The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-03-28
DRUNKEN FAMILY BRAWL.
It Occurred Monday Night One
Mile East of Corvallis.-O.
Froberg Badly Injured.

On Tuesday morning we had scareel,
expressed our customary mutterings at ths
dearth of news items, when from a me-
scene of battle, just across the river ii
Linn county, came the meager rumbIings o
a family brawl, participated i'll by husband
his best friend, the formers wife, and
would be peacemaker but afterwards victim
In order to obtain an accurate account o
the affair special GAZETTE reporter wa
sent to the smoke cleared battle ground.
Alfred Brokaw, some three weeks ago
moved into the Beach property about ont
mile east of town, expecting to board the
employees on the government work now ii
progress on the river at that point. Com
ing from McMinnvllle where they had beer
keeping restaurant they were accompanied
by one Mann, his lS-year.o .old son, Earnest
however, to find employment. Brokaw and
Earnest Mann became fast friends, and on
Monday came to Corvallis. imbibed little
liquor, but returned home during the after.
noon.
Then" said Mrs. Brokaw to our report
er, Earnest wanted my husband to go over
again, and begged him to go. Then l said,
well, I'm going too We walked over to
town arm in arm to 90 to the salvation
army. where he (Brokaw) said he would
swear off and lin the church. When they
got there he said, You go in and we'll come
pretty SOON | stayed there until about 10
o'clock, when I came down to the Hotel
Corvallis and sent for them at the saloon.
They came and | saw he was mad. | want
ed to come home, but he was mad and swore
he wouldn't come home with me. A Mr..
Hornbuckle, who was there. said, 4 will
see that you get home all right. So we
came over together, and in just a few min-
utes they came in drunk, with mud all over
their clothes Mr. Mann was in the house
when | came. Brokaw came in and com
menced abusing me. He said, c. d
you, will kill you,' and grabbed a chair to
strike me. Then Mr.. Mann interfered- d-he
says, For Gods sake don't strike her
When he pitched onto me l broke out and
went to the barn, and then came here to
Mrs. Everett's, and she let me in and
crowded into bed with her The other
trouble they had afterwards know nothing
about
mo-" continued Mrs. Brokaw. ''my hus.
band and have never had any trouble and
hs drinks only occasionally. The cause oI
this was drink" she said, nearly breaking
down.
In connection with this affair Mrs. Ever.
EFT, the lady with whom Mrs. Brokaw had
stayed, said: 'sThe first we learned was
about II o'clock when Mr.. Brolaw came
running ont in the road between here and
Brokaw's house. yelling Help! Murder
Murdsr!' l heard one shot firsd-windows
being smashed. was here alone, my hus-
band being over in town. and about o'clock
Mrs. Brokaw came and let her in
We next interviewed the vIctimized
peace maker, Mr. o. Froberg WAC said:
''We were walked up at Mrs. Beach's,
where board, about midnight by a gunsho'
and cries of Murder! Help!' Pretty soon
the old Mr. Mann came over and wanted us
to go with him after his listle girl. Sc
Billy Shuft, Fred Limherker and me start
ed over to the house, and Mann told us
they were armed with guns and pistols.
didn't think it was as bad as that, so
thought Id go back. l had nothing tt
defend myself with. I was standing over
in the dark and put his gun in my face,
and told me to hold up my hands. looked
at him, and l didn't lntentd to do it, but
says he, 'I'll fill you full if you don't, point
ing his rifle in my face, so thought had
better do it. Then he ordered me to wall
back over to the house where young Etrn-
est Mann was, aud hel to do it. When
got over there, he had his gun pointed at IN,
all the time, cooked. Then he ordered
young Mann to strike me while had my
hands up. That's how 1 got these brriss
on my face. Then Brokaw struck me owe
The head and made this big cash with hi
gun. Then he let his gun drop down, ant
by my main strength pushed them boil
over, and before they could get up 1 raj
away. Brokaw ran after me and snapped
his gun but the cartridge was the one he hat
already fired, and didn't CO."
Just at this moment Ex.Sher1ff T. s
Smith, now deputy sheriff of Linn county
tha fo
Earnest Mann and Alfred Brokaw, issue,
out of Justice A. II. Freeksens court o
Albany. Earnest Mann was easily taken
near the house where the trouble occurred
and while the deputy sheriff was looking 70
Brokaw, who had since noon secrete
himself in the brush and timber near, tn
GAZETTE reporter quizzed the young man
thus:
Chow old are you ?"
81 am Is years DID,"
I ''Can you give US any information abou
this trouble ?"
"There wasn't any trouble; we just 90
full"
''Got pretty full, did you?"
Eyes, rather FULL l guess
fWhere did you get your drinks?''
THAT saloon opposite the Hotel Corval
lis. I bought the drinks, and some bottle
too. I don't know just how much. but
spent all the money 1 had, $3.50"
"What happened when you got home?''
"Well," said the youth, becoming NOR
sociable, "Brokaw tried to strike his viii
with a chair. and NV father wouIdn't Il