The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-01-21
DOUBLE MURDER AND SUICIDE
Continued from Page ~

DOUBLE MURDER AND SUICIDE
Continued from Page ~
back directly and we weighed them up
and then we went down in the feed lot,
drove couple of steers up and weighed
them, and took them back and turned
them into the feed lot and about that
time the hired girl came running down
to the barn following for John.
Q. What was that?
A. Lora Hamilton, the hired girl.
@. She came to the barn? What did
she say?
A. She followed for John, and told
him that Brooks had come in the house
here and wanted to know where Mettie
Hamilton was, his (John's) wife. She
said she told Brooks that she was up
stairs that she had the headache. Well
John started to the house, and he seen
Brooks coming down to the barn and
John says, look yonder, there he comes
he will kill all of us. So John and AL
Hamilton and the girl went off, they
seen him coming, and ! stayed at the
barn. Brooks came on down and drawed
up his gun to shoot me. talked pretty
kind to him, so he took his gun down
from his face and pretty soon he drawed
up his gun again, and l told him for
Gods sake not to shoot me, and he says
you 60 across there and sit down on
that platform and will not shoot you.
l went and sit down and pretty soon he
well he told me then he had already
killed Mettie, and that he was going to
kill John. He then drew up his gun to-
ward himself but he didn't, he took it
down and walked few steps toward
the house and then drew up the gun
again and pointed it toward himself
again and then took it down and said he
| would go to the house and shoot him
self. He went onl to the house and
took Richard, Johns little boy, and
started on west to see if ] could find
John. didn't hear no shooting.
Q. How long was it till you came to
the house?
A. l don't know, l expect it was
three hours, then ] came back to the
house and there were quite crowd of
people here so l went up stairs and
found John Brooks and Mettie Thomp-
son ly ing there on the floor dead.
Q. Is that all you know about the
matter?
A. Yes sir
Q. What relation are you to Mrs.
John Thompson?
A. She is my daughter.
@. Do you know what was tho cause
of Brooks anger?
A. No sir do not.
@. Did you see Vernon Thompson up
the road here?
A. No sir.
Q. Did you see Walter Wilmington
after this?
A. Yes sir, saw Wilmington and a
couple of little boys coming down the
woods pasture, this was after the kill
ing.
Q. They came here to the house did
they?
A. They came down to the windmill
down at the barn.
Q. What did they say?
A. Well Mr.. Wilmington said he
would go up to Mr.. Gibler's and phone
around for help.
Q. He didn't tell you that he saw
Vern Thompson killed?
A. No sir | don't recollect that he
did.
JOHN THOMPSON,
testified as follows:
Q. What tine did this shooting oc-
cur?
A. Some time between II and II
o'clock expect.
@. We're you at home?
A. ! had been down to the feed lot
and l heard Lora, the hired girl-she
came runnin down that way and mo-
toned to me and run toward her and
when | got up there she said John
Brooks was upstairs and she said she
heard Mettie-my wife-hollow for me.
started to run up toward the house
and when got to the barn porch saw
John Brooks come out of the house.
When he stepped to the corner of the
house he drawed his gun and he pulled
out that business that let's the loads
fall out and he loaded it up again, and
it looked like Winchester target, %
repeater special. He loaded the gun
and started toward the barn. | turned
around to AL and Rifle Hamilton and
says, "Boys, John Brooks is going to kill
us ALL came to the barn and went in
and asked AL Hamilton where that gun
Was. | ran to the buggy and the gun
was there | guess but [ couldn't get
hold of it and AL followed that there
was no she'll there and l think re-
peated time or two to give me she'll
and he said no, come on, he is going to
kill us. followed from the barn then
and said John don't come down here
with that gun and that was all there
was to it, he just kept coming
O. What made you think he was go
ing to kill you folks.
A. Well, don't know, but | was
afraid of him.
Q. Had you heard any shots before
this time?
A. No, sir; all l know is what the
girl said.
| q. At that time he had already shot
and killed Mettie and Vern Thompson?
A. Yes, sir; so far as know.
q. What did you do then?
A. | run and went to Elias Melton s
and wanted his gun, but he said it did
not shoot but once and would have to
be reloaded; then l went to Doc Ellis
worth's and tried to get him to get on a
horse and run to Jim Melton's for q
gun. He wouldn't 60, or didn't go, SO
went myself. Then got the gun and
started back. | was on foot and almost