One of the most shocking and brutal murders in the history of Kansas was committed in this city some time Sunday night when an unknown assassin stole in the house occupied by William Showman and family and while they slept murdered the entire family, consisting of Will Showman, his wife, their son Lester, aged 7, and daughters Fern and Fenton, aged 4 and 2 years respectively.

The crime was committed some time during the night of October 15^th and was not discovered until 5 o'clock the following afternoon. Mrs. O. W. Snook, a neighbor, failing to get any answer to her repeated calls to the Showman family over the telephone, went over to their house, a distance of about two blocks, and finding the door open. Walked in and was horrified at the terrible sight which confronted her. In one bed lay Mr. and Mrs. Showman and their little baby, and in the other the son and older daughter, all with their heads terribly crushed and mangled beyond recognition. Mrs. Snook rushed terror stricken from the house and telephoned to a brother of the murdered man, John Showman, who in turn notified the sheriff.

Tells of Finding Bodies

When interviewed Monday evening Mrs. Snook said: "Sunday evening Mr. and Mrs. Showman and their children were visiting with us and left for their home about two blocks away, at 9 o'clock. We have been in the habit of visiting back and forth with each other and Monday I called them up over the telephone several times, but could get no answer. I then called up Mr. Showman's place of work and his employer informed me that Mr. Showman had not reported for work that day. Thinking that some of the family might be ill, I took my child and walked over to their house and entered through the back door and passed through the kitchen into the front room. I gave just one look at the battered and bloody bodies lying on the beds and ran from the house and called up Mr. Showman's brother John, who came to the house then notified the sheriff."

"I know of no reason why this terrible crime should have been committed. So far as I know the Showman's were without enemies. They were good-natured, likeable people and I cannot understand why anyone should harbor such ill-will against them."

"The Showman's owned a bird dog and several times on Monday the dog came to our house and I drove him away, telling him to go back home, which he did, only to return again. When I walked into their house, the dog was inside lying down. I do not know how he got inside, unless he opened the screen door, which he might have done. The outside doors were unlocked and open, the murderer apparently having left them that way. The dog was accounted a good watch dog and how the assassin perpetrated his foul deed without arousing the dog and giving an alarm, I cannot understand."

Sheriff Bradshaw and Marshal Merritt went immediately to the house, and after a brief investigation, the bodies were removed to the Hutchinson Undertaking establishment.

Sends For Blood Hounds

Sheriff Bradshaw wired to Abilene for blood hounds, which were brought here on the 11:57 train Monday night by Sheriff Young of Dickinson county. The dogs were taken to the scene of the crime, and, taking the scent from a cloth upon which the murderer had wiped his hands, took a trail and followed it to where the Union Pacific and Frisco tracks intersect, about a half mile west of town. This crossing is only a short distance south of the Showman home. The dogs stopped and refused to go further. They were taken back to the house and one of the dogs unleashed. After circling around the house several times he darted off through some bushes in the rear of the house and returned in a few moments; then took up the same trail previously followed, which ended, as before, at the intersection of the railroad tracks.

From this it is thought that the murderer may have walked to the crossing and there boarded either a Frisco or Union Pacific train.

Sheriff Young then declared that further effort to track the criminal with the dogs would be useless, as they would only go over the same trail. He gave it as his opinion, moreover that the scent was too old for the dogs to follow intelligently. Sheriff Young returned to Abliene with his blood hounds Tuesday morning.

Used An Ax

The murderer committed his atrocious deed with an ax, which was found behind the door connecting the two rooms. It had recently been washed off with water, but there was sufficient blood on it to show that it was the instrument used, and there was also some hair on it which corresponded with that of the head of Mrs. Showman.

Evidently the murderer had gone about his work in a deliberate manner. A cloak belonging to Mrs. Showman was thrown over the telephone to muffle it, and a lamp placed at the foot of the bed. The chimney of the lamp was found in the kitchen under a chair and it is believed that the deed was committed in the dim light thrown from the lamp wick, the murderer evidently fearing the family might waken in stronger light.

From the positions of the bodies it would see that they had no warning of their terrible fate, as there was no evidence of any struggle, and the bodies, with the exception of that of Mrs. Showman, however had been subjected to treatment that clearly indicates that the fiend was possessed of an abnormal hatred towards her.

The Only Clues

Up to the time for going to press the city officers were still without any definite information as to the whereabouts of the murderer. They have several clues. On the might of the murder a strange man asked for a room at the Baker Hotel between the hours of 1 and 2. He registered as John Smith, Junction City, and said he was going to work in one of the Kanopolis salt mines. This was the last seen of him in Ellsworth. He left a hat and a bundle containing a blanket and other bed clothing in the office of the hotel, which he did not call for. In the morning when he did not appear, his room was searched and some of his clothing was found on the floor, one of the articles being a shirt, which was smeared with blood. Whether this man brought the bloody clothing with him to the hotel when he first came in, or whether he first went out, committed the foul deed and then returned to his room to change his clothing, is not known. However, this man did go to Kanopolis and ate breakfast early Monday morning at a restaurant in that town. He then went to the salt plant and applied for work, but was told there was nothing for him to do. He then stated he would walk to Salina and that was the last heard of him. He gave the name as John Smitherton, and address as Junction City, to the salt mine people. Sheriff Bradshaw got late communication with the authorities at Junction City, who reported that no such person as John Smitherton was known at Junction City, and that all John Smith's known there were accounted for. This man is described as being about 5 feet, 11 inches tall, weighing about 170 pounds, light hair and light blue eyes.

Another Suspect

Another person suspected is Charles Marzyck, a brother-in-law of Mrs. Showman. Marzyck was sent to the penitentiary from Ellsworth in January, 1906, for having stolen some wheat. At the time there was some trouble between Marzyck and his wife, a sister to Mrs. Showman. She obtained a divorce while Marzyck was serving his sentence, and then married James Vopat.

Marzyck was released from the penitentiary in April, 1910, and has not been seen in these parts since. He is supposed to be now living in San Francisco. The chief of police of San Francisco has been asked to learn the whereabouts of Marzyck on the night of the murder.

Another thing that tends to throw suspicion on Marzyck is the fact that Marshal Merritt, who was a witness against him in the trial of 1906, when Marzyck was sent to the penitentiary, states that some one tried to enter his home Sunday evening. He was sitting in his home reading a paper when he heard some one try the back door. He thought nothing of it, but as the noise continued, he arose and went to the door, but could see nothing. The next morning and investigation showed that a screen had been removed from one of the windows on the Merritt home.

Whether or not this was Marzyck is, of course, not known, but Marshal Merritt believes that it was and that he tried to enter his home and "fix" him before going to the Showman home.

Mayor's Proclamation

Because of the sad circumstances surrounding the taking off of this entire family, Mayor M. L. Meek issued a proclamation requesting that all places of business be closed during the funeral hour of the Will Showman family. The proclamation follows:

"It is my desire that all places of business be closed during the funeral hour of the Will Showman family who were victims of the most atrocious crime ever committed within our city. I therefore request that all business houses close between the hours of 2 and 3 o'clock p.m., October 18, 1911. M. L. Meek "Mayor"

Thought They Had Him

Considerable excitement was caused on our streets yesterday when a rumor flew the rounds that Charles Marzyck, suspected slayer of the Showman family, had been caught in the cellar of James Vopat's residence several miles south of town. Sheriff Bradshaw and Marshal Merritt, together with a number of deputies, made a flying trip in automobiles to the scene and searched the house thoroughly, but no trace of the man was found. It seems that when Mr. Vopat left the house a few hours before, he fixed the latch so that could enter from the outside without a key. When he returned he found that the latch had been thrown and he was unable to get into his house.

As Mrs. Vopat's former wife, Marzyck had threatened her at the time of his trial, it was feared that he would try to wreak his vengeance upon her also, if he is the guilty man. With these circumstances in his mind, Mr. Vopat jumped to the conclusion that Marzyck or someone not belonging there was inside the house, so he immediately telephoned to Ellsworth with the result noted above.

Sheriff Bradshaw and his deputies were much chagrined at the outcome, but they realized the strain under which the Vopats have been laboring ever since the crime was discovered and did not blame Mr. Vopat in the least for sounding a false alarm.

Showman Murder Like Other Crimes

The murder of the Showman family in this city Sunday night as they slept was almost identical to the slaying of six in Colorado Springs, Colo., on September 21^st and more lately in the killing of William E. Dawson, his wife and daughter in Monmouth, Ill., October 1^st. In each case an ax was the instrument of death. In every case each person in the house was killed apparently while asleep.

In the Colorado Springs tragedy two families were wiped out. The bodies of Alice May Burnham, her 6-year old daughter Alice and her 3-year old son John, and Henry Wayne, his wife, Blanche, and their 2-year old twin babies were found in their adjoining cottages. The head of each had been crushed by a heavy blow from an ax. The bodies were not discovered for at least two days after the murders. Arthur J. Burnham, husband of Alice Burnham, was arrested as a suspect, but stoutly maintained his innocence.

Dawson was the caretaker of a church in Monmouth, Ill. The tragedy was discovered by a committee of deacons, who visited Dawson's home to reprimand him for failing to make the church ready for the Sunday services. After breaking in the door, they found the three bodies each with its head crushed, the wounds showing unmistakable signs of having been caused by one instrument, an ax.

The Showman family was slain in like manner, the murderer going further, however and battering the features of his victims beyond recognition. In no case has the slightest motive been discovered by the police. All were working people, in comfortable circumstances with no known enemies. From none of the homes was heard any sign of a struggle or any intimation that there had been trouble until the bodies were discovered.

Inquest by Coroner's Jury

A coroner's inquest was held at the court house yesterday afternoon. The coroner's jury was made up as follows: James Nemechek, Joseph Kalina, Jr., Roscoe Holt, Norris Babson, Hugh Leith and Tom Weightman, Sr. The witnesses examined were Mrs. O. W. Snook, John Showman, Joe Kolachny, Harry Baker, George Showman, James Vopat, Dr. H. C. Mayer, James Cowie, Jr,. William McGuire, Lou Bunzel, H. E. Cole and K. L. Griffith. The inquest was adjourned until October 30.

That the man was registered at the Baker hotel here last Sunday night under the name of John Smith, Junction City, is the murderer of the five members of the William Showman family, was the finding of the coroner's jury, which adjourned yesterday afternoon until October 30^th. A further indentification of the guilty party was not undertaken.

Evidence produced at the inquest under the questioning of Dr. J. M. Reitzel, coroner, of Kanopolis, accounted for the man from the time he is supposed to have come to Ellsworth Sunday night until he was last seen going out of Kanopolis Monday morning.

The testimony of Marshal Merritt revealed an attempt upon the part of some person to enter his home shortly before midnight Sunday. The screen of one the windows was cut out and the window casing showed that an effort had been made to pry up the window. Marshal Merritt was instrumental in bringing Marzyck to justice and sending him to the penitentiary in 1906. It is said that Marzyck swore vengeance against Merritt at that time.

Testimony was then given showing that the murderer probably had gone from Marshal Merritt's home to that occupied by the Showman family, where the slayer crushed the skulls of William Showman and wife and their three children. There he paused long enough to wash his hands and the blood stained ax in a bucket of water before making his escape. According to the testimony given, it is believed that the murderer walked from the Showman home to where the Union Pacific and Frisco railroads intersect, and there boarded an eastbound Union Pacific train, riding as far as the depot, where her dropped off and went to the Baker Hotel and changed his clothes.

The trend of evidence then shifted to Kanopolis, where the man went after leaving the Baker Hotel. It is supposed he walked to that town, where he ate a hasty breakfast and then applied for work at the salt mine. They could not give him any work, so he left, stating that he would walk to Salina.

$1,000 Reward Offered

Governor Stubbs, who has been keeping in close touch with the developments of the Showman murder case here, yesterday offered a reward of $500 for the apprehension of the murderer. To this was added an additional $500, which was appropriated by the county commissioners of this county, making the total reward $1,000. No effort will be spared to catch the guilty party.

Is Marzyck in Alaska?

Denver, Colo., October 18---Charles Marzyck sought by the police in Ellsworth, Kansas, was a suspect in the Showman murder case, is not a stranger to the Denver police. Soon after his marriage here to Minnie Kratky in 1898, while employed in the local cigar factory, he is alleged to have carried on a system of forgeries that are said to have netted him several hundreds of dollars from saloonkeepers and grocers. He fled from the city before he could be arrested. Five years later he was arrested here at the request of St. Joseph, Mo., authorities on charges of forgery. He fought extradition and secured his release through a technicality.

A brother, Joseph Marzyck, is a musician at a local moving picture theatre. Joseph Marzyck says he last saw his brother several months ago when the latter stopped in Denver for a few days on his way to Alaska. Several letters, Joseph said, have been received from him, and the postmarks would indicate that it would have been impossible for him to commit the Showman murders.

Attempts to connect Marzyck with the sextuple murders of the Wayne and Burnham families at Colorado Springs have had no results so far.

Murderer Still At Large

Up to the hour of going to press (3:30 p.m.) the murderer of the William Showman family had not been apprehended. Sheriff Bradshaw went to Geneseo this morning in response to information from that place that the suspected man might be at work among the laborers on the railroad gradings there. So far his quest has not been successful.

Obituary

Showman---At their home in the northwest part of the city Sunday night, William Showman, aged 31 years, Mrs. William Showman, aged 27 years, and their three children, Lester, aged 7, Fern, aged 4, and Fenton, aged 2 years.

Funeral services were held at the M. E. church Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock conducted by the Rev. C. R. Wade. The church was filled with friends of the deceased ones and outside was an equally large number of persons unable to gain admittance to the church. The Redman lodge conducted a service at the cemetery, the service being read by J. M. Darby and T. E. Hamilton. The pallbearers were J. A. Schmitt, C. J. Scott, F. A, Kesler, W. F. Tibbetts, J. F. Rogers and James Holt, all Sons of Veterans. The bodies were all buried in one grave.

William H. Showman was born January 23, 1880 and was 31 years, 9 months and 22 days of age. The exact date of Mrs. Showman's birth could not be learned, but she was about 27 years of age. Her maiden name was Pauline Kratky.

William Showman is survived by his mother, Mrs. David Showman, and three brothers, John, George, and Samuel. Mrs. Showman is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Kratky, residing at Black Wolf, four sisters, Mrs. Minnie Vopat of Black Wolf, Mrs. Mary Soucek of Lamount, Okla., Mrs. Frank Jilka of Tescott, Kansas, and Miss Clare Kratky of Holyrood, and two brothers, John and Emil, residing at Holyrood.

Interment was made in the Ellsworth cemetery and the remains were followed to their last resting place by a large concourse of people, there being over 150 carriages in line. The bodies were carried to the cemetery in three hearses and an ambulance.

The heartfelt sympathy of the entire community goes out to the sorrowing relatives of the deceased, who were so cruelly cut off from this earthly life.

Ellsworth Reporter (October 19, 1911)

Ellsworth Reporter (October 26, 1911)

Showman Family Photos

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