Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-09-11
Cain and Abel.

Il few minutes before eight o'clock last night
tragedy occurred at the southwest corner OF
Lexington and Gilmor streets, in the extreme
western part of the city, involving tho almost
instant killing Of an Industrious citizen by his
thriftless brother, who thereupon turned the
fratric!dsl pistol on himself and fred bullet
in bis breast, making an inevitably fatal wound
John and Henry Barlage were the names OF
the brothers, aud the only explanation Of the
murderous action Of Henry, the younger of the
two, is that he cherished grudge against bis
moro prosperous brother and, when lnhamed
with bad liquor, determined to eEd hisewn add
another's existence.
John, the elder brother, Vas thirty years ct
age, and had vile andthsee children. lie
was an Industrious. sober. weli.behaved Man,
and was esteemed by all his aeighbors, az wei!
IS by every one who did business with him. lie
| was q dutifuI sen, good husband, and palent
Iy endured much bad behavior on the part Ct
bis younger brother. Henry, the ono who dii
the shooting, is twenty six years old. and hl.
wife and only child have been dead three yeats
Their parents, very Intelligent German couple.
have kept grocery store for many years ob
Rock street. not far away from the scene Of til,
tragedy. John, the elder brother, assisted by
the savings of his wife, carried oa sma'! daity
business 10 long, low wooden building at he
corner of Lexington aod G;mor streets lie
purchased milk By the can at The railroad de-
pots and Veuded it in small quantities, cirryiog
| it around in wagon, while his vile sold II over
| the counter. He employed his h:nthsr Henry
| to assist him 10 the business. Since lleHrya
wife died be has been very Irregular la his ha5
| its, and associated with potica! roughs, whose
| fellowship would probably bave led him to ruln
any how Lately Heary had been courtiog
| Frederika the daughter of Nicholas R)mm.
who had promised TO be his secood wife. llcnrg
represented that be had 40 interest in the dairy
| business with bis brother He Vas good looh
| Jog fellow and talked We'll. The brothers, like
| their parents, were Roman Catholics, ard at
| tended church regularly. NJ one outside OF
| the family Was aware that Henry was lazy or
| i'll behaved pcrsor.. 1t seems, however, that
| his brother Johns Wit. did not favor bis thrift
| less habits, and rated him sound!y on several
occasions, whcreupon h. turned upon her cad
beat her. A few weeks ago when sSe upbrsid-
ed him 10 the absence OF her tu 'baad. be black
| ed both of her eyes and kicked her The tender
| hearted John Lee this pass ever, but when co
last Tuesday Henry after Sinking work rcpaat
edly would DOT get out ct bed until at q late
! hour 10 the morning, the patience OF the elder
4
the place.
Henry l,fr, uitaring m,edictiops and threat
ening revenge. John paid HIN the so GG+
him, and ate: that there WAS peace 10 III"
hous,. Henry hung around the nelg hbcrhnHii
aud told several persors that he had determine
ed to kill his brother and himself with q pistol,
which he exhibited. John, after few days,
sought the angry brother aud told him to com
back, which be did, and they appeared to b.
on better terms than ever before. Everything
went we'll until yesterday. John had eaten
supper with his wife and children, aud gre"
anxious about the long absence Of lis brother
Henry at the polls. JOhu's wife set out sup
per for Henry, expecting that he might ceE:
10 at any moment. Her husband then said h.
was afraid that John might have fal!en lc'4
trouble and started out to look tor hinl
He had not been ont of the door many m'nu'
tes before his wife heard four pistol sbo:s, ard,
as she ran to the front door, her husband 5,aG
gered into the room and fell into her aIus. lie
said, "Ob, my God, am killed! Keep it.
tho money in the bauk, aud then be fell back
dead lie bad been slot through the heart,
and only lived few Ginules alter receiving th;:
bullet. Henry, with the pistol 10 his grasp and
blood dripping from bis person, staggered !n
lust behiod bis brother, aud fell eNhau!lcd over
q refrigerator lly had been lurking outside,
and lust as soon as John came ell he struck
him, fel!ics him to the pavement. While John
was down Henry fred three shots at him, on!y
Que Of Which took effect Then he SHOT hin
self through the left aog Drs. NetF and Me
New were called 10 aod gave mcrphl. to the
surviving brother, but they said it was % Use
to mako any ciFUr:-dcath was certain. Up 10
midnight Henry was alive, aud az he lay IN
blankets on the top Of the refrigerator where he
FIRST lcl he muitered such sentences SO They
will hang ME - II have killed him !" let
me die let me die !"-B1h. An'NicoM.