Kates Notes: Here we have four articles pertaining to the 1901 murder in Lincoln, Nebraska of John Gillilan, whose biography may be found in the Gilliland Trails library: www.gillilandtrails.org/documents/bio_JJGillilan.rtf
   The first two articles are initial reports of the murder, followed by two short news items of arrests made of the suspects. At this time I have not read any reports of the murder trials.
   For those who might wonder about a certain archaic term in the first article, “footpads” refer to robbers or highwayman, on foot rather than horseback.

From the Norfolk Weekly News-Journal, Norfolk, Nebraksa
August 23, 1901

FOOTPADS KILL MERCHANT
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John Gillilan of Lincoln Slain by Robbers
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BODY IS FOUND NEAR HIS HOME
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Clothes Nearly Torn Off His Person
In Terrible Struggle -- Shots Rouse
Neighborhood and Two Men Run 
Away -- Bloodhounds on Trail

   Lincoln, Aug. 23. -- John Gillilan, a former member of the Nebraska legislature and one of the most prominent business men of Lincoln, was shot and killed shortly after 11 o’clock last night by unknown men, supposedly footpads. His body was found on a residence street within three blocks of his home. He was shot in the breast. There were marks of a struggle, his coat and shirt being nearly torn off him and papers from the pockets were scattered along the walk. Residents on the street said they heard a number of shots and two men later were seen running. The victim was unarmed.
   The police have not the slightest doubt that the murder was the result of an attempted holdup. Their theory was that the men, knowing about the time Mr. Gillilan would leave his office, lay in wait and when he resisted an attempt to rob, they shot him, but fled before securing any valuables. His watch and some money was found in his pockets.
   At midnight bloodhounds were taken to the scene and started in the direction that neighbors think the the footpads ran. Every available policeman in the city is working on the case.
   Mr. Gillilan was 45 years of age and leaves a family. He had been a leading business man of Lincoln for 20 years.

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From the Custer County Republican, Broken Bow, Nebraska
August 29, 1901

ENDS IN MURDER
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John J. Gillilans Fatal Struggle with Footpads.

   LINCOLN, Aug. 23. -- Dead on the street with a bullet hole in his breast, John J. Gillilan was found last night at 10:30 o'clock, with every evidence pointing to murder. The body was discovered lying across the curbstone at Seventeenth and G streets by Walter L. Anderson, an attorney, who happened to be passing. Three shots were heard a short time before and two men were seen running east from the vicinity. The dead man's pocketbook and papers were strewn along the sidewalk, his shirt front was torn down the right side, and a bullet wound near the collar bone completed the story of the tragedy. The sound of fleeting feet, a cry from a pedestrian for the fugitives to halt, followed quickly on the shooting. A watch still on the person of the dead man showed that the murderer did not have time to complete the work of rifling this pocket.
   Sheriff Bronson, acting in the absence of Coroner F. A. Graham, took charge of the body.
BODY DISCOVERED
   Walter L. Anderson was the first to reach the body. He was walking north on Seventeenth street. When at D street he heard three shots, two in rapid succession and the third after an interval. Mr. Anderson thought nothing of the sound, and proceeding on his way to G. street, where he saw the form of a man lying across the curbing at a point where the ground sloped toward the street. Thinking that some belated man was indulging in the sleep of intoxication, he thought nothing of the sight. Passing on, Mr. Anderson found a pocket book and papers scattered along the sidewalk. Then, realizing that something was wrong, he went back to the body and was horrified to find Mr. Gillilan lying face up gasping for breath. The gasping and some warmth were the only signs of life and those soon disappeared. Instantly Mr. Anderson reported to the police and a coroner was called .
MURDERERS FLEE.
   Dr. Frank W. Hill, 1833 G street, saw two men running east on G street after the shots were fired. He called to them, but they kept on running. "Who's there," he shouted, but the men proceeded the faster.
   Mrs. Gillilan said her husband had gone down town to a bath house. His cleanly shaved face indicated that he had gone to a barber shop and performed the object of his trip. Mrs. Gillilan did not think he carried much money with him.
   Mr. Gilllan was forty-five years old. He had been a citizen of Lincoln for many years and was well known as a real estate broker. In 1891 he was elected a member of the legislature from Lancaster county. He was prominent in the local organization of theosophists.

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From the Valentine Democrat, Valentine, Nebraska
December 26, 1901

   C. E. Heywood, charged with the murder of John G. Gillilan* at Lincoln, has been held to the district court.

*Although the article refers to John G. Gillilan, I believe this to be a simple error and should have read, John J. Gillilan.

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From the McCook Tribune, McCook, Nebraska
May 30, 1902

Al Beard Wanted in Iowa

   ONAWA, Ia., May 24. -- County Attorney W. L. Smith of Monona county has sworn out a warrant for the arrest of Al Beard, the notorious outlaw, wanted at St. Paul, Minn., and Lincoln, Neb., for the murder of John J. Gillilan, and now in custody at Kansas City. Beard, it is alleged, robbed a bank at Turin, Ia., on November 8, 1901, when a large sum was taken.

-- transcriptions by Kate Maynard, 2010.