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LATESTImportant Cable And Telegraphic News.SPECIALS TO THE DEMOCRAT-THECOPELAND-BRUNING SHOOTINGA FULL ACCOUNT OF T1II0 DR-PLOKABLK AFFAIItAh Given l»y Those Present, at. the Hliooting. BrtininK'Vi Wound Not Neeessnrlly Fatal—Copeland Out on Bail ,und Will Be Home This Evening.Yesterday as the Dkmoukat went to press the city was set in furor of excitement over a dispatch from Ind-iunupoMs announcing the fact that Wm. II. Copeland, attorney of this eity had shot his brother-in-law, Wm. M. Bruning, and also his attorney Atldison C. Harris, in that eity. The press was stopped anti a brief mention made of the tragedy. Today we give full particulars of the sad affair.The offices in which the shooting occurred are in the Wright block, (JSiSouth.w□w“ □\vC?n.□!□ 1 □.1Iridge in his pistol, and Miller’s first attempt was to tie Copeland’s arms, so that he could not use the weapon. Mr. Winter had meantime come to the assistance of Mr. Miller. Finally Mr. Miller wrapp'd both arms around Copeland’s body, pinioning his arms to his side, and after a desperate struggle, forced him into a corner, with Ids head against the office stiff?. There Copeland struggled with the ferocity of a maniac. They were in this position for several minutes, Mr. Bruning in the meantime offering incidental assistance while the blood poured from his wounds. Mr. Harris also came out, and with one uninjured arm sought to prevent further violence.Very opportunely Supt. of Police Powell came into the room.Mr. Powell taking in the situation, seized the revolver from Copeland and placed him under arrest. Messengers were dispatched for doctors and the patrol wagon summoned.Mr. Harris, meantime, was conducted down stairs to the office of the Union Trust Company. Here I)r. Marseo found him and attended to the wounds.Mr. Bruning was taken to the doctor’s office. He had been struck by two ot the bullets one of winch made a flesh wound in the left lower arm, which is painful but not serious. The other bullet entered at the side of the chin and fractured the lower j»w.Mr. Bruning picked the bullet out from where it had lodged against his teeth.Mr. Harris’ Story.Mr. Harris, gave ihe following account of the shooting: “As theFederal Court adjourned Mr. Co|H»-land, of Madison, for whose w ife I have two or three lawsuits in the Federal Court, came to see me. Notice had been given for the biking of desposjtions at Madison bxlay or tomorrow before W. P. Fish back, master in chancery. Mr. Winter is on one side of the case and I am on the other. I asked Mr. Copeland what wras the matter and he said that Mr. Korbly had said thedespositions could not be taken today; that the notice was not ready. I said that M r Korbly was here, let us go over to Mr. Winter’s office and have the matter arranged. I suspect I was a little petulant with Mr. Copeland. When we came to Mr. Winter’s office tin? defendant—I cannot now recall his name—was sitting in a chair. Mr. Korbly was also there and Mr. Wintei was there. I walked in ahead and w ent up to shake hands..rill. II./. ,1,A 4 41...4 4Mr. Bruning was at that time sitting in a chair near the window and Mr. Korbly was standing near another window’ in the front of my office. As Mr. Harris came in, and I could see who accompanied him, I! rose from* the chair, and stepped up ' to him and said: ‘How do you do,Mr.Co|Hiland? bknew you in the legislature of 1880.’ I shook hands w ith him. Hejlookedat me and half nodded, but he did not reply. As soon as I released his hand he drew a revolver like a*flash and fired at Mr.Bruning, who jumped up. He followed it by another shot, and yet another, and then some one jumped at at CojH'land, and there was a scuttle and another shot tired, anil all was confusion. Mr. Bruning ran fromthe front room into the middle room, I to New York with him, w here lu and Copeland broke away from those j wits in business with the Union who held him, followed Bruning into J CoflW? Company. He was trying the inside roo.n and fired another ; to scperate us, and he did everything shot. At this moment Mr. Miller j in his pow’or possible to bring such a caught him by the collar and pulled thing about. He kept her in NewHighest of all in Leavening Power.—Latest U. Sb Gov’t Repomabsolutely purewill to set it aside, and also to set aside the deed that he had fraudulently obtained. He took my w ifehim back. Other people ruslusl in, I grubbed him, and we got him to the floor. Then the door burst open again and Superintendent Powell came in and wrested the revolver from the man’s hands. Mr. Bruning was struck by one shot in the jaw, which was broken, and one bullet lodged in his left arm. I did not know’ that Mr. Harris was hit until it was all over.”Copeland married Bruning’s sister in 188'). He was in the Legislature. The family was opposed to his marrying Clara. She w’ent to visit a cousin in Iowa, and it was arranged between Copeland and her that he was to meet her there, and they w’ould he married. The old folks heard of this arrangement in some way, and, though they were bitterly op post'd to the mutch, they chose the least of two evils and consented to the marriage taking place at home. Clara Bruning came home and was married to Copeland in September, 1885.1 didn’t understand that there w as any tiouhlc until these suits were brought. Copeland and his wife lived with his wife’s father and mother at Madison until the parents died. She brought these sui's in 185)8, but, of course,there had been had blood between the members of the family before these suits got into court. They tried in every way to come to some compromise, and it was only w’hen it was found that neither side would make concessions that these suits were brought. Both Mr. Harris and I tried to get the thing settled peaceably, as it was strictly a family affair. That’s nil I know about the affair.”York four months against her will, and threatened if she left him he would have nothing more to do with her, and she w’ould have to get along the best she knew’ how. He would not let her come hack to me. My w ile has been in mortal (ear of her brother ever since we wore married,! and 1 never understood why she was so completely in his power until this I morning. Today my wife made an astounding statement, giving reason | why she had been afraid of her brother from her youth.“I came to Indianapolis to see Mr. Harris about fixing a day for taking proof in our cases before Mr.Fishback. I came here at the suggestion of Mr. Allison and Mr. Bear, our attorneys at Madison. As soon as I arrived here I went to Mr. Harris office. I was told that he was in the Unibil States court room, and I went over there. I waited until court had adjourned, and then I saw Mr. Harris. He took me across the strlt;*ot to some one’s office,1 don’t know whose office it was, I know we went up a stairway and walked into a room. All I remember is.I saw’ that villian seated in a corner, I did not know that he was in town, or had any idea of meet ing him. llej seemed to rise right up toward me, and I don’t remember what was done or who was in the room. I could see no one but him. I know a lot of men pushed me into a corner and hurt me. The amount involved in the cases is about fifty thousand dollars in real estate, and from seventy-five thousand to one hundred thousand dollars in the partnership matters.”claiming that ho was simply trying to put off the deposition until it was too late to get them in and then have the case thrown out of court.The consultation resulted in advice to Mr. Co[K?land to proceed to Indianapolis yesterday morning to see the lawyers there and have the case continued so as to give plaintiff* more time to get in her evidence, and also to set a time, agreed to and signed by theattornies on both sides, when the deposition should Ik? taken here.Mr. Korbly laid claimed to me that be was going to Indianapolis on business other than this case, but we did not believe him, the terrible result proving we w’ore right.None of us knew t hat Mr. Bruning was in Indiami|H)]is, and wre did not know it when Mr.Oo|H?land went to that eity yesterday on my advice. I think Mr. Korbly is very largely to blame in this affair and that he was trying to take an unfair advantage of my client. Mr. Copeland w’ent to Indiaiuipo.is on the morning train yesterday and going to the Attorney's office saw Bruning and Korbly there. The result is known.Mrs. Copeland lett on the train yesterday evening for Indianapolis w hen learning of the shooting.Mrs. Copeland consented to an interview last night and to a Sentinel reporter told the story of her unhappy life since her marriage. She corroborates her husband’s story in every particular and says she believes the direct cause of the shooting was on account of a story she told her husband shortly before he took a train for the city yesterday morning. She said she kept him in complete ignorance of the affiiir until yesterday wfhen she told him the whole story.At the time the alleged crime is supposed to have boon committed she was seven *1 and her brother thirteen years of age. She further stated that since the cases have been pending in court she has been annoy-
Newspaper Details
Madison Twice a Week Democrat
Madison, Indiana, US
Fri, Apr 20, 1894
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
John N.
USA 31 Aug 2023
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