The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-06-02
THE STATE SIDE.
Brookman Murder Case.
THE JURY.

L. L. Barton, Oscar Rasenbaum, Thomas
Swain, Frank H. Moore and M. w.
Battles. The opening arguments were
begun Immediately, States attorney
Entriken talking for the people, followed
by the Hon. p. O'MaIa for the defence.
At o'clock the
FIRST WITNESS
was placed upon the stand, in the person
of DR.. NJ. Robinson, of Andalusia, who
was the physician summoned to attend
Buffum, and who arrived at Brookman's
store between 5 and O'Clock in the
afternoon of Sunday. April IL. few
minutes after the shootin occurred.
The doctor testified to finding Buffum
lying on the floor, his examination of the
wound in the head which had been made
by bullet from pistol, and from which
BufTum died. The heart stopped beating
short time after his arrival. 1t was the
bullet wound that caused Bufum's death
Charles L. Householder was next
called. He is considered By the prosecu-
ton as the
MOST IMPORTANT WITNESS
on that side of the case. He testified to
going to Brookman's store, in Andalusia,
about O'Clock Sunday afternoon, April
II. He went there to return pair of
oars he had borrowed from Brookman
Harry Brookman and Grant Buffum were
the only persons in the store. He asked
them if either had any blank cartridges
about your old cloths" The answer
was no" Brookman said he would
go over to old man Parker's and get
some As he started out Charley Wenks
and Milton Boney came in. Brookmsn
returned soon with two boxes of cart,
ridges. He kept one and gave the
other to Buffum. Witness asked to
look at Brookman's revolver. Brook
man took the cartridges out of it and
showed it to him. He examined it
there were no cartridges in it. Boney
stepped up and asked for cigar; Buffum
and Wenks came up to the counter and
said, eve will take a Black Hawk
Boney WAS not disposed to treat, and he
gave Brookman a dime; Brookman went
to get change, and Wenks pushed his
hand through broken place in the glass
which was covered by piece of paper
and held it over the cigars. His hand
became fast. Brookman came back
and levellng his revolver at Wenks. said
"who did that" (meaning the disturb
ance of the paper over the hole in the
show case). Buffum was leaning on
Wenks shoulder, and he said
FOR GODS SAKE, DON'T SHOOT
At this instant Brookman turned the
muzzle of the revolver on Buffum, and
with remark: "Buffum, the s. b did
it, pulled the trigger. The revolver went
of and Buffum fill to the floor
On the cross examination Householder
testified that after he handed the revolver
back to Brookman, he (Brookman)
broke it" a time or two. and Buffum
said, don't load that in here or you
might kill half dozen of US" Supposed
Brookman put the cartridges back IN the
revolver, though. Quite number had
come 10, in the meantime. Among those
who had come in, and who were there in
the store were: Charles Wenks, Grant
Buffum, Milton Boney, Frank Buffum
Joseph Simmons, Frank Seefeldt, Irwin
Hayes, Harry Brookman and witness
As Brookman came in with the cartridge:
Grant Buffum was holding his revolver
in his hund and guarding The
boys from going behind the counter
When Brook man came in, Grant said, -
have tried to keep them back" Henry
gave Buffum box, and went behind the
counter, where he made a noise like the
opening of the cartridge box. After
barry had helped Wenks get his hand
out of the show case. he left his finger;
in the hole in the case. BrOokman then
said, nov take the rest of your hant
out of there" Wenks said, yes" Wit
ness here repeated his testimony as. tt
the sudden turning of the revolver or
Buffum, who had said "for Gods sake
don't shoot" and with the expression
'Buffum, the s. b., did it," Brook
man fired. To call each other s. b.
witness said, was a common mode o
salutation between these two. Did no
know that Brookman used it with ange
on this particular occasion.
On the redirect examination, House
holder, in reply to question from tn
prosecution, said the revolver used wa
one discharged by pulling the trigger
Witness was shown a Smith & Wessol
revolver, No 3S. which he said was sim
liar and worked upon the same principl
as the one Brookman had when he sho
Buffum. Witness thought Brookma
took his revolver with him when be wen
out after the cartridges.
Frank Seefeldt wes next put upon th
stand by the prosecution. He was TWEEN
ty-two years of age, had lived in Andalu
STA five years, and had known Gran
Buffum and Harry Brookmsn tina
length of time. Was present i
BrOokmans store when Brookma
shot Bu6um. Saw the shooting. Ell
told the preliminary occurrences Q
the shooting as it had been detailed b