Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-02-01
FOUGHT FOR LIFE.
Desperate Conflict Between Two Town
Famiies-Two Men Killed.

Families-Two Mon Killed.
Jefferson, Ia, Jan. 2S.--As result OF
desperate fight at an early hour Mon
day morning two men are dead, two
men desperately wounded and II young
woman seriously injured. The killed
are: John Brown, Jr., and John Fleck.
The injured are John Brown, ST.,
George Fleck and Mary Brown.
AS John Brown, a respected and
peaceable farmer, was at home about
nine o'clock there was a knock at the
door. Supposing ueighbor had come
to spend an hour he opened the door,
only to look into the muzZle of double
barreled shotgun leveled by his neigh
Dor, John Fleck.
Quick as flash he knocked aside
the weapon and jumped upon his as
sailant. The gun fell without having
been discharged and the two men
srappled and went down. At this juno.
ture George, the 17-year-old son OF
John FleclS, who had accompanied his
father upon his murderous errand, ap-
peared upon the scene. George car
ried siX-shooter in each hand, and was
no sooner in the house than he began
firing.
Brown was shot in the cheek and
Flecle received a bullet through the
hand. Scarcely had the echo of the
shots died away before John, Jr., the
eldest son of Mr.. Brown, entered the
house, and young Fleck began pumping
lead into him. One bullet took ef-
feet in the breast just above the heart
and another carried away big chunk
of skin from the forehead. Young
Brown afterwards died.
At this moment Jim, the youngest
Brown boy, a lad of 16 years, attracted
by the firing, entered the room and at
once realizing the situation grabbed
stick of stove-wood and knocked the
revolver from Fleck's hands. John
Brown, Jr., although desperately
wounded, reached for one of the revol-
vers and shot George Fleck in the bnck
| just as he started to run. Jim followed
and caught him, clubbing him until he
was insensible.
Meanwhile the fearful struggle be-
tween the old men continued, and Jim
returned to the house just in time to
save his father from being choked to
| death. He dealt Fleck blow on the
head rendering him insensible, and then
| turned his attention to his injured
brother. AS soon as the elder Brown
recovered sufficiently to take a hand,
he seized bottle containing powder
that had fallen from Flecli's overcoat
pocket and smashed it over the latter s
| 10 l,n4 lo
he punched and gouged at The latters
face and head until it was literally a
mass of pulp.
| Within few moments the neiShbors
attracted by the shots came to the
scene. They found the old man Fleck
lying in the middle of the room, his
head on a pillow and his feet and arms
chained with logchain. He was un.
| conscious and n frightful sight. Mary
Brown, the daughter, who had been
milking at the time the affray com
menced, was found in the cowyard
where she had been knocked over with
n milking stool by one of the Flecks be
fore they came to the house.
The Flecks will be placed in Jail x
await the action of the grand jury. The
younger Brown boy, Jim, who played
the most important part in the blood!
melee and saved his fathers life, wal
not injured. The motive for the con
spiracy is not well known. The Fleck'
bear n hard name, and it is asserted
the neighbors, among them the Browns
have accused them of chicken stealing
The evident purpose of John Flccl
and his son was to murder the entlr,
Brown family. John Brown, Jr., ant
the elder Flecl1 both died Monda,
night. The elder Brown and GeoI 6,
fleck, although badly used up, will re
cover, and Mary Browns injuries weI,
not serious.
SLAIN IN HER HOME