The Detroit times., 1912-02-16
FIVE SLAYERS PUT TO
DEATH IN CHICAGO JAIL
Four White Men and One Negro
Pay Penalty - Finger
Prints Convict Latter

CHICAGO, Feb. l6.-Dying as thcy
mad lived, unconcerned, almost with
out emotion and with their natures
barely touched by the efforts OF the
religious men who labored with them,
four OF the murderers OF Fred w.
Guelzow, Jr.. paid the death penalty
In the county courthouse here today,
The men executed were:
Ewald Shiblawski, "a.
Frank Shiblawsh, 81.
Philip Somerling. "a.
Thomas Schultz, 18.
The men made no antemortcm
statements. All of them, two OF whom
were brothers, had confessed tie
crime and when all hope OF respite
had been abandoned all announced
themselves ready to mount the scar
fold.
The supreme court at Springfield
was vainly appealed to and proceed.
ings to have the men declared insane
were denied by Judge Mckinley here.
All pleas were disallowed by the
courts.
After hearing arguments on the
charge that Thomas jennings consti-
tutional privileges had been violated
In forcing him to make finger prints,
on which evidence he was convicted
OF the murder of Clarence HilleI,
Federal Judge Landis refused to order
stay OF the execution. The court
held that such evidence was a part
OF the Identification of the prisoner.
Ewald and Frank Shiblawsh were
hanged first at 1914. They mounted
the gallows together and were fol-
lowed Immediately by Somerling and
Schultz.
The official time of the dropping OF
the gallows trap was given as 1917.
Ewald was pronounced dead by the
physicians at 1926, and Frank half a
minute later. Their necks were brok-
en-. The men showed no emotion as
they marched from their cells to the
scaffold They we're accompanied by
Father 0'Brien who had been with
them constantly since early morning.
Both assisted the executioners in ad-
jus.ing the straps and both prayed
constantly as the final preparations
were made.
AS quickly as the bodies OF the
Shiblawsk brothers were cut down
word was brought that Somerling and
Schultz should be made ready.
Inc DT1eSlS lcIl the ds oOOH
as the black shrouds were adjusted
and returned to those waiting in the
death cells.
Eyes, it's all over, | am ready.
will do right. / will die because
killed a man." said young Schultz to
the priest. Prayers were renewed and
without hesitating these two followed
the others in the death march. They
An ~ q
howls and din OF the prisoners In the
jail and paid no attention to the
crowd OF 200 who witnessed the hang
iags. AZ he mounted the scanold,
Schultz, the 18-year-old boy, to save
whose life such desperate efforts mad
been made, said:
God forgive me. | did not know
how terrible II was"
Quickly the executioners adjusted
the straps and the traps were sprung
for the second time.
The murder of Fred w. Guelzow
was declared by the police to be The
most brutal in the history of Chicago.
The young truck gardener was hcld
up. robbed and murdered as he was
coming to market, Oct. 20 last Ewa'd
Siblawski was arrested a few days
after GuelZow's disappearance. lie
was wearing his victims shoes. Ewald
Immediately confessed. and implicit
ed his brother and other members OF
gang, All later admitted their part
of the crime. Ewald's confession was
read to jury at the trial.
Jennings, the fifth victim OF the
executioner in the county Jail here to-
day. was hanged at 1915.
Jennings was pronounced dead a.
1927. The Negro refused to make
any statement regarding his crime. II
was believed he would confess. IL ne
did. IL was to Father O'Brien In a
formal confession of the church and
this will never be revealed. Jennings
was convicted largely upon the
lstrength- of his finger prints.