Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-26
SHOT EACH OTHER.
Two Brothers Agree to Die
Together.
They Thought They Had Grim
inally Offended.
A Brush Fire in Placentia Canon
Caused Their Mishap.
Both Badly Wounded About the Head
and Neck-Both Brought to This
City for Treatment.

A little fire kindled great matter up
Gently. Philippe and Louis Audier left
France some two years ago to come to
California to pick up some gold. They
are from a remote village of Brittany,
where the peasantry are but little bet
ter off than before the revolution. In
the days preceding DR.. Guillotine and
s'La Marseillaise," if peasant set fire
to forest or injured the growth on any
domain, he was likely to have inflicted
on him some punishment to fit the
crime, such as boiling oil applied exter-
nally, being drawn and quartered or
some such pleasantly applied by the
seigneur who owned him. The brothers
Audier are not very intelligent, and
though since their advent in this land
of liberty, equality and fraternity they
have learned considerable, they are ig-
norant of the fact that the judicial
peine forte ct d,ue does not exist here, as
their peculiar story will bear witness.
The brothers Audier wandered to
Newhall, and built themselves little
cabin in Placentia cafon, some miles
from the town, and made some little
improvements; but there was always
the brush in front of their home, and
on Tuesday last they decided to get rid
oft by burning it. Philippe was doubt
full; the flames might scorch tree, and
then-the dreadful law. Louis was also
timorous at first, but what would you
The brush must be got rid of and one
would be very careful and not let the
flames spread; it is necessary that one
should take some chances. Go then
Blue death! Put the fire to the grass,
and it was done, and Louis and Philippe
watched the flames run merrily along.
Soon it was evident the progress of the
blaze must be stayed there was neigh
Dor cabin but a short distance away.
Oh! If that should be endangered, what
then? And the two honest, simple fell
lows threw off their coats and set to
work to fight the fire. Philippe has
one leg of wood, but he fought hard Just
the same. Several times his pre-
cious leg caught fire, but he
put it out by a vigorous
kick. 1t was useless, however. All
Tuesday afternoon and far into the
night the brothers worked against the
fire, only to see it far beyond their con-
troll. The neighbours cabin was con-
sumed. Fortunately for the brothers
and himself he was not at home. But
then he would return soon, and the
gendarmes would appear soon and the
brothers Audier would be taken to the
chateau and thrown into dungeon,
and the good God alone knew what ter,
rible punishment they would have to
endure. Thus they reasoned all of the
night and late into the morning. To
their minds they had unwittingly be-
come great criminals. 1t were better to
die. They looked at each other and
saw that each had the same thought.
Fortunately before coming to this savage
land they had purchased two revolvers.
''It is better that we die, is it not?" so
said one to the other, and each assented.
They embraced, kissed each other on
both cheeks, put the muzzle of shining
revolver to each others head. pulled the
triggers and fell to the ground
This was about 10 o'clock Wednesday
morning. They lay where they fell
moaning, not killed, but too weak to fire
another shot. Wednesday afternoon,
Wednesday night, Thursday morning
and Thursday afternoon passed away,
but the two brothers lay there half con-
scious, thinking they were dying, until
Thursday evening some people from
Newhall found them, bound up their
wounds, put them on the train in charge
of Constable Sievert, and yesterday they
were lodged in the county hospital.
Both of them are shot in the head, but
are still able to talk, and told the story
outlined above to a HERALD reporter,
who saw them as they were put into a
carriage yesterday at the depot to be
taken to the hospital. They have about
even chances of living or dying.
AS they narrated their experience to
the reporter yesterday afternoon, and
when it was corroborated by the con-
stable, an old blue-jeaned farmer stand
ing by exclaimed, "Well! OF all the
fools !" The farmer was about right.