OBIT: Frank SHAULIS, 1931, Quemahoning Township, Somerset County, PA

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library.
Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer.

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FRANK SHAULIS

Accident or Patricide? - Frank Shaulis Prominent Farmer Slain By His Son Who is 
Indicted on Charge of Murdering Sire

  Frank Shaulis, aged 56, a prominent farmer living in Quemahoning Township 
along the Lincoln Highway about halfway between Jennerstown and Stoyestown, was 
shot to death in his barn about 3 o'clock last Friday morning.  His son, Charles 
C. Shaulis, aged 27, has confessed that he fired the fatal shots, claiming that 
he mistook his father in the dark for a night prowler.  His statements, however, 
have been so vague and conflicting and his conduct so suspicious that he has 
been arrested and formally charged with the murder of his father and is being 
held in the county jail, without bail, to answer a grand jury indictment for 
first degree murder.
  The tragedy is one of the most sensational that has occurred in Somerset 
County in a long while, and the pending murder trail promises to be most 
interesting and exciting.
  According to reports of officers who have been working on the case, Charles C. 
Shaulis, a divorced man living on the home farm with his parents, one brother, 
John, aged 18, and one sister, Miss Irene Shaulis, was away from home last 
Thursday night and did not return until nearly 3 o'clock Friday morning.  
Entering the house he awakened his father, stating that he saw lights flashing 
in the barn and suspected there were prowlers in the barn, probably bent on 
stealing.

Lured to His Death

  The father, armed with a .25 caliber automatic revolver, and Charles, armed 
with a .38 caliber revolver, departed from the house for the barn to make an 
investigation.  Other members of the family, including Mrs. Shaulis, who had 
been awakened at the same time Charles awakened his father, waited in the house 
for results of the investigation.  Shortly after the two men entered the barn 
Mrs. Shaulis is said to have heard two shots fired, following which there was a 
short pause and then three more shots.
  Charles returned to the house shortly thereafter and told his mother that 
prowlers had shot his father.  Mrs. Shaulis and son, John, then hurried to the 
barn and found Mr. Shaulis' lifeless body, which they carried to the house and 
then telephoned for Dr. F. E. Sass of Boswell and officers, the latter 
responding promptly, it having happened that there were two state policemen at 
Jennerstown at the time.

Shot in Back of Head

  Dr. Sass was the first person at the Shaulis home following the shooting and 
upon his arrival there, made an examination of Mr. Shaulis' body and found two 
bullet wounds in the back of the head, one of which was such a nature as to 
cause the man's death instantly.
  The doctor also made an examination of Charles Shaulis, who at the time 
appeared to be in a highly nervous state and complained of an alleged injury to 
his head.  But a careful examination failed to disclose any visible injury to 
his head or body.
  There was a bullet hole in the hat he had worn and also one in his coat, which 
he alleged were caused by shots fired at him by the prowlers who killed his 
father, but the officers who investigated found that the owner of the coat and 
hat must most certainly have been wounded if he had the garments on when they 
were punctured.

No Trace of Prowlers

  The State troopers who arrived at the scene soon after the shooting could find 
no trace of any prowlers in the barn or anywhere near it, or evidence of any 
having been there.
  It was at first thought that the slaying of Shaulis might have had some 
connection with a fatal shooting at the Shaulis home about a year ago, when a 
night prowler was shot and fatally wounded by a deputy constable, after his 
presence at the Shaulis home had been reported to the authorities, but a careful 
investigation made by State police from the Somerset barracks, assisted by 
Sheriff Lester G. Wagner, County Detective Bert Landis and Constables Harry 
Jacobs of Jennerstown, Jesse P. Crist of Ralphton and Edw. C. Arisman of 
Boswell, failed to reveal that the killing of Shaulis resulted from an encounter 
with intruders.

Son Arrested as Suspect

  The investigating officers were unable to find the revolvers with which the 
father and son were armed when they went to the barn to look for the alleged 
prowlers.  Charles could, or would, offer no explanation as to what could have 
become of them.  Owing to his inconsistent and evasive answers to questions and 
lack of evidence tending to confirm his story about the shooting having been 
done by night prowlers, the officers took him to the county jail on suspicion of 
himself being the shooter.

Confesses Shooting

  After much questioning by the officers he is alleged to have confessed on 
Saturday that he fired the shots that killed his father, but claimed that he 
mistook him in the dark for one of the prowlers and did not discover his mistake 
until after he had shot him.  He also confessed that he had hidden the revolvers 
in a hay loft and led the officers to the place of concealment where they were 
found as stated by him.

Funeral of Victim

  Funeral services for the slain man were held at 2:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon 
in the Horner Lutheran Church, the pastor Rev. Lewis F. Foltz, officiating.  
Interment was made in the church cemetery.
  The funeral was the largest ever held in that section of the county, there 
being approximately 1,000 automobiles parked at the church and the number of 
people present being estimated at 3,000, most of whom were unable to gain 
entrance to the church.
  The confessed shooter expressed no desire to attend the funeral; in fact, 
declined to do so when invited by Sheriff Wagner to go with him.
  
Held to Answer

  The prisoner was arraigned before Justice of the Peace Paul A. Custer of 
Stoyestown on Monday evening for a preliminary hearing on the charge of having 
murdered his father.  The information was made by Sergt. Bunch in command at the 
State police barracks at Somerset. A large crowd assembled at the office of 
Squire Custer where the hearing was held.  Many could not gain entrance.
  Attorney's Bud B. Boose and C. L. Shaver were present at the hearing, as 
counsel for the defense, while District Attorney James Landis appeared for the 
Commonwealth.
  Only three witnesses were heard, they being Sergt. Bunch of the state police, 
Sheriff Lester Wagner and Undertaker Hauger of Somerset.  Sergt. Bunch described 
his investigation at the Shaulis home following the murder and told of the 
questioning of Charles Shaulis following his arrest, and the alleged admissions 
made by Shaulis to the officers as to the killing, etc.  Sheriff Wagner 
testified substantially to the same effect, and Undertaker Hauger described the 
bullet wounds that caused the victims death.
  Justice Custer after hearing the commonwealth's witnesses ordered the 
defendent to be held in the county jail without bail, pending action by the 
grand jury in the case.
  
Indicted for Murder

  District Attorney Landis presented the evidence of probable guilt to the grand 
jury on Wednesday afternoon and a true bill was promptly returned.  The District 
Attorney has intimated his readiness to have Shaulis tried at the February term 
of court, but it is stated counsel for the defense may ask a continuance until 
the May term.  It is stated that Uhl & Ealy have been retained for the defense 
in addition to C. L. Shaver and Budd B. Boose.

Meyersdale Republican, January 29, 1931