Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1918-12-07
DELIBERATE MURDER
Michael Schamberger, of Near Upton
Shot and Killed by Tom Bird
at Newcastle.

NeWs-Journal gives an account Of tn
murder of Michael Sch am mberger at tha
place last week by Tom Bird, who give
his place of residence as Custer. Tn,
account is as follows:
Last Friday afternoon, about 5 o'clock
Michael Schamberger, of near Upton
was shot and killed by Tom J. Bird
who claims to be from Custer, S. d
Bird was placed under arrest and lodged
in the county jail, and Saturday morning
an inquest over the remains of Scham
berger was held in the sherif's Office in
the court house Coroner George De.
Bow called A. ]. Kirkwood, c. ID. Keei
and ii. F. Whittemore as a jury, and
testimony of witnesses to the killing was
heard.
Three witnesses, George Benedict, the
bartender at the Aimonetto saloon,
Frank Sheldon and Frank Shorty
Smith were called and testified to prac.
tically the same effect.
George Benedict was the first witness
called, and he gave a brief outline of
what happened in the saloon prior to
the killing. lie stated that he was en-
gagged in conversation with Schamberger
when Bird entered and asked Scham-
berger his name, to which Schamberger
replied They call me Black Hills Mike. "
Bird then said 81 am Black Hills
Blacky." Mr.. Benedict said that so far
as he could observe there was no quarrel
or angry words between the two men,
but Bird was heavily under the inhu-
ence of liquor and at once attacked
Schamberger, throwing him to the floor
and choking him, whereupon Benedict
ordered him to leave that man alone ;
but instead Bird tried to reach a whis.
key bottle standing on the bar, evident
ly intending to throw it at his victim 4,
but it was taken from him by the bar
tender be then attempted to get brass
cuspidor, to throw at Schamberger, who
was still lying on the floor in dazed
condition. Finally Sehamberger tried
to get up, but was so weak that "a fall
to the tioor again, striking the back Of
10 mead. A few seconds later he turn
ed on his side, taking out a revolver, but
was too weak to use il, and Bird jumped
forward and grabbed the weapon out of
his hand, and stepped back, saying
IF there is bullet in it, you'll get il, .
and fired iu rapid succession the four
shots that were in the gun. Three bull
lets entered the body of Scham berger
one going through his neck and sever
ing the jugular vein and the Yindpipe Z
one went in near the left nipple and
came out on the right side and the
third shell failed to explode. The fourth
shot fred entered the left arm near the
elbow and came out near the wrist.
After the shooting Bird stepped away
from his victim and threw the gun at
him with all his strength, striking the
man on the head, the gun "breakiug"
in two and the cylinder flying over the
cigar case and on to the back bar.
Bird then said, damn you, have
killed you with your own gun"
The other witnesses testified to the
same effect. Mr.. Schamberger was not
drinking, nor was he in any quarrelgome
mood when he was so suddenly attacked
by Bird.
Immediately after the killing City
Marshal John Warner was called and
took the murderer to Jail. Sheriff How
ell arrived about the same time and as
sisted in taking the killer to the lock up.
Bird was brought before the coroner's
jury and questioned in regard to the
affair, and stated that he had arrived
that morning from Custer, 5. D., for the
purpose of securing some whiskey. I'm
mediately after getting off the train he
said he went to the "Rockpile" saloon
and purchased twelve pint bottles of
whiskey, and remained in the saloon for
some time, shaking about seventy-fve
rounds of dice for the drinks, and had
consumed about thirty drinks up to IL
o'clock. The prisoner said he had no
knowledge of the killing, the last he
could remember being playing a game
of pool about noon, and that his mind
was blank from that time until he
woke up in Jail Saturday morning. He
stated that he was native of West Vir-
ginia, but had been in several states.
He claims to be 3S years old, that his
occupation is that of cook, and that he
has served three years with Company
l6, of the Coast Artillery, stationed at
San Francisco. He had later been in
North Dakota, where he was employed,
and about six months ago came to South
Dakota, where for six weeks last sum-
mer he was employed by Frank Nihart,
of Pringle, and recently had been work.
ing for the Warren-Lamb Lumber Com.
pany at Fairburn, S. ID. He quit the Job
to come to Newcastle for booze, and said
he intended TO 90 to Cambria to secure
work in the mines on Monday.
County Attorney Zachman also ques-
toned the prisoner closely in regard to
the killing.
At the conclusion of the hearing the
coroners jury returned verdict of will
ful murder, and Bird has been held on
that charge until the next term of dis
trict court, which will convene in March.
Mr.. Schamberger, the murdered man,
was a native of Ohio, aged 81 years, aud
had lived in South Dakota for a number
of years, residing at Rapid City and
Lead and other places. He had recent