Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-28
WATERED HIS WINE,
That Is the Reason Cyprien
Werner Gives for Shoot
ing His Brother.
A MAD CHASE TO DEATH.
He Says He Was Directed to Commit
the Murder in a Dream.
TRIED TO KILL THE CONSTABLE,
And Then Narrowly Escapes Tynching by
the Maddened Mob.
JEALOUSY CAUSES A RIOT AT RANKIN
A MAD CHASE TO DEATH.
TRIED TO KILL THE CONSTABLE,
And Then Narrowly Escapes T,ynching by
the Maddened Mob.
JEALOUSY CAUSES A RIOT AT RANKIN

Inspired with the hope OF bettering hi
financial condition, and nerved for hi
bloody task BY sundry drinks of cheal
whisky, a coal miner named Cyprier
Werner shot and fatally wounded his eide
brother August Yesterday at high noon.
1t was cold, deliberate and premeditated
for according to the attending physician th'
victims hours are numbered and he will b.
cold in death before the close of anothe
day. The murderer, after arming himsel
with one of those ugly and ponderou
imported revolvers familiarly known as the
English bulldog" sought out his brother
and, after a few angry words, pulled th'
weapon from the pocket of his coat and
began firing. At first his aim was un
certain and the bullets Missed wide of the
human mark. 1t was this poor marksman
ship, caused, perhaps, by the eager
ness of his passion-racked assail
ant, that enabled the victim to prolonl
his life for few moments by fight
But this brief delay only maddened
the would-be murderer. When his brother
fed he followed. Down the sloping hill.
side sprinted the pursued and the pursuer.
Past fields of ripening corn and clumps of
blooming rose bushes they rushed.
verner's Mad Rush to Death.
In the beginning the leader had the ad
vantage of start of dozen yards and the
incentive of selfpreservation, but, long
before this journey to death was over,
his opponent, being strong of limb and
younger by more than a dozen years, had
almost overcome the handicap and was right
at the heels of his man. Then it was that
be raised his smoking revolver and taking
careful aim fired. This time his aim proved
true. The man in front half turned and
then with groan fell face downward In the
roadway, After that one awful groan the
man made no sound. He lay In the middle
of the road with his very life blood gushing
from Jagged hole in his neck.
Directly he saw his brother fall, Cyprien
halted. For single instant he gazed at
Augus.'s trembling body, and then with a
muttered oath drew the empty shells from
his pistol and carefully reloaded the
weapon. He started down the road, but
before he had gone dozen yards he was
confronted by big, broad-shouldered man
who wore no coat and whose face was very
white.
81 want you," said this man to Cvprien.
"Oh, you do. Well, take this instead, ="
shouted the murderer, in badly broken Eng
lish. As he spoke he showed the muzzle of
his pistol into the mans face.
Fearful Struggle With the Murderer.
Before he could pull back the hammer
some one from behind clutched his wrist,
and with sudden jerk wrested the pistol
from his grasp. Cyprien turned and closed
with his unknown foe. 1t was a short,
desperate fight, witnessed only bv
the diving brother and one frightened
woman. For ten minutes the desperado
struggled with his two opponents, but the
odds proved too great for him and in the
end he surrendered. Meantime men and
boys working in adjoining fields had heard
the shot and beheld the men struggling in
the road. They hurried to the place, and
number of them assisted in binding Cy-
prien's arms. Others lifted August's body
and carried it into William Bushman's
house, which fronts on the road directly in
front Of the place where the wounded man
fell.
With muttered curses Cyprien allowed
Constable Samuel Williamson, the man
who had first attempted to arrest him, to
lead him across lots to the main street of
Midway, on which is located the office of
Squire Henry Eaton. Close behind them
came Henry Adair; who had assisted in the
capture, and a crowd of 100 or more men
and bows 1t is two-mile walk from the
scene of the shooting to the 'Squire's office,
and before the journey was half over two
or three men in the crowd proposed a
"lynehing bee"
He Narrow'y Escaped Lynching.
Many of their companions approved of
the suggestions and it began to look as
though the dark-haired man with the gleam-
ing black eyes and powerful physique, who
was responsible for all the trouble, would
pay the penalty then and there, but
the constable was plucky and
Henry Adair was pacific and be-
tween them they managed to land
their prisoner in the 'Squire's little office.
The outer door was shut in the very faces
OF the indignant populace and securely
fastened. Only six or seven of Midway's
leading citizens were allowed to enter
Squire Eaton began the preliminary exam-
ination of the prisoner, but before anything
had been done the crowd outside grew ugly
and clamored for admission. At this
juncture Justice Eaton slipped out of the
side door and in few terse sentences told
the crowd to disperse. He promised that
Cyprien would not escape, and the crowd
evidently trusted him, for it made no fur
ther demonstration.
When Cyprien was asked to plead he
drew himself up before the Squire and made
this dramatic speech;
"Judge, last night 1 went to bed and
quickly fell asleep. I dreamed that had
killed my brother, and 1 awoke trembling
and wet with sweat This was about /
o'clock, for got up and looked at the clock
I was up for ten minutes, and then laid
down and closed my eyes. Again dreamed
that awful dream, and awoke as before.
Directed, to Murder by Dream.
'Three times, Your Honor, did the vision
come to me before morning, and knew that
it must be done. This morning 1 went to
Mansfield and bought-a box of fresh car
tridges. In my pocket was the gun which I
had bought two months ago. I loaded it
and then started for August's place. 1
walked through the yard and into the Or
chard beyond. A woman passed me, but
did not know her. If she had been
August's wife I would have killed her.
found August among his vines He is tall
old man with gray hairs in his head. When
I was close to him / said, why did you put
water in my wine when we last played
cards?'
"He looked at me and muttered some
thing, 1 do not remember what, and
didn't care. pointed my gun at him and
shouted: Die, = you, diel' Then L pulled
the trigger I fred three shots, but my
aim was bad. He turned and ran. I fol-
lowed close behind. We ran great dis
tance, and then his breath failed him and
gained on him. When we were in front of