Flint is well known for its modern violent crimes but Flint's history is filled with little known stories that read stranger than fiction. Gruesome murders, weird accidents, and violent deaths. Join us every Thursday as Joe Schipani details some of the odd but true deaths he found in Flint's archives.
Moonshine
and Gambling August 31st, 1923
On Sunday August 26th, Slavaka
Domesett went to his cousin George’s house. George Sipus ran a little illegal
gambling and moonshine operation out of his home. There had been many people at
the house that night including George’s brother Stephen. On the night of August
26 the house was filled with people, moonshine, and card games. George’s wife
was busy entertaining the men and making them food.
Stephen was on a losing streak
all night. Slavaka noticed and egged him on, encouraging him to keep gambling.
Eventually a fight broke out. Stephen pulled out a pocket knife and sliced
Slavaka’s arm. This started an all-out brawl.
After the two men went flying
through a window, George kicked them out of his house.
After getting booted from George’s
place Slavaka went to a physician and had his arm and face stitched up. They
had been cut when he went through the window. After getting stitches Slavaka was
upset and in pain. He went back to his George’s house on Massachusetts Avenue for
moonshine to help his pain.
But this time he was prepared
with a gun in case Stephen was there and wanted to brawl some more.
He walked in and discovered
Stephen there. Stephen was quick to try and make amends with his cousin. The
two men decided to bury the hatchet over a couple of drinks.
Everything seemed to be going
good for a while. Stephen was still on his losing streak and after a couple more
hours of drinking, Slavaka started in again with the comments.
George’s wife noticed that
Stephen was almost to the breaking point so she distracted the two men with
lunch. They seemed to calm down while eating. Mrs. Sipus tried her hardest to
keep them distracted.
But the remarks once again started
flowing from Slavaka. Stephen stood up and pulled out his knife. Slavaka pulled
out his gun.
Mrs. Sipus quickly moved in front
of Stephen thinking Slavaka would never shoot a woman. But it was too late.
Slvaka fired two shots. One hit
Mrs. Sipus in the chest. The other hit
Stephen in the abdomen.
The police and ambulance arrived
soon after but Slavaka made a quick getaway.
The police chased him for a few
miles before catching him south of the river.
As Slavaka drove over the Halsey
Street Bridge, he flung his revolver into the river. After his arrest, Slavaka
admitted that he did not intend to shot Mrs. Sipus and that the trigger was
already pulled when she got in the way.
Slavaka was jailed on attempted
murder charges.
Stephen and Mrs. Sipus had been
rushed to Hurley hospital, where both were operated on and listed in critical
condition.
Stephen made a full recovery,
while Mrs. Sipus died the following Friday on August 31st, 1923.
Slavaka’s charges were changed to
one count of murder and one count of attempted murder.
He spent the rest of his life in
prison.
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