Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1921-12-14
MR.. AND MRS CHARLES VAN BROCKLIN KILLED
IN WOOD CHOPPERS CABIN BOTH SHOT
IN RIGHT BREAST WITH
SHOT GUN
BROTHER OF THE SLAIN MAN ARRESTED AS A
SUSPECT. PRELIMINARY HEARING ON
AT COURT HOUSE.
MANY WITNESSES TO BE CALLED AND HEARING
WILL LAST SEVERAL DAYS PERHAPS.

| A foul double murder was com
mitted some time last Sunday after
noon on farm in Bloomfield town
ship south of Frankville in tn,
Moneek neighborhood, when Mr.. anC
Mrs. Charles Van Brocklin were
found shot to death in a wood chop
pers cabin on the Frank Kneeskerr
farm where they had been working
and living for some time.
During the afternoon about -four
o'clock a neighbor, VIM. Cook, went
to the cabin on some business, and
found the murdered couple. The
shack they lived in had only two
rooms. The husband was found in
the first room as Cook entered and
the wife in the other room. They
were both shot through the right
breast with a shot gun. The mans
heart was in a lacerated condition.
The man had hat over his face and
his body was covered with an old
quilt. The woman,s body wac .cov-
-ssred 'T.fTE " tYetlret enc othert od
clothes.
Mr.. Cook notified Sheriff o. o..
Ellingson and the sheriff left De-
oorah Immediately, sometime between
four and FIVE o'clock Sunday af-
ternoon. After the sheriff arrived
he made an investigation, and about
eleven o'clock at night arrested Ell
mer Van Brocklin, on suspicion,
brother of the murdered man. The
corpse of the murdered couple were
taken to the Ole Russell farm
short distance away. Elmer Van
Brocklin and Geo. Moore had been
in Decorah Sunday afternoon and
sold some wild animal furs to Holm
berg & Erickson. They afterwards
drove back home. They drove by
the Russet home where a crowd
had congregated, going to the Moore
home, and later returned to the
Russet home. The boys say they left
for Decorah around 4:30.
Coroner L. B. Willis was called out
and corners inquest was held. A
coroner's jury composed of Fred
O'Boy, Sam Waters and r. Knees
kern rendered verdict that the par
ties came to their death by violence
by parties unknown.
Elmer Van Brocklin was taken to
Decorah about II o'clock Sunday
night and placed in Jail. He is about
% years of age. His murdered
brother was 21 years old, and hi;
wife Is or 10 years.
The Van Brocklins are sons of
"Gypsy Dan" Van Brocklin. The
murdered woman was a daughter oil
Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Rice, of Beloitr
Wis.
Elmer Van Brocklin, the young fel'
low under arrest, had been working
on the Moore farm near Clermont
and Saturday came up to the neigh
borhood of the crime.
1t is stated that he had admit
ted to officials that he visited hii
brothers home Sunday morning, and
that they had a quarrel, but that
was all. He denies having any
thing to do with the killing of the
couple.
The murder mystery is now being
taken up by County Attorney j. A
Nelson. Yesterday a preliminary
examination was started at the court
house behind closed doors. Attor-
neys c. N. Houck and Frank Sayre
appear for Van Brocklin. We un-
derstand there are good many wit
nesses to be examined and the hear
ing will perhaps last several days.
The murdered woman's step ia
ther, Fred Rice, arrived in Decorah
Tuesday and last night took the
remains of his daughter home to
Beloit for burial. The husband viii
be buried this afternoon in Phelps
cemetery. Rev. Woodall of the M.
E. church will officiate.
The couple had one child, a son,