Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1874 — A Horrible Affair. [ARTICLE]

A Horrible Affair.

The recent shooting of the two children of Joseph Brown, of Plainfield, Conn., by his son, a lad of twelve years, proves a shocking instance of juvenile depravity. The children were at play during the absence, of their parents, when the boy brought out a loaded gun from the bedroom, saying he was going to kill some of them. He found some caps, put one on, took deliberate aim, and fired at his infant brother, who was only two feat distant from the muzzle. The little one was fearfully mangled. A little girl in whose lap the babe was sitting was also struck in the face and shoulders, a ball passing through her cheeks, cutting her tongue, and knocking out two teeth, while several lodged in her face and neck. As soon as the deed had been done she laid the dying babe on the lounge and bade George run to the village and bring his mother. The boy went as directed, but, instead of telling of the affair, remained with her until evening, when both parents and himself returned home. A light was struck, and a moment sufficed to reveal the sad sight. Stretched upon the lounge lay the ghastly corpse of the babe, the terrible wound in its throat filled with clotted blood, while its clothes were completely saturated. Crouchingia the comer was the wounded girl, who had prepared a rude bandage for herself, and for five hours she had borne indescribable pain from her wounds. Her face had so swollen r as to be scarcely recognizable, and she was hardly able to speak. The floor was covered with blood, and in the walls of the room were imbedded such portions of the charge as had not lodged in the victims. The boy acknowledged his guilt, and said he was only in fun, and did not mean to kill the children.