term
q, tbe county jail for selling hquoI' esls ue-
l,beratelv shot and killed 1eolee
bor his friend and neighoori anu "e-s
1,troself killed by Charles Hess wlel
49, attempted to add Hess lie 10 ms
iig+ Of victims. The Tragedy occur -,
10 saturday night in the niue -
+l,e rear Of Seiber's home oVo x
-. s.roet. and followed a threat py NJ
tbat he would kill Seiber II some
- +be tenants were not remover run
tho house at sol Quincy street'"here f1O-
ean made his home
e.4an5ine, behind Seiber with laht-
e. his left hand. Hogan hred one
tarrel from a shotgun loaded WIN ~.
-. THE muzzle Of the gun Was
- +trae feet of Seiber's head ana tiie
.tsrge tore away the top OF the man >
Craved from drink and IN the
-,+.r,o,t Hogan whirled and attacA-
,et,a-1es Hess. who was sitting III
- with Seiber at the time OF inc
7,. Frank McGehee, who was
,.ti,,, near the swing talking TO the
a1 ran for help as he saw hogan
60 +be fatal shot and attack Hess III
80 conflict between Hess ana hogan'
ny w -, was broken near the STOCK.
Sxritt fine barrels of the weapon IL ~ ~
1,ards. Hess struck Hogan Twice Ige.l Isoi
~, &c Of the skull. The man uieu
0ne 5e'5r .[,,ereencv hospital at the ponce
.tion two hours after the trouDle;
47r Eve years Patrick Hogan "a -
IL his home in the basement OF lne l
iia,,ee an 9O1 Quincy street owned ~
Sefber's mother Hogan WI WIS NJ o,1oe+
- often at night he would coilecI
49, bottles which he sold TO STORES
In the neigh hbOrhOod- hogan 4'' <ise a. - .
III IN "a t,is rent promptly. Last winter ne
- In iail for selling hquor' pu1 ~
"a Ne rent for the rooms dS usual
Paln ~ nc relatives knew there had new
~ % -, - +l7e least trouble between no
- LA eseiber In fact SelDef Hdu
-, 60, 1,efriended the man and tner re
1st{ons we're pleasant. But WheH - -
sran came home with TOO sIeSI q - q =
0f LIQUOR. he was moody anu q -
ei,cb tines Seiber left him alone.
Went After His Gun.
,.- ,oarlv II O'Clock Saturday
..t,I,+ 1,-ban Seiber was sitting IN d
e,aire at the rear of his home on gun
ew ev st street. He was talking to Frank
McGehee and Charles Hess s5,,ine mfe" NJ
George . the tenant said, as ne STOP
,,od near the swing, ''if you don't get
nose DeopIe out of the house VIII
Nov vour id head off.
n
natter. After delivering his ultimatuh-
h, walked toward the alley, lantern n
hand and the men believed he con
ttuued looking for empty bottles sen
or remarked to his companions llld1
perhaps Hogan had been drinking toc
much. Then Hogan cropped Out VI .n0
conversation. But only for rev mn
utes. He had walked down the ailey D
short distance, then back to his little
room i'm the basement, where he got an
old shotgun. As he again approacheu
the little party McGehee saw the man
first The lantern was still IN hogan >
hand and he was holding it high that
he might obtain a view of his victim
There's uogan," suddenly remarked
McGehee. "and he has gun, too"
But Saiber never turned. AS Niece
hee made the statement, Hogan raiseC
the gun to his shoulder, took deliberate
aim and fired. SO terrific was the
charge that the entire top of Seiber's
head was torn away. Blood. brains
and bits of skull were carried dis
tance of 20 feet. Seiber's companions
were smeared with blood and bits of
flesh As Seiber fell forward in the
swing, almost in the very laps of his
companions. the drunken man viewed
his work with calm deliberation.
Only when Hess screamed to Nc
Gehee, For Gods sake get the police"
did Hogan seem to renew his interest
in a few seconds and before any mem
ber of the little party had time to think
or act AS Hess screamed. Hogan
started around the swing, raising his
gun as he came. Hess sprang to his
feet and the two men grappled for
ran to Kansas avenue in search of a
policeman.
Used Gun Barrels on Hogan.
In the conflict between Hess and Ho-
gan the gun was broken near the stock
Hess retained the two barrels and in
one hand Hogan held the stock. In his
left hand the drunken man still held
the lantern and its dim rays shed
light on the horrible tragedy which
had been enacted and the life struggle
which Hess and Hogan waged in the
back yard. Time after time Hogan
tried to strike his man with the gun
stock. Failing in this, he used the
lantern. Then Hess backed against q.
small shed and as Hogan again ap-
preached, he swung the gun barrels
twice. The blows landed just below the
skull and Hogan fell heavily to the
ground When help arrived, Hess was
sitting on Hogan's body He did NOT
know that Seiber was dead. he said
Two hours after the tragedy. Hogan
died in the emergency hospital at no
lice station. He never regained con
sciousness. Hess and McGehee 1vara
held at the police station until SUNDAY
noon. Then Hess was taken to the
county Jail, pending the coroner's in
quest. McGehee was released.
George Seiber was well known in
Topeka. His father was an old circus
man and George himself showed a fe-
cided liking for the sawdust ring. For
several years he had lived with his
mother, Mrs. Katherine Bastger. who
owns much valuable property on
quincy street
Befriended by Sciber.
One day, shortly after his release
from the penitentiary, Patrick Hogan