[Daniel, his wife] and four of their children were murdered
July 7, 1893, a murder that shocked the nation; the bodies were
brought to Lancaster county for burial. 8 children: -Francis
Barbara Kreider rose early on the morning of 7 July, 1893 to
make breakfast for her family. Her husband Daniel and their
eight children were still in bed on their farm near Cando,
North Dakota. But the hired farmhand, Albert Bomberger, was
also awake. Barbara heard the first gunshot that killed her
husband in the downstairs bedroom. When Albert confronted her
in the kitchen, she was able to let out a shout before he shot
her. The gunshots had awakened Annie, their fifteen year old
daughter. Within a half hour Bomberger had also shot and killed
four of her brothers and sisters. Apparently he had an
affection for her, so Annie was spared. For some reason he
spared the three youngest children too. After forcing Annie to
make breakfast for him and taking her father's money, Bomberger
tied her hand and foot in the barn and rode away on a pony.
Annie's youngest brother Aaron managed to untie her and she
rode into Cando to report the tragedy. It was an event that
shocked the whole nation.
The first place Annie Kreider went after escape from the tragic
circumstances at her farmhouse was the home of Samuel
Brightbill in Cando. He was one of the nephews of Daniel
Kreider who went along years earlier to settle in North Dakota.
A posse was immediately formed, which sent first to the farm
and then picked up the trail of Bomberger. They did not catch
up with him until two days later in nearby Manitoba, Canada. He
was brought back and jailed at Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Samuel Brightbill must have been very close to the family. The
day after the murder he accompanied the four surviving children
and the bodies on the train to Pennsylvania. Annie was at 15
the oldest child. The other three were the youngest; Aaron, 5;
Eva, two days shy of 4; and Henry, 2. The train left on
Saturday and arrived at Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania on the
following Tuesday. The next day the funeral was held at
Risser's Mennonite Church, about three miles east of
Elizabethtown. This was the church founded by Barbara Risser's
ancestor, Peter Riser. The funeral drew 15,000 mourners, the
largest ever in Lancaster County. The six bodies were laid side
by side in one large grave in the church cemetery.
Albert Bomberger was arrested with no resistance in Canada and
brought back to jail in Grand Forks, North Dakota. For this he
was fortunate, since the general populace was eager to string
him up immediately. It was only the wily efforts of the local
sheriffs that brought him back alive. He was arraigned on 21
November 1893 and sentenced on the 23rd to be hung. On 19
January 1894 the sentence was carried out on the Kreider
homestead, with Bomberger facing the scene of his crime. At
1:40 PM the trap was sprung. -Robert C. Greiner
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• Married: 1878 in Lancaster Co PA
• Note: Risser?s Church

1. Annie Risser KREIDER b: 20 MAY 1878
2. Bernice Risser KREIDER b: 10 JAN 1880
3. Murby Risser KREIDER b: 24 SEP 1881
4. Mary Risser KREIDER b: 10 NOV 1883
5. David Risser KREIDER b: 24 OCT 1885
6. Aaron Risser KREIDER b: 8 AUG 1887 in Cando, Towner Co, North Dakota
7. Eva Risser KREIDER b: 9 JUL 1889 in Cando, Towner Co, North Dakota
8. Henry Risser KREIDER b: 9 JUN 1891 in Cando, Towner Co, North Dakota