The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1894-03-29
| TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
J t. BROACH'S MURDER TRIAL
POSTPONED.
How He Killed His Eyife-InnOcent
Nine Months Old Babe Drencheu
Witt, its ao,her's Blood.

Nine Mont hs' Old Babe Drenched
With it's rsio,her's Blood.
Mr.. j. w. Shepherd returned last
week from Surry Court. He says
| the trial of J. L. Broach, for the MUIR
| der Of his wife at Pilot Mountain,
| several days ago, was postponed until
! the next term.
A special venire of 100 men have been
summoned in which to select jury.
J The case was to have come up yes
terday. Broach is still In Jail and the
prevailing opinion is that he is guilty
of the terrible tragedy of which he
| stands charged.
| TIE SENTINEL is in receipt of full
| particulars of the horrible tragedy.
1t was about two o'clock in the
afternoon that pistol shot was heard
in the house of Broach. Immediately
after, Breach ran out of the house
and told those whom he met that his
wife had shot herself. Several people
went Immediately into the house and
the sight which met their eyes as
they will never forget.
Near the door lay young Mrs. Broach
ia the last agony of death. Not far
away, in its cradle, lay her little, in
nocent nine months old babe, with its
fair face covered with the life blood
OF its dead mother. There was blood
on its clothing, blood every where.
How the dread deed was committed
no one knows except Broach himself.
Broach says lie was lying on the bed
and that his wife shot herself, but
whether it was accidental or inten-
tiUHal he claims not to know. lmme-
diately after be rushed out of the
house, when the pistol shot was heard,
he went to the telegraph Office and
wired his Wife'S parents that his wife
had been shot.
The wound which caused the poor
wGman'S death was in the back of the
head, behind the left ear, the ball
ranging to the right. DR.. Banner, the
coroner, was summoned Immediately
and an inquest was held. In the
opinion of the officers of the law the
evidence was thought sufficient to
warrant the arrest of Broach on the
charge of killing his wife and was
placed in custody. lie was afterwards
released On $400 bail, his bondsmen
being DR.. j. b. Smith and Henry
Whitaker.
Mrs. Broach was only nineteen
years old, and was Miss Pender, her
parents living at East Bend, Yadkin
county. Broach is about thirty-flve
years old and has been twice mar
Tied.
When found Mrs. Broach was lying
near the door of the room, some dis
tance from the bed. The pistol was
found on the bed under the pillow.
Broach is said to have been drinking
for several days prior to the tragedy.
MIS- Broach was buried Saturday,
March 17tn, at East Bend, the funeral
being preached by Rev. G. @. Hay
more. She was u member of the
Baptist church and woman of lovely
Character.
The evidence seems to be that Mrs.
BfOach was shot just as she was pre-
pacing to give her baby Il bath. By
her chair in front of the fire was Il
vessel with water, soap and Il wash
cloth, and on another chair hung the
little ones clothes. While bending
over her baby the fatal shot must
have been fired. When found the
baby was lying across the cradle, not
in it. Saturday afternoon Breach
was rearrcsted at East Bend and
posse of ten men carried him back TO
Pilot Mountain. From there he was
conveyed TO Jail at Dobson.