Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-09-18
HIS BROTHERS. SLAYER.
Dispute over Profits of Hennery Cause,
a Tragedy.


Vineland, N. j., Sept. 16. 81 have
shot and killed my brother and now
want to surrender myself" was the
confession of Peter Brandt to Constable
Louder, at Newfield, yesterday morning.
| Coroner Heritage was at once sum-
! moned, and upon his arrival the entire
party. including the fratricide, went
1 to the Brandt home. Lying on the
ground in front of the poultry house,
| doubled up upon his knees, face down
ward, was the corpse Of William Brandt,
in pool of blood. An entire load Of
| shot had entered his neck from in front,
penetrated his brain and come out at
the top of his head, causing instant
| death. Clutched in the right hand Of
| tho dead man was an iron window
grating, which he had used rs a weapon.
Peter Brandt declares that he killed
| his brother in self-defence. Though
4 the homicide occurred Sunday night,
the body lay where it fell until the
coroner reached the spot, and nothing
was known of the crime until Peter
Brandt surrendered to the constable.
The Brandts, who are frugal, in
dustrious German family, have heen
highly respected at Newfsld and among
the farmers thereabouss, William
Brandt, aged 30 years, who leaves a
widow and three childen, worked in a
rug factory at Newfield, and was the
owner OF the farm, located on Morris
avenue and about midway between
Newfield and Malaga Station, which
his brother Peter lives. Peter, who
is 26 years old, also has wife and
three children.
Tho killing was the result of a bitter
feeling between the brothers arising
over the division Of profits realized on
poultry raised by Peter Brandt on his
brothers. farm. According 10 the story
Of relatives William Brandt went to
1 Atlantic City during the summer TO
sell the poultry raised by his brother,
but the latter soon refused to make
any more shipments, claiming that
William retained more than his share
Of the proceeds. From that ticas on,
say the mother and sisters Of the msii,
William harbore5 giuoge against
Peter, which, grew in intensity within
him and lie often threatened to murder
Peter.
Sunday afternoon, st about dusk,
William Brandt waiSec over 10 his
brothers. home VIII. 3 hat,.t.et and
saw, which he intandea sba,p cMsns. It
was not long !ietora tho I'D hone or
contention vas hgain out, an1 finally,
in ii, OF ahgei, William started TO
wreck all the furniture in the house.
Mrs. Bra,it and her children rushed,
panic-striclsen, from tbs house and
that was the last lime the two men
were seen alive together. A few
moments later the neigbbors saw Will
liam rush trensiec from ;be house with
o flaming large parlor lamp in mis-
hand, swinging it 10 and fro rs lie
ran and yelling ljks a mailman. He
In, hmm ,Nst NJ,
Annie Sch weitzeH, who lives nearby at
the homo of u daughter, and, pounding
viciously on the door with piece OF
, iron window glating, demanued of
them to surrender Peter from his bid
ing place or he would "murder them
ali, -
The infatuated man, upon failing to
get admission. ats: threatening to
rotal;ate by killing the vile and chill
oren Of his brother, returned to Peters
house, going by way of the poultry
house. Soon toe sound of crashing
, windows issuad from the hennery, fol
lowed by hoarse cries and the dischargr
of a shotgun. Wnsn tho relatives ans
poultry house for investigation thorA
, stood Potter Brandt, with smoking
J gun in his hands and looking dowh
! upon his brother Williams corpse Ak
his feet. The dead man held tightly
clasned in his hand the iron windoN
, grating, about two feet long, with
which he had evidently been demolishs
ing the poultry house windows. Nd
other weapon of any kind was found
j upon his body, which fact indicated
that he did not come to his brotber'4
7 home with the intention of committing
violence. 1t was while William wa9
destroying the hennery that Peter, i'll
evaporation, ran into his house and
secured the shotgun.
Peter Brandt, who returned to hid
home with. the coroner and otheH
officials, and was allowed to stroll
leisurely about the premises, without
being in the close custody of an ofhcer,a
made the following statement: 81 shoH
William in self defence, because | wats
afraid he would kill me. He destroyed
furniture in my house and broke thu
windows in the hennery, and when 4
! rushed out and ordered him to stop ii
he only shouted an oath and sprangl
toward me. | had intended shooting
up into the air to brighten him, but j
!. became so excited that hardly remem{
Der what | did. Ri pulled the trigger. II
j. A palmetto scene occurred in the
poultry house yesterday morning, when
tho coroner appeared with Petel
:. Brandt, and, raising tho blood stained,
corpse upright and exposing the facet
with the gaping gunshot wound to tho
: grief neither and sisters. "Oh,s
2 William!" cried Mrs. Schweitzen, id
= anguish, as she held out her armss
!. tenderIy. my poor boy, will never
2 see you again" and then, stopping
! suddenly, as ii in result OF quiol
. thought, she turned and gazed piteously
upon the face of tho other son, who
had been standing beside her. and by
whose hand the tragedy occurred.
It "Mother, said Peter, in quiverina
vice, che is your son and my brother.
Q Oh, now terrible!h
e Although Peter Brant has no wit
Q nesses of the tragedy to onrrnborate his
!. plea OF seli-defence, the statements OF
I the relatives regarding the actions OF
r William leading UP to it seem to at
n test the truthiuiuess of his confession.
+ However the fact that William had
I carried no deadly weapon has caused
9 some peorle to censure the young man.
i --.~----------- b
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