Winfield massacre
| Winfield massacre | |
|---|---|
| Location | Winfield, Kansas, U.S. |
| Date | August 13, 1903 c. 9:00 p.m. (CT) |
| Target | Civilians |
Attack type | Mass murder, mass shooting, murder–suicide |
| Weapon | 12-gauge double-barreled shotgun[1] Revolver |
| Deaths | 10 (including the perpetrator) |
| Injured | 25+ |
| Perpetrator | Gilbert A. Twigg |
On August 13, 1903, a mass shooting occurred at a concert in Winfield, Kansas, United States. The perpetrator, 35-year-old Gilbert A. Twigg, fatally shot nine people and injured at least 25 others with a shotgun before committing suicide.[2]
The indiscriminate attack, uncommon for its time, has been described as "the precursor of modern mass shootings".[3]
Perpetrator
[edit]
Twigg, born in Maryland in 1868,[2] was a miller and an Army veteran who served in the Philippine–American War and the American occupation of Cuba.[4][5] Prior to his military service, he had lived in Great Falls, Montana, the Territory of New Mexico, and Burden, Kansas.[1][6]
While in Winfield, he was an employee of Baden Mills and was known locally as "Crazy Twigg", though he was considered harmless, agreeable, and a hard worker.[6]
Massacre
[edit]At about 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 13, 1903, a concert was being held by W.H. Caman and his military band at the corner of Ninth Street and Main Street in Winfield for a crowd of approximately 2,000–5,000 people.[6][7][8] Twigg, who was hiding in a dark alley behind the city's Odd Fellows building, fired shots into the crowd in rapid succession with a double-barreled shotgun.[7] Six died at the scene or shortly thereafter, and three later died in the hospital.[3][9] After two men who were attending the concert entered the alley to disarm Twigg, he fatally shot himself with his revolver.[1]
In his boarding room, police found a letter written by Twigg addressed to the public in which he expressed disappointment following a breakup nearly a decade prior, as well as a desire to "[get] even" with residents of Winfield who he felt had shunned him and interfered in his personal life. They also found a letter addressed to a friend in Montana and dated September 1, 1902, which ended with: "it would have been much better for me if I had gotten married and settled down as you have done—I have no doubt that you are very happy, while I am not."[1][3][9]
Victims
[edit]The nine deceased victims were:[5][10][11]
- James Dawson Billiter, 23
- William F. "Bog" Bowman, 55
- Otis Niles Carter, 24
- Roy C. Davis, 15
- Elmer E. Farnsworth, 35
- Sterling Race, 28
- Everett Ridgeway
- Port B. Smith, 19
- Charles Russell Thomas, 32
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Vengeance of a Maniac". Winfield Courier. August 20, 1903. Retrieved March 7, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "A Twigg Snaps". New York Daily News. June 19, 2016. Retrieved March 7, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Johnk, Zach (October 11, 2017). "Mass Killings of Long Ago: 3 Early Eruptions of 'Suppressed Rage'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 28, 2024. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ Dickey, Christopher (April 24, 2003). "Shadowland: Beware Long Occupations". Newsweek. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ a b "Tragedy at Winfield". The Sharon Advocate. August 19, 1903. Retrieved March 7, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Maniac's Awful Deed". The Sun (Chanute, KS). August 14, 1903. Retrieved March 7, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Five Are Dead at Winfield". The Wichita Eagle. August 14, 1903. Retrieved March 7, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Weinman, Sarah (August 24, 2016). "The Winfield Massacre". The Cowley Courier Traveler. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ a b "Twigg Killed Six Men". The New York Times. August 16, 1903. Retrieved March 7, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Six Were Killed!". Weekly Republican-Traveler. August 20, 1903. Retrieved March 7, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Funeral of Otis Carter". The Industrial Free Press. August 20, 1903. Retrieved March 7, 2025 – via newspapers.com.