The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-05-15
TRAGEDY At LIE CLAIRE.
DEATH OF MIR. MOSES BROTHER
LIN.
Supposed Suicide.

that place Tor the past eight or ten years,
aud who formerly resided in Rock Island.
Mr.. Van SAINT, of LeClaire, gave US a call
this morning, and made the following state
! mcnt.
4 few days ago, the deceased called at the
house Of Mr.. Samuel Cobell ueighbor,
aud obtained the loan Of rifle mentioning
that he wished to shoot some -abbts that
we're badly barking the trees aud shrubbery
10 his garden. At between three aud four
o'clock yesterday afternoon, Mr.. Thomas
Lancaster happened to be passing the resi-.
dence Of Mr.. Brother.in, and found the latter
standing At his gate, with the rifle leaning
against the fence On the outside Mr.. i,
stated in answer to aa inquiry, that be
was watching TO shoot some rabbits Ia his
garden. Mr., l.. suggested that he had bet.
ter set the rifle inside the fence, ~ some one
in passing, might knock itdown and explode
it Mr., B. did as suggested, and while Mr..
Lancaster remained, chatted in very
cheerful manner, and in no respect betrayed
any desperate intention. 4 short time af.
forwards, DR.. Van Horne came by, and no
ticed MIR. b. lying on the ground, ride ia
hand On entering the yard, he was horri
fed to End him corpse, the entire front Of
his head blown of, aud bis hat blown sever.
al yatds of, perforated with bullet. The
alarm WAS Immediately given, and a crowd
collected. A jury was impAnueled last ev.
eulug, but We have not been able to learn
the verdict
Mr.. Brotherliu has for the past two years
been acting as Deputy Treasurer of Scott
County. Within the past few months con.
siderable defacntion in County Funds, has
been discovered About three months ago
an investigation WAS ordered. Mr.. Flukc,
the treasurer, was arraigned aud sufficient
evidence was produced, j. is said, to imp!j.
cate him in au unpleasant manner, aud il
was also found that great grounds exist.
ed for fastening suspicion on his Deputy.
It IS staled, with what truth W. cannot now
aver, tina. innumerable alterations were
found on the books, in Mr.. Broiherlins hand.
writing. The latter was immediately arrest
ed The matter was kept very quiet on the
other side, and we believe the press Of Day.
export gave It no ventilation whatever, The
ARGUS, however, gave the leading facts as for
as could ho obtained under the circumstan.
ces We visited LeClaire at about that
time and published various rumours we had
learned from good authority, to the effect
that although Mr.. Brotherlin had not been
supposed to be the possessor ofmuch wealth,
be had been purchasing considerable proper,
| ~ during the past year, not endorsing the
stories, but giving them for what they might
be worth. Mr. Brotherlin's trial, on Grim.
inal clarge, was to have taken place next
week at Davenport, beginning on Monday
or Tuesday. He had in the interim, been
released on bail Mr.. Van SAINT being one
of his sureties. This gentleman is sanguine
in regard to his friends integrity, and ais
though circumstances point otherwise, is
confirmed in the belief that his death WAS
Mr.. Ed. Wilcox, of this city, who came
| down on last nights train from Port Byron,
has kindly furnished US with the following
particulars. He states that the general i'm.
preston prevailing at Por! Byron and lie.
Claire, is that the deceased committed sui.
eide. lie also learned that the rifle with
which the deed was accomplished, was Dor.
rowel not more than twenty fl We minutes be.
fore the dead body was discovered In an.
swcr to the question Of Mr. Cobell, Mr.. b.
stated that "the rabbits were eating his trees
all up and he must have the rifle right
away The position Of the body, the man.
ner in which the rifle was held, aud the ma
ture of the wound, ell indicate premedtat.
ed and intentional suicide It was consid
cred impossible, by parties who visited the
corpse that the wound, as received, could
have been inflicted in any other way. Or
inquiry Of gentleman residing at Port BY
ron, who was in our city to-day, we received
corroboration the facts handed Us by Mr.
Wilcox.
The deceased was q native of Pennsylvs
MIA was abou. 81 years of age, had been {
member of the Methodist Church the great
er portion Of his life, and was q member uI
to the day ofhs death He was for two Of
three years the Secretary of the Marine Rail
way Company at LeCloire, and we believe
also acted in a similar capacity for consd
cradle length of time in Rock Island. Hi.
business qualifications were of fair order
In addition he also held many local office,
of trust at LeClare, and to our knowledge
his honesty was never before impeached OF
reelected on. He leaves wife and three
children, the latter very well along in years
One Of them, his son Harry, has been a stu
dent ut Mt. Vernon College, Iowa, for the
past year and half, and is we understand
+ fitting for the ministry. Intelligence of the
terrible affair has been transmitted to him
by telegraph
This horrible tragedy presents lesson Of
warning and reproOf, not out Of place in
these degenerate times.