Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1898-06-24
DOUBLE TRAGEDY AT BRUNSWICK.
Mayor John H. HeiseI Shoots and Kills
City Marshal Richard Ashby, and is
Seriously Wounded in Return.
A PRETTY MESS OF MORALS.

The expected has happened. To
those who have been posted In regard
to the low ebb of morals that has ex-
listed at Brunswick for so long on the
part of some of her citizens who have
stood high in official authority, but
whose personal conduct and environ
ments have been such that their at
tempts to enforce the laws of the city.
which they themselves were violating
almost every day and night, will not
be surprised to learn that another
page bespattered with human blood
has been added to the history of
Brunswick and Charlton county.
John III. Heisel is mayor and Rich
ard Ashby was city marshal of Bruins
wick and also constable of Brunswick
township. Criminal intimacy between
John H. Heisel and Hattie Ashby, a
daughter of Richard Ashby, has exist
ed for long time, and several years
ago led to Mrs He1sel leaving her
faithless husband. The hason be-
tween Heisel and the Ashby woman
has continued, but whether with the
connivance and knowledge of her
father or whether he was powerless to
help himself we are not prepared to
say.
Will Heisel, a married man, and a
younger brother of John H., is also
said to have been on equally as de-
grading terms with Maggie Ashby, Hat
ties sister, and for the past few months
Will Heisel's name has been coupled
in the same immoral connection
with that of Bessie Ashby, the young
est of the three Ashby sisters.
John H. Heisel is an attache of his
fathers, Jacob HeisePs, dry goods and
clothing store, while viii Heisel con-
ducts furniture and undertaking es-
tablishment in Brunswick for his father.
John H. Heisel occupies sleeping
apartments above the furniture store.
Last Friday night John H. chad a
date" with Hattie Ashby, but VIII was
in Johns room with a party of friends
playing cards, and sent, Hattie word
not to come there until he and his
friends had finished their game OF
cards. She sent back word that she
would come up to the room whenever
she pleased. A short time afterward |
it proved to be her pleasure" to go |
to the ROOM A quarrel ensued be-
tween her and Will Heisel and he
knocked her down. choked and kicked
her. John H. Heisel interferred and
put stop to the brawl, but later on
Will Heisel made a second attack on
his big brothers mistress, and when
she escaped from his clutches with
Iacerated feelings, bruised flesh and
blackened and fearful eyes she went
home and told her father and her
brother, Joe, of the i'll and cowardly |
treatment she had just received at Will |
HeiseTs hands.
Joe Ashby at once arose from his
seat, vowed vengeance against his sis
ter's slugger, and, followed by his
;ather, started to hunt up Will Heisel
and ''do'' him. The elder Ashby, we
made no threats, but when
ne and his son ran across Will in w.
Il. Finch's saloon few minutes after I
ward they both assaulted him. 1t was |
ust about at this juncture in the fracas
hat the shooting, which cost the elder {
Ashby his life and probably fatally S
John H. Heisel was begun. {
rhe nature of Richard Ashby's wounds {
Eill be found in the account of the cor {
'ner's inquest below. John H. Heisel c
Vas first shot through the fieshy part S
# the abdomen. producing a wound !
f little consequence as 1t went in at L
me place and came out few inches I
'eyond without penetrating any of the a
ntestines- The second time Heisel b
,as shot the ball took effect in the b
ack, passed through the left lung and c
anne out at the breast. This wound h
! dangerous and there is NO telling at In