| Notes |
- Was in prison for murder.
Muskeon Chronicle (MI) 29 May 1901
Three Burned to Death.
Watseka, Ills., May 20. Three persons burned to death yesterday in a lonely farm house northwest of this town. The victims were Mrs. Mary Hershberger, aged 70; Mrs. Hattie Maggee, aged 22; Calvin Maggee, aged 5.
The Daily News Review (Crawfordsville, IN) 29 May 1901
THE FIRE RECORD
Cremated While They Slept.
Watseka, Ill., May 2 - Mrs. Mary Hershberger, a widow; Mrs. Bert Maggee, her daughter, and a 6-year-old son of the latter woman were cremated in the burning of Mrs. Hershberger's farm house, five miles northeast of here. Mrs. Hershberger and her little grandson slept upstairs, and Bert Maggee and his wife and daughter downstairs.
Elkhart Daily Review (Elkhart, Indiana) 17 Jun 1901
CHARGED WITH A TRIPLE MURDER
That Watsetka Fire Horror Will Not Down
MORE TROUBLE FOR B. A. MAGGEE
Complaint Alleging a Tripple Murder Against the Watseka Man.
Watseka, Ills., June 17. A complaint alleging murder against Burton A. Maggee has been filed before Justice Harrison Garner by State's Attorney Kern. The complaint was authorized and made by Eli Hershberger fire on the morning of May 27, and accuses Maggee of causing the deaths of Mrs. Mary J. Hershberger, her daughter, Mrs. Hattie May Maggee, and her grandson, Calvin P. Maggee.
Justice Garner issued the warrant and turned it over to the state's attorney to be served whenever he may desire it. As Maggee has given every evidence that he desires to remain and face whatever charges are made against him, it is not feared that he will attempt to escape.
Inter Ocean (Chicago, IL) 19 Jun 1901
BURTON A. MAGGEE ARRESTED.
Ex-Alderman at Watseka Charged with Murder of His Family. Special Dispatch to The Inter Ocean. WATSEKA, Ill. June 18. Ex-Alderman Burton A. Maggee was arrested this afternoon charged, with the murder of his mother-in-law. Mrs. Peter Hershberger, his wife, Mrs. Hattie Maggee, and his 5-year-old son, Calvin Maggee, whose lives were lost in the burning of the Maggee farmhouse on May 28. Maggee was the only one of its inmates who escaped. He was fully dressed and did not arouse his neighbors. His brother-in-law, Eli Hershberger, swore out the warrant for Maggee's arrest before ex-County Judge Frank Harry. Maggee has known of the proceedings and has courted this investigation. He is now in jail. The examination is to take place next Tuesday.
Aurora Daily Express (Aurora, IL) 20 Jun 1901
BERT MAGGEE IS NOW IN JAIL
Charged with the Murder of His Wife and Two Others
Watseka, Ills., June 20 - Bert A. Maggee was placed in the county jail Tuesday charged with murdering his wife Hattie, his 6-year-old child Calvin and his wife's mother, Mrs. Mary J. Hershberger, the morning of May 28. The warrant was sworn out by Eli Hershberger, a brother-in-law of the accused. After a short hearing before Judge Harry, of the county court, a continuance was had until next Tuesday. The accused was the only living witness of the fire in which the three victims perished.
Maggee remained alone around the fire until the house was consumed, and then drove four miles to this city before raising the alarm. The fact that he escaped with all his clothing, and that he was the beneficiary of a $2,000 insurance upon his wife's life led to his arrest. At the coroner's inquest Maggee utterly refused to give any testimony. Maggee at one time was a membrr of the Watseka city council.
American Citizen (Kansas City, Kansas) 4 Apr 1902
Maggee Gets Fourteen Years. Burned Wife, Child and Mother-in-Law to Death Last May
WATSEKA, ILL. Burt A Maggee, accused of causing the deaths of three of his own family, has been convicted of murder and sentenced to fourteen years in the penitentiary.
The crime was committed on May 28, 1901, at the home of Mrs. Mary Hershberger, his mother-in-law. The house of Mrs. Hershberger was burned down and Mrs. Hershberger, Mrs. Hattie McGee, wife of the accused man, and Calvin Maggee, aged 5, were found dead in the house after the fire was put out. Burt A. Maggee and a 2-year-old daughter escaped.
Maggee asserted at the time that he had made every effort to save his wife and the other two who were burned, and for a time his statement was not openly questioned. Later the insurance companies became suspicious and relatives of Mrs. Hershberger took up the inquiry and swore out warrants for the arrest of Maggee for murder.
Burton A Magee in the U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
Name: Burton A Magee
Residence Year: 1893
Street address: 1221 Washington av
Residence Place: St Louis, Missouri, USA
Occupation: Stenographer
Publication Title: St Louis, Missouri, City Directory, 1893
1900 United States Federal Census about B A Maggee
Name: B A Maggee
[Burton Asahel Magee]
Age: 31
Birth Date: Feb 1869
Birthplace: Illinois
Home in 1900: Middleport, Iroquois, Illinois
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relation to Head of House: Head
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Hattie M Maggee
Marriage Year: 1895
Years Married: 5
Father's Birthplace: Illinois
Mother's Birthplace: Illinois
Occupation: Ticket Broker
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
B A Maggee 31
(Wife) Hattie M Maggee 21 (Dec 1878) Illinois; Father born in Ohio,Mother born in Indiana; Mother of 2 children, 2 living
(Daughter) Murriel Maggee 2 (Aug 1897) Illinois
(Son) C P Maggee 4 (Jan 1896) Illinois
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1869 - 1912 (43 years)
