The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-10
QUEER TRAGEDY.
Accidentally Killed After
Numbering a Fellow
Servant.
SHOT DOWN IN COLD BLOOD
Rodgers Attempts Another Nur-
der When the Gun Sud-
denly Explodes.
sHoT DOWN IN COLD BLOOD

WdlIEl FLAlNS, N. T., NOV. III, 1885,
Two men were killed before daylight this
morning at the summer residences of
Richard and Augustus Brandes, who COM
prise the firm of Brandes Bros, whole
sale liquor dealers, In Forty-second street,
New York.
The Brandes Brothers own handsome
residences on Mamaroneck avenue, two
miles south of White Plains, which they
occupy, with their families, during the
summer Last week they returned to
their city residences. Richard Brandes
place was looked after by John Rodgers,
and that of Augustus Brandes by Henry
Weiss.
At Ave O'clock this morning Rodgers
left the house Of Richard Brandes, and
going to Augustus place entered the COW
stables where William Smith, one of the
servants, was milking COW. Rodgers
carried double-barreled breech-loading
Bonehill shotgun. After being in the Stable
but a few minutes, he leveled his gun at
Smith, fired and nearly blew the top of
Smiths head off. He then ran out of the
barn.
AS he did SO Henry Weiss, who Is night
watchman in the house, came out. He had
not heard the shot that killed Smith, and
it being dark did not see Rodgers, who
was hundred feet away In the next
moment he saw flash and heard the
gun go off. Rodgers ran up 60 him and
Weiss cried
What the devil are you doing2y
rodgers replied: Il fired at a dog. Did
the shot come near your?"
Rodgers said that one of his horses was
lost, and asked If Weiss would come over
and help him. Weiss went back to the
other place with Rodgers, who had the
gun over his shoulder. They went into
the. stable, found the horse was all right,
and started to leave the stable, Weiss
AS they were coming out of the door
Rodgers grasped his gun by the barrel
and struck Weiss over the back of the
head, cutting deep cash. Weiss was
stunned for an instant, but, recovering
quickly, ran out of the barn and down
the road, screaming Murder" He did
not stop until he got back. to Augustus
Brandes' place, all the time being pursued
by Rodgers.
Weiss says that when he got back to
his own place, Rodgers ran up, excited,
with the gun still in his hands Weiss
ran around the pump house. fifty feet
beck of the main residence. Outside the
building is water tub, three feet square
and two feet deep. When Weiss ran
around the pump house Rodgers follow
Rodgers fell against the water tub.
dropping the gun in such manner In
the tub that it broke at the stock and
side. He dropped beside the tub. where
he died in a few minutes.
Captain William Horton, employed at
the Custom House, who lives next to the
Brandes brothers, was the first of the
neighbors to be attracted by the shots
He found Rodgers by the pump. still
breathing. He summoned medical aid but
when the doctor arrived the man was
dead. Coroner Birch took charge of the
bodies. In Rodgers jacket was $40 in
bills and one exploded gun she'll As three
gun were emptied, it seems that Rod
gers reloaded his gun after killing Smith
in the cow stable.
No cause can be attributed for Rodgers
act He has been employed by Richard
Brandes for four years and has always
been sober and Industrious. Many incline
to the belief that he became suddenly in
sane. No enmity is known to have ex-
fact, among any of the many men en-
ployed upon the two places Coroner
Birch empanelled two juries and the in