Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-21
KILLS BROTHER
THROUGH DRINK
Murderer Found Going to Bed in Tent
Behind Shop Where Victims
Corpse Is Stretched
Out

That he was crazed and irresponsible
from drink is the only motive assigned
for the shooting and killing of JACK
Markham, a blacksmith of San Fer
nando, by his brother Fred at about
o'clock Saturday night.
The brothers were partners in a
blacksmith shop in the little town and
lived together in a tent in the rear or
their shop.
Saturday night Fred was drinking
heavily, and at about O'Clock he was
standing in front of the blacksmith
shop. He was armed with a revolver
and suddenly drew it from his pocket
and fired a shot into the air.
His brother Jack, who was up the
street a block or two away, heard the
shot and, understanding it was his
brother who had fired, walked down
the street to find him.
As Jack approached his brother the
latter exclaimed, Hello, Spudl" raised
the revolver which he still held in his
hand and fired two shots directly at
Jack.
The second shot struck Jack in the
abdomen and he fell with the excla-
nation, Il am shot!'
Bystanders who witnessed the shoot
ing carried the wounded man into the
blacksmith shop and sent for doc
tor.
The wounded man died within few
minutes, the coroner was notified and
Deputy Sheriff ]. M Ybarra began
search for Fred, who had disappeared
Immediately after the shooting.
Fred was found at $3.50 o'clock yes
terday morning, as he was going to
bed in the little tent in the rear of the
shop where his brothers body law.
He was intoxicated. and when in
formed that he was under arrest asked
what for. He was told that lie had
shot his brother and refused to believe
the statement.
CoIlapses at the Sight
He was taken into the blacksmith
shop and the body was shown him
and the bullet hole pointed out. AS
soon as he realized that his brother
was dead he collapsed and had to be
placed under the care of a doctor.
Shortly after daylight he was taken
to the county Jail and placed in cell,
with a charge of murder opposite his
name.
DIR. E. H. Garrett was sent to San
Fernando yesterday afternoon to hold
an autopsy on the body of the muir
dered man.
He found that the bullet had entered
the right side and penetrated the liver,
pancreas and small intestines, and that
death had resulted from internal hem
orrhage.
An inquest will be held by Coroner
Hartwell tomorrow at the scene of the
shooting.
w. j. Hutchins, who resides in San
Fernando stated last night that Fred
Markham admitted a few minutes at
ter the shooting that he had shot his
brother, and that it was without provo
cation.
Hutchins was one of the first men on
the spot after the shooting, and he
found the body of Jack lying in the
roadway about fifteen feet from the
door of the shop.
Inside the shop Fred was found try
ing to hide his revolver behind a
stringer. He stated that he had shot
his brother, but did not know why.
By this time a crowd had gathered.
and, during the excitement Fred lis
appeared, only to be captured sew
eral hours later as he was going to
bed in the tent where he and his
brother slept.
When captured he feigned ignorance
of the shooting, as stated above, and
since then has been In state of col
lapse.
The brothers are reported to have
ouarreled frequently when drunk, but
thew never had serious trouble be-
fore. The dead man is said to have
been drinking Just before the shoot
ing. and was dressed in fantastic
garb, with the intention of taking
part in an amateur show which was
to have been held Saturday night.