CLINTON WEEKLY REGISTER

APRIL 22, 1892

INSTANTLY KILLED

An Old Feud Between Two
Prominent Families Ends
With Fatal Results.

ONE KILLED, ANOTHER WOUNDED.

C. E. Brock, the Man Who Did
the Shooting, Now in the
Clinton Jail.

A REALLY DEPLORABLE AFFAIR.
The Final Ending of a Feud of Twenty Years' Duration--The Son Instantly Killed and the Father Dangerously Wounded. Tuesday afternoon Sheriff Murphy was notified by telephone from Heyworth that a terrible crime had been committed in this county, about four miles southwest of Heyworth. The Sheriff, his deputy, Geo. Gambrel and States Attorney W. H. Booth hastily left for the scene of the tragedy. Arriving at Heyworth they learned that C. E. Brock, who committed the deed, with his father, had left for Clinton a few minutes previous, on a freight train, to give himself up. The sheriff telephoned to William Fruit to meet them at the depot and take Brock in charge until his arrival. TO THE SCENE OF THE SHOOTING The sheriff, his deputy and the state’s attorney then went to the scene of the shooting. Arriving at the home of Alexander Halsey they found a sad scene. Alex Halsey was suffering from a dangerous wound and his son, Luther, aged 14 years, was cold in death. RESULT OF AN OLD FEUD The death of young Halsey and the wounding of his father was the result of an old quarrel between the Halsey and Brock families. About twenty years ago the trouble commenced, and has never died entirely out. The origin of the quarrel that had such a sad ending was about a two acre piece of land which Alex Halsey bought of Mr. Buck. Mr. Elias Brock has a claim on the land and a dispute arose over it. From that time there has been lawsuits between the families in the courts of this and McLean counties. Last fall one of the cases was heard by Squire McHenry of this city and he remembers the deep hatred that existed. As he expressed it: "I could almost see blood in their eyes." In November there was a big slander suit in the McLean county court between them. The whole tendency of the trouble seemed toward such a termination as came Tuesday. THE PARTIES The Halsey and Brock families live in this and McLean counties. Alex Halsey and Elias Brock live in McLean county, about half a mile apart. C. E. Brock, who fired the shots, lives in this county, a few rods from the line. He is about 32 years old; has a wife and two children. Alex Halsey and Elias Brock are each about 60 years old and are both well preserved men for that age. STORY OF THE SHOOTING Tuesday afternoon between 1 and 2 o’clock Brock was alone building fence along the road a short distance south of his house, when Alex Halsey and two of his sons, Luther and Oscar, came alone each with a wagon going to haul corn to Heyworth. The quarrel between them was revived, and resulted as before stated. Brock claims Alex Halsey began the quarrel and the Halseys claim Brock commenced it. Brock’s story as reported, is that the Halseys were after him with clubs and that he shot in self defense. The Halseys claim Brock shot at Alex Halsey while he was in the wagon, and that the boys started back to their father, who had jumped from the wagon, and that Brock fired at them killing Luther, and then shooting his father twice. Brock claimed he shot at Alex Halsey and the boy jumped in the way to save his father. The bullet struck the boy just below the right shoulder and entered the heart, causing instant death, only a shriek escaping his lips after the shot was fired. A shot at the other boy missed him. Alex Halsey was shot through the end of the nose, and in the head just back of the right ear, the ball lodging in the throat. As no preliminary hearing has been held it is not known what evidence will be given. Coroner Cyrus Jones went to the Halsey home Tuesday night, the verdict being in accordance with the facts as given above, and charging Brock with murder. PUBLIC OPINION
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