, 1872-12-08
INVOLVED In MYSTERY.
Four Boys Go Out on the Prairie to Shoot
Rabbits...No Game Bagged, but One
d. Lads Brains Blown Out.
Ills Companions Leave the Corpse on the Ground
and Run Home.--A Girl Accuses One Of
Them Of Killing the Boy--.con'
tradictory Statements.

4 shooting affair, which is involved in mys-
terry On account OF the conflict OF statements
concerning it, occurred on the prairie, eouth OF
Egan avenue, near Reuben street, yesterday al
ternoon. 4 careful investigation by TRIBUNE
reporter resulted in his obtaining the subjoined
information: -Four boys, named respectively
Albert Brandt, Frank Harmon, Fred. Slater and:
Ferdinand Slater, started out hunting yesterday
morning. Ferdinand Slater, who is Il years OF
age, carried the only weapon the. party had-a,
ble-bauel1ed ahot gun. They spent nearly
all the day in looking for rabbits and prairie
chickens, killing three OF the latter. About
half past o'clock in the afternoon, Brandt WAS
shot or shot himself, in the head and instantly
expired. The other three lads ran away from
the scene and to their homes as fast as they
could. The two Skaters stopped at Brandts
home On Lime street, near Archer avenue, and
told his father that Albert had shot himself, and
was lying dead on the prairie, near the Beers
farm The father vent over to the Fourth Pre-
cnct Station, and there found Policeman Gro
gan, Who had heard Of the occurrence, and WAS
shout to visit the farm, and inTeatigate the
affair. Upon reaching the place, they found the
body of young Brandt. The front part Of his
head WAS blown off, and his brains scattered
over his clothing and on the ground. Two young
IL s e a"n6sEs 6esas Of Tbe ) B'eEs b shor sq
ing, and said they had Witnessed
the occurrence. When interrogated regarding
it, they replied that they SAW one Of the lads
point the gun at Brandt and FIRE that Brandts
hat " few " into the air, and that he foil to the
ground. They we're in the house at the time,
and could not tell which OF the boys had the
gun. The body WAS then removed to Mr.
Brandt's residence, and Crogan went in search
~ khoE E1a4a md Ha fnrnH thu two
former at their home, on Archer avenue, near
Ha1sted street, and conducted them to the police
station. When requested to make statement
they both said that Brandt had pistol, and
wans weapon A''eaPias e9piodsd 10 and 7 Iiled him.
This information having been i'm,
parted to Mr Brandt, he md Crogan endeavored
TO find the pistol on the prairie, but we're un-
successful, and the assertions OF the young
ladies' caused them to doubt the truthfulness Of
the boys story. The 6laters were locked up,
and after remaining in the cell for two hours,
we're taken into the hallway and closely ques-
toned by Sergeant Hood, They reiterated the
finally admitted that Brandt shot himself with
the gun. The elder Slater, whose statement
WAS substantially the same as that OF his brother,
said that he placed the gun against tree and
vent to look for rabbit holes, having warned
very easily. While at a distance from the tree,
Brandt picked up the gun, and snap
ped the cap. Thinking it was not
loaded, he put his mouth to the barrel to find
cat, and Just then the weapon discharged, the
shot striking Brandt in the forehead aud inflict-
ed the wound mentioned above. Slater asserted
again and again that he did not discharge the
gun. Harmon was brought to the station
about o'clock by his father, and he also VAS
questioned by Sergeant Hood. He related the
pistol story and could not be induced to disclose
anything else. The Coroner Was notified to
hold an inquest on the remains Of Brandt, and
he may be able to learn to-day how the youth
1Faa killed,