The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-06-03
GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY !
The Murder Case.
The Evidence all in and Arguments
Begun in the Matter Of the PEG.
pie vs.. Brookman.


Charles Wenks, twenty years of age, re-
siding IN Andalusia, was put in the wits
ness box. He had known Grant Buffum
all his life; knew him as long as he had
known anybody; knew Brookman all his
life was present when Bulfum was
killed, and knew Harry Brookman killed
him; saw him do it. His story Of the
killing was not different in any respects
to that given by the preceding witnesses
yesterday. Witness said that at the time
Brookman raised the revolver at him, he
told him to take his hand out of the show
case, first pointing the butt end and then
reversing it and aiming it at him Just be-
fore he turned it on Bufrum and fired.
This closed the direct evidence for the
prosecution, and at 3 o'clock the
TESTIMONY FOR THE DEFENSE
was begun, Joseph Simmons being the
first witness called Witness was TWEEN
~ one years old; had lived in Andalusia
all his life, and had known Grant Buffum
all his life; had known Harry Brookman
all his life; was called into Brookman's
store on the fatal Sunday afternoon by
Grant Builum, who wanted to know if
he bad any cartridges; he entered the
store; Buffum told Brookman to go get
some cartridges, saying, I'VE will take
care of the store all right The only re-
volver he saw was the one in Grant Buff
fums hand; Buifum was trying to keep
the boys from behind the counter: they
were all laughing. His testimony was a
rehearsal of the other evidence; he
thought Buffdm and Brookman were
good friends; he knew of no enmity be
tween them.
Milton Boney, Elmer Boney and Frank
Secfeldt, recalled, testified in the same
line as that given heretofore.
HARRY BRooKMAN
was next examined, His evidence was
that he had given the revolver to House
holder; he did not know whether it was
loaded when he got it back or not;
when he went out after the cartridges he
laid the revolver on a shelf behind a cof>
fee can; when he returned with the two
boxes of cartridges, he gave one to Buf.
fun and laid the other on the show case
under the cigar case He acknowledged
aiming the butt Of the revolver at Wenks
and reversing it when it when he turned
it on Buffum; lie had no idea it was
loaded; after Baffum fell he went
around and knelt down beside him; he
afterward went TO the Fear Of the store
and cried; in word, Brookman's plea
was that he
DIDN'T KNOW THE REVOLVER WAS LOADED,
and he intimated that he believed House,
holder had loaded it when he took il
from him to examine. In the cross.
examination he denied ever having had d
quarrel with Grant Buifum, or stealing
anything at Il restaurant in Daven>
port in Grants presence He ac>
knowledged that he and Grant were
counting girls at Buffalo, Iowa. and that
Grants girl had objected to Grants going
with him and to his girl He denied
however, that he and Buffum had ever
quarrelled. He swore that he levelled
the revolver, pointing it at Wenks only
in fun. Witness did not remember of
having a conversation regarding revOlvers
in his fathers store the Saturday nigh,
"efore the shooting, or of showing a
number of his friends how easy he could
kill half dozen of them, demonstrating
it by the use of the revolver at the time
He denied the larceny of piece of jewel
ry from Bakers jewelry store in this
city, and the threat of Buffum to expose
him. He had bought two gold pins bu
paid for them
On the redirect examination he denied
having a fuss or quarrel at dance il
Buffalo Prairie or in camp or in relation
to girl or anything else. He did no
steal a pin with bangle on it from
Bakers jewellery store. Never had any
trouble at all Of any kind or character
with Buffum.
The defence then introduced William
Struhmeier. He was twenty-six years O
age and had lived in Andalusia ten years
he was in Hayes store at Andalusia afte
the shooting and heard Frank Seefeld
say that Harry Brookman ought to b.
hung, and he could see him hung. Tn
object of the defence in introducing thi
testimony was to show that the popua
sentiment in Andalusa was agains
Brookman, and that the witnesses from
lhe Town were preJudlced.
Ed. Strohmeier was next introduced
He had known Buifum and Brookman a.
their lives; the day of the shooting
Grant was at his harness shop in Anda
lusia; this was between A and 5 ocloc
in the afternoon; Harry Brookman cam
and looked in the window, and Gran
went out, and pointing his revolver q
Brookman. said, "hello, you s. b.;
they then went off together.
THE DEFENCE RESTED
its case here.
As rebutting testimony, the prosecu
ton placed Milton Buffum, thirty-tw
! years old, and brother of the deceased
upon the stand. The last time he ba