The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-07-03
A MURDERER HANGED.

William BROKER, the Pine City Muir
derer, Pays the Penalty for His
Crime.
Villa m Brooker was hanged at Pine City,
Mimi. The condemned man spent his last
day very quietly. He found solace in his
pipe, an almost constant companion, and
Whiled away much of the time in playing
cards with the deputies, Henry j. Raft and
Manly 81. Mason, who were on guard The
game was occasionally interrupted by Brook
er stepping to the grated window to salute a
friend who CHANGED to pass. On these oc-
casions he seemed to be perfectly rational,
and he said in answer to the query, Glow
are you this m orning?"
feel, bully, by C I'm going to stand
up like a man. The women are at the bot
tom OF this. fit were not for them l would
not be here.
The crime committed by Brooker was the
murder ofLillian and William Combs, the for
mer his sister-inlaw, onNov.2 last. Brooker
went to the Coon BIS residence to see his wife
who was visiting her sister and bring her home.
AS they left the house, Mrs. Combs followed
them, hot words ensued and BROKER shot
her. Comb then came to the defense OF his
vie, but too late. and he also went
down before Brokers gun. Under the
circumstances, howevr, the latter was
indicted for the murder of the woman
only, as plea OF self-de ense would have
and BROKER was sentenced to death by
Judge r. M. Crosby. L. D. Dent OF Rush
City made q vigorous effort to secure re-
prieve for his client, but to no avail. Brook
er leaves a wife and four children.
The following ante m rtem statement was
given to the press at Brokers request:
{ Idesire to state to the world that what
did was the result hf protecting the sanctity
OF my home; that my wife was enticed away
by this man Coombs and his wife,. and that
my wife would go to their house and stay for
q week at u time and leave no one to provide
for my sick children; that while she was there
it was the common practice OF the Coombs
there, and they would have drunken carous.
ais to the neglect of her duty as u wife and
mother. IS
] also want to say that my wife would go
to the Coombs house leaving my children
with no ood toeat, and that would have to
prepare whatever food they had, and that |
would frequently hear them cry with hunger
and find them naked, with the flies torturing
them, until it made my heart ache to see the
neglect they had suffered on account of this
Coombs family coaxing and driving her away.
Ny sufferings hive been Of acharacter suffi-
Gent to dethrone my reason. l have found
the happiness ofmy home destroyed, and
my Ii o should Interfere. felt at the time
the shooting occurred that my
life was in danger. md that il /
had gone into their house would have been
killed. want to go to the scaffold and die
as a man having no i'll feeling towards any
one hut hoping those who are prosecuting
me will some-day realize what torture have
suffered, my home being destroyed and my
children neglected during their sickness and
want. s
realize am about to take plunge into
an unknown world in few moments, also
Ratsl for their Kindness to m at all times.
will now say goodbye to this world of care
and trouble in the hope that ] may have my
case tried by the public, who will give me q
fair hearing after all that is mortal is laid
away 81