People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1896-11-27
The ZeigIer-BrOoker Trouble.

tA~ ~ r1CAteOAO w AStASH LILO II .
tory of this remarkable case and
draw useful lesson from its teach
ings.
George Zeigler and Sheriff
BROKER were personal friends Of
long standing; both were high
strung and fearless men, and both
wero active and jealous workers for
their respective parties. In the
campaign Of '94 both happened to
be On tho aame car bound for Syl-
vania in the interest of their respect
i've tickets. There was also in the
same coach negro politician named
Bellinger, whom Broker was taking
along, to work on the negro voters.
Zaigler and BROKER were seated
side by side engaged in friendly
conversation, when the negro, Bel
lingef, began to curse and villify the
Populiste. This language provoked
z igler, and be arose from Lis seat,
drew his pistol, and started for the
negro, wsen BROKER called to him,
saying; George, this is my fight"
z8igler at cnce faced about, and,
Broker seeing The pistol, reminded
Zeigler that he was unarmed.
Zeigler at opce changed his grip from
the handle to the barrel of the pistol,
and, striking BROKER one blow with
the butt at the pistol, threw it to tue
hoor aud fought with his naked
hands.
Ths combatants were soon separa.
ted, but not before Zaigler had
knocked BROKER down one or more
times. To prevent the repetition Of
the Sight, friends persuaded Zaigler
rot to 60 on to Sylvania but to
leave the train at Zsigler Station,
his home. His son, Solomon, joined
him as Ge alighted from the car. AS
they started to the house, BROKER,
who in the meantime had secured a
pistol, raised the car window and
called after I9igler, using insulting
words. i igler stopped, remarking
to his son that the insult was hard
to take. The aon replied, "Then
don't take it; let US go back. AS
the Zeiglars, father and son, were
walking by the side of the train to
reach the stops, they passed beneath
the window where Brookcr wss
seated, end he. rsaehing through
the window, shot the elder
ZeigIer, thu balls passing through
his hat brim into his body, fatally
sounding hino. Both hurried TO the
car steps, though neither was armed,
soma one having secroted Zeiglcr's
pistol during the scrap in the car.
Sol Ze;glsr received scratch
from Brokers pistol SO he entered
Inc car, but he succeeded in wrench
irg the pistol from his grasp and
shot BROKER with his own pistol.
Surprising the first shot was fatal
he forbore shooting him again. The
elder Ioiglar, weakened by the shot
from the window, was prevented
from climbing tbs steps by one Will
Hansen, friand Of Brokers. In
opposing Zoigler's entrance to the
car, Williamson severely gashed his
throat with q knife, although no was
alroaay fatally shot. As Williamson
passed Z9igler's Station on his re-
tlrn FROM Sylvania in the evening,
tbs Zsigler boys, Sol and Oorrie,
boarded the train, disarmed William
son OF q shotgun, which he had pro-
cured in sylvania, and pummeled
him. A few weeks later two men
drove up to the home OF Bellinger,
Who hal been the provoking cause
Of the whole difficulty, and shot him
to death.
Al the next term of court, Dem
ooratic grand jary, indicted the
Zeiglsr boys for thrashing William
son but refused 10 indiot BROKER for
hilling their fathar.
The Zaigler boys were loyal aad
devoted soBs; but so fer as we can
learn they made no effort to ayenge
their fathers death until a partisan
jury refused them hearing through
the cogrts. Some months later they
met BROKER al Goloid Church and
shot him to death.
And now comes the most remark.
able chapter in the story. For eight
months these two boys, under indict-
ment for murder, and with reward
of 81, 600 hanging over their heads,