St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1911-09-02
MURDERED
At WAKE
Brothers-in-Law Quarrel and
One Shoots the Other.
Meet at a Wake and Renew
an Old Quarrel.
After Shooting Surrenders
Himself to Police.
Says He Fired Fatal Shot
to Save His Life.

New Orleans, Aug. 31.-At the
wake of Mrs. Henry Brink, who died
at her home at 743 Louisiana Ave-
nue., early yesterday morning, there
was a tragedy brought on by too
much whisky consumed by her sons
in-law, who clashed in the yard, and
Joseph Hasse1beck, a laborer, OF II
Antoine. was shot and killed by Chas.
Romback, of S28 Toledano, another
laborer.
For months the men have been on
bad terms, and it all started about
all electric battery. That affair went
to the courts, for Romback claimed
that he had been assaulted by his
brother-in-law, and two brothers OF
the man, and he made charges, but
SO far the case was never thoroughly
aired.
1t was the duty of the sons-in-law
to go to the wake of Mrs. Brink.
Romback seemed to fiuge that there
would be clash, and that he would
encounter Hasselbeck, and he took
measures to protect himself, placing
a revolver in his pocket. Armed as
he was, he went to the house on
Louisiana Avenue with his wife and
children, and there he saw his broth
er-in-law.
For hours nothing particular oc-
Cured, there being a number of peo-
pie present, and the brothers-in-law
spent their time with their particular
friends. Men who were there drank,
for there was considerable whisky,
and after midnight the brothers-in-
law began to show an ugly spirit,
though the Drinks and other thought
| that there would be no open clash be-
cause of the occasion of the wake.
About o'clock, after Romback
J had several drinks, some one In the
crowd suggested another drink, and
Hasselbeck was willing, while Rom
| back did not care to join. He said
| that he did not want any more whis-
| ky, and Hasselbeck sarcastically re-
marked.
| mo, he won't want anything to
drink; women don't want anything
to drink"
That forced the clash between the
brothers-in-law. 1t happened that
Hassenbeck's two brothers were
there, too, but they ook no hand In
the quarrel Back in the yard where
the men were gathered the brothers.
in-law continued expressing them.
selves about each other, and in few
seconds they were far nough away
frcm the other men to be able te
fight as they pleased.
Just what really happened at thai
moment is hard to say, though In
spector of Police Reyonlds and Dis
trict Attorney Adams and Sergeant
Davis and big force of police tool
every witness and questioned-then
closely. Romback, who survived thu
clash, was ready talk, and he of
fered a story of self-defense, holdin,
that Hasselbeck was a bigger man
and had hit him, and when he drew
the revolver force the man back, Has
selbeck took the weapon in one hant
and tried to wrest it from him, an,
it was then that he shot, the bulle
entering the right breast, producing
, wound which caused almost instan
death.
OF course, there was hubbub a
the place, and men and women wer
i, i'll state of excitement, and it wa
,, some time before the police got wor
tt the effect that an ambulance wa
needed at the house. The rush wa
made there, and it was found tha
: Hasselbeck was dead in the yard, an
: that Romback had gone. But tn
v man who had done the shooting wa
> only bound for the Berlin Street P,
lice Station, where he surrendere
. to clerk.
= Romback was collected when
:. gave himself up to the police, an
~ he told story of which showed tn;
, Hasselbeck was the aggressor.
r seems that there was an electric ba
= terry in the home of Romback, al
, among those who were there w
10 Hasselbeck. All We'd with each 9th
y about holding the handles and tn
g started a quarrel, and Romback sa
- that he got away from the compal
= and sought little rest on a be
+, when Hasselbeck entered the roc
=, and called him a fine sucker, al
- made things so disagreeable th
4 there was fisticuff. Both men we
~ ~ to the floor, and Romback was on t
of his brother-in-law. Finally HI;
= and all thought that would end t
on I matter, out tHdt HlSHL f1dSSeiDeck
% turned with his brothers and tried
,r force his way into the house, a
y dared Romback to come into
r street and fight.
"Why, the next morning." 81
M Romback, when was on Lyon a
Constance streets, one of Hasselbec
nd brothers took an ice hatchet fr
ial my wagon and all wanted to assa
he me-
M That made him go to the police, {
he was sent to court to make {
in daVlts against tnose VINO haa atta
ed MIN. HasseIDecK was cnar
s." with assault and battery.
es- 'tSince last March," said Rombs
,ts. Il have not spoken to my brother