Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-09-14
DIVORCED MAN
KILLS TWO WOMEN
SHOOTS MoTHER-IN-LAW AND
FORMER WIFE.
YOUNG SON GIVES ALARM
Lad of IL Years Sees Father Steal
Upon Aged Grandmother from Be-
hind and End Her Life With
Gun-Murderer Caught-Attempts
Suicide.

SUICIDE.
Spring Green, Wis, Sept. 10.-Ac-
cording to the story told by the II
year-old son of George Brandt, who
reached here yesterday morning, Mary
Murphy and her daughter, Mary
Brandt, were murdered at their home
in Iowa county Tuesday night.
Mrs. Murphy is about 60 years old
and her daughter is 80. The latter is
the divorced wife Of George Brandt.
They have not lived together for sew
eral years. Brandt makes his home
north of Spring Green. The boy says
that about o'clock HIS father came to
their home and shot his grandmother,
who was sitting in the doorway read
ing, and then went to the barnyard,
where Mrs. Brandt was feeding the
calves, and shot her through the back.
The boys story has been confirmed.
Brandt was captured in a barn near
the scene of the tragedy and it is said
confessed the crime. He gave no rea-
son for the deed.
Brandt attempted to shoot himself
but failed.
Shoots from Behind.
Mrs. Mary Murphy was seated peace
fully on the porch of her farmhouse
home, six miles south of this village,
when she was shot and killed by a
bullet fired at her from behind from a
revolver in the hands of George
Brandt, her son-in-law.
Not content with the death of the
aged and harmless woman, he crept
softly TO the barn where he knew his
former wife, the woman from whom
he had lately been divorced, would be
engaged in her daily tasks about the
stock. Finding her there, he shot her,
killing her instantly.
Motives Unknown.
What motives worked in his mind
are unknown. No quarrel beyond the
separation is known, and the two had
not lived together for several years.
A 12-year-old boy, the son of George
and Mary Brandt, lived at the home of
his grandmother. This lad was the
only witness of the terrible double
crime.
Gave Victims no Warning.
AS the sun was setting Mrs. Murphy
was sitting on the porch near the door
way. reading her bible. Without warn
ing. as stealthily as a redskin might
have approached, Brandt crept up be
hind and at close range fired at the
woman, and with scarcely a groan she
fell from her chair lifeless. Without
noticing the boy who was inside the
house, too frightened to move to warn
his mother, stealthily as cat, the
man crept away from the house to the
barn, Here, without the slightest
warning, he stole up behind the wo-
man he had sworn to love and cherish,
and stealthily took her life. The lad
in the house, trembling with fear lest
he should be discovered and should
share the fate of his mother and grand
mother, remained hidden.
Boy Gives Alarm.
When it had become quite dark, and
his father was no longer in sight, he
crept softly away from the scene OF
carnage, and started toward the vii
lage, six miles, in the darkness. On
reaching the village, he related his
story buf 81 wild and imnrohable in
details that the people would not be-
lieve it. At last a party was organized
and yesterday morning the posse went
in search of the man, hardly crediting
the story.
Murderer Admits Crimes.
On reaching the Murphy farm, they
found that the boys story was true
The bodies were found where they had