A portrait of William Showers, convicted of murdering his two grandsons, at Annville, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. The murders took place in May 1887, and a jury verdict of “murder in the first degree “was rendered in December 1887. An appeal followed. In November 1888, William Showers was hanged. [Portrait from the Lebanon Daily News, December 19, 1887].
The story of the murder, the trial, the appeal, and the hanging, was covered extensively in the Lebanon newspapers as well as other newspapers in the region. A few of the articles are presented below.
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The Pottsville Republican, June 1, 1887, gave this early account:
THEY WERE IN THE WAY
A GRANDFATHER DESIRES TO BE MARRIED AGAIN
And Rids Himself of a Burden by Murdering His Grandsons – He Killed Them While They Slept and Buried Their Bodies in the Garden.
Lebanon, Pennsylvania, June 1 [1887] — William Showers, a cigarmaker, 59 years old, has been arrested on suspicion of making away with his two little grandsons, the illegitimate offspring of a daughter who is dead. It is alleged that Showers, who is a widower, had a chance to marry, provided that he would send the children away from his home. He started in a wagon with them, ostensibly for Tower City, but came back, saying the boys had run away from him on the road. Later he told several conflicting stories about the disposition he had made of the little ones. The community is much agitated over the matter.
First he said he had given the boys in charge of a man who would give them a good home in Texas. Then he reported that he had driven the boys to Tower City and given them into the charge of a farmer. Later he said that while on the way to Tower City he said that while on the way to Tower City he sent the boys back for something he had lost on the road, and they had been kidnapped by tramps in the vicinity of Indiantown Gap, a dangerous place, where old Joe Raber was murdered for his $30,000 insurance money.
Showers declared upon his solemn oath that he did not know the whereabouts of the children, and tears streamed down his cheeks as he called upon God as his witness. Many of the officials who held conversation with him were inclined to believe him. Still the district attorney was not satisfied, and ordered a strict search of Showers’ premises.
Late yesterday afternoon the bodies of the boys were found buried in the lot occupied by Showers’ house. The bodies were found covered by only two feet of earth. They were six feet apart and about twenty yards from the house. They had been strangled with a small cord, and there were deep indentations in their necks where the string had been tightly twisted four or five times. They were in their nightgowns.
After they had been strangled the murderer, to make his work sure, battered in their heads, and then carried the boys out in the night and buried them in the holes that had evidently been prepared in advance, The body of one of the boys looked as if he had been beaten with a club after he had been choked, and they had apparently been in the ground two weeks.
It was well for Showers that he was safe in Lebanon jail. Had he had been outside the jail when the bodies were found he would have been lynched on the spot. The great excitement prevailed. When confronted with the evidence of his crime the wretched murderer confessed all, saying his desire to marry Mrs. Sargeant had caused him to put the boys out of the way, and that he had murdered them in their sleep.
The people gathered on the street corners in groups of hundreds last night and vowed revenge. The jail is strongly guarded, as the authorities fear an attempt may be made to lynch the murderer.
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From the Lebanon Daily News, December 24, 1887:
SHOWERS GUILTY IN THE FIRST DEGREE
Lebanon, Pennsylvania, December 18 [1887] — The jury in the case of William Showers, charged with the murder of his two grandchildren, after being out ten hours brought in a verdict this morning of murder in the first degree. The verdict gives general satisfaction. Showers, who is possessed of a comfortable estate, will carry the case to the supreme court.
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From the Lebanon Daily News, December 28, 1887:
SHOWERS ASKS FOR A TEN DAYS EXTENSION
Col. A. Frank Soltzer, attorney for William Showers, the condemned murderer, yesterday applied to Judge McPherson for the extension of an additional 10 days to afford him time to file his reasons for a new trial, which was granted. The stenographer of the Court having been delayed by death in hi family, in transcribing his notes of record of the case, the Colonel asked for the the extension, so as to have time to examine the case in all its phases.
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Headlines from the Lebanon Daily News, November 14, 1888:
HANGED ‘TIL DEAD
William Showers Pays the Penalty for His Crime.
HE SAID NOTHING
He Dropped and Hung Motionless, But Strangled
FACING DEATH FEARLESSLY
At the Expiration of 17 Minutes He is Pronounced Dead, and Sammy Speraw and Willie Kahler were Avenged
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News articles obtained from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.