Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-08-19
Third Brother Arrested AS
Is Man Who Used Shot
gun.
ROBBERY ALLEGED
Deaths Are Climax To Many Quar-
rels-BOth Men Died Almost In
stantly.

Rockville, Md, Aug. 1.-Two
brothers-Eugene Pearson. 90 years
old, and John A. Pearson, 25 years
old-sons If Alfred Pearson, a Ear
mer in the vicinity of P2olesvllle,
were shot to death early yesterday
evening by Joseph d. Stang, 81
years old, after the brothers are al
legged to have attacked his son,
Joseph D. Stang, Jr., and his wife
and daughter at the Stang home. at
Choppers, two miles north Of Gath
ersburg.
The shooting occurred, it is said,
when the Pearson brothers. with an
other brother, Archie Pearson, 32
years old, chased Francis Cahil!, OF
Brunswick, to the Stang home, after
they are alleged to have attacked
him and injured him en- the rcao.
A half hour before the shooting, it
is alleged, the three Pearson broth
ers waylaid William Bu::hc:. OF
Barnesvilla, and beat ana rohb2d
him of $11 ami watch.
Stang and mis- son were arrested
by Deputy Sheriff Stl"ey Gingell
aud brought 10 this city last night.
Archie Pearson, the surviving broth
er, also is under arrest on charges
of assault.
Tie thre. Pea.son bro iers, i: .
is alleged, the three Pearson broth
at Choppers for the benefl. of st.
Roses Catholic Church. The broth
ers. it is said, were under the influ-
ence of liquor and created mir,r
disturbances throughout the after
noon.
Shortly after 5 O'Clock, it is sait,
the brothers left the picnic grounds
and encountered Cahill, who also
had been attending the picnic on the
road. The brothers, it is alleged,
picked quarrel with Cakill and
then attacked him. During the
fight which followed, it is said. ore
of the brothers hurled rock which
broke Cahill's jaw.
Cahill, it is said, ran in the direc-
ton of the Stang home, which is
located ahaut $50 yards from the
picnic grounds, pursued by the broth
ers. Reaching the Stang house, it
is said, Cahill ran inside, closing the
door after him.
Joseph d. Stang, Jr., it is said,
surprised at the sudden entry of Ca
hill, ran to the door to see what was
wrong. Fe was met, it IS said, by
the Pearson brothers, who knocked
him down.
Joseph D. Stang, Sr., who had
been in poor health for some TINE,
hearing the disturbance outside the
door, it is said. investigated and
saw that his wife, daughter and son
had been attacked Going back INTO
the house, it is said, Stang secured
a double -barreled shotgun and. re-
turning to the door, opened fire with
both barrels.
Ore charge struck Eugene ePar-
son in the neck and the other enter
ed the chest OF his brother. Both
died almost instantly.
Archie Pearson, it is said, then
grasped the gun from Stang's hands
and ran away with it.
Deputy Sheriff Gingell, who vas
attending the picnic. went to the
scene of the shooting anl arrested
Stang and his SON. Archie Pearson
was arrested later.
Soon after the shooting Butcher
appeared and told the authorities
that he hai been attacked and rob-
bed shortly after 5 o'clock by the
brothers. He said he hid in the
woods after the attack. being afraid
the Lrothaes would dc him further
harm if he ;nfor>,sd upon hlm.
Ar autopsy upon the bodies of
the Pearson brothers was performed
last night at Pumphrey's lndect2k-
ing establishment, this town, by Or.
William 7. Pratt. County Health Or
ficer.
An inquest will be conducted at 10
o'clock tomorrow morning.