TRIPLE MURDER!

The Carnival of Blood Reaches Carlinville

MOST HORRIBLE CRIME EVER COMMITED

IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

DELIBERATE SLAUGHTER OF

TWO INNOCENT WOMEN

MRS. OLIVER W. HALL AND HER

DAUGHTER KILLED

SUICIDE OF THE MURDERER

Full Details of the Terrible Crime

It is our unpleasant duty to record, this week, the most horrible tragedy that ever transpired in
this county. It is no less than the cool and deliberate murder of two women, and the suicide of the
murderer. The crime, in all its horror and details is one of the most terrible known in the annals of
crime, and it was executed with a predetermination and coolness that almost surpasses belief. The
victims are Mrs. Oliver Hall, her daughter Mrs. Ella Brink, and Charles Brink, husband of the latter.

As all the parties to the whole terrible affair are now in their graves, an account of it must be
necessarily circumstantial. But from all that could be gathered at the coroner's inquest the truth
seems to be about this:

About five or six months ago young Brink, who was only about twenty years of age, married Miss
Ella Hall. Recently, the couple commenced house-keeping, but Brink, either having no work or not
wishing for any, proved a very poor provider for his wife. Last week she was taken sick with chills
and fever, having a very high fever, lasting for several hours. During this time he would seldom wait
on her and would not even get her a drink without cursing her. This come to the knowledge of her
mother, and that maternal love which is characteristic of all good mothers, revolted; she took her
daughter home on Friday evening so that she could receive that attention which she needed.
During the days that followed, Brink saw his wife only a few times. On Tuesday morning he was
down town trying to borrow a revolver, but was refused at several places. It is also stated that he
went into two or three saloons and took a drink. He also visited his mother's family and there talked
over his difficulties, but left promising that he would wait until his wife got well before he went to
see her again. But he must have gone directly from there to the scene of the tragedy.

Mr. O. W. Hall lives in the Southern part of the city, on the street running South past the cemetery.
His residence was the last house in the city limits on the West side of that street where the terrible
work commenced, but it was ended at the residence of Mr. Behrens, immediately North. Mr. B's
house is a one story brick fronting the East with small "L" at the South-west corner, while a porch
fills up the North-west corner, as will be seen by the following diagram:

(There is a diagram of the house with #s showing where the bodies were found)

Mrs. Brehrens who was in the cellar of her dwelling, heard a shot and simultaneously with it, the
cries of women; as she came out of her cellar, Mrs. Hall and Mrs. Brink were entering the gate, and
Brink was following them. They ran round the North side of the house and the three and Mrs.
Behrens were on the porch. Mrs. Behrens ran into the house and into one of the front rooms; it is
supposed that Mrs. Hall was standing with her back to the West and trying to open the hall door
with her right hand, when Brink shot her, (as there is a bullet hole in this door and the bullet was
found in the hall,) and that she ran to the North side of the house and fell dead; that having shot
Mrs. H., he turned on his wife, who ran into the kitchen, and shot her so that her body fell over a
chair sitting to the left and a little behind the door; he then stepped into the kitchen and placed the
muzzle of the pistol to his temple and fired, the marks on the floor indicating that he fell backward.

Mrs. Hall was shot in the left side, the course of the ball being entirely through her body, and
passing just back of her heart. Mrs. Brink was shot in the back part of the head, the brains and
blood oozing out from the would. The most horrible sight was that of Brink; he lay weltering in a
large pool of this own blood while his brains protruded from the wound, and his hand still clutched
the revolver which had done such terrible work.

Young Brink, who is the author of this double murder and who proved his own executioner, was
born and raised in this city, and was about twenty years old. He has not, so far as we can learn,
been considered of a vicious disposition and neither has he been in the habit of drinking. His
chiefest crime seems to have been, lately, that he would not work and try to provide properly for his
wife, and objected to others doing what he should have done. It would hardly seem possible that
the action of Mrs. Hall, in taking her daughter home to take care of her, should have made him even
temporarily enraged to an extent to produce insanity - and yet it seems impossible to conceive that
any human being, in his right mind, would commit such a horrible crime. Only about an hour before
the occurrence young Brink visited his mother and promised most faithfully that he would not go the
Mr. Hall's house until his wife had fully recovered, so he could then talk over matters with her. But
his frequent attempts to borrow a revolver show that the deed was premeditated, and executed in
cool blood.

Mrs. Hall had lived in this city for over thirty years, and few could have been removed who will be
so missed. In the sick room, among the poor and lowly, she was ever hailed as a ministering angel.
She was kind, noble and generous - ever ready, willing and anxious to do good to those around her.
In taking her daughter to her own home she developed her own nature - she did so through no other
motive than to give her that attention she needed, and she would have done the same for a stranger.
By her many years of faithful duty and many good deeds, she had endeared herself to our people in
such a manner that the grief over her murder in universal.

Mrs. Brink was about twenty-two years of age, and of an industrious disposition - having already
served an apprenticeship at the printing business in the Democrat office in this city, and also learned
a trade in the woolen mills - in both of which places she was looked upon as being faithful and
competent.

Young Brink was buried on Tuesday afternoon at five o' clock. Mrs. Hall and her daughter were
buried on Wednesday afternoon at 2 o' clock, their remains being followed to the grave by a large
concourse of friends and relatives.

Macoupin Enquirer - Carlinville, IL - Thursday, October 7, 1875 - front page.

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HORRIBLE TRAGEDY ENACTED

IN OUR MIDST

CHAS. BRINK MURDERS MRS. O.W.

HALL AND HIS WIFE

AND COMMITS SUICIDE

One of the most heart-rendering affairs occurred in this city on Tuesday morning last, about 9 o'clock, that
it has ever been our painful duty to record; and we believe has never before occurred in the community. At
the hour named, a report reached us, that Charles Brink had killed his mother-in-law, Mrs. Deborah Hall,
wife of Oliver Hall, and Ellen, his wife, and then shot himself. We, with a number of others, repaired to Mr.
O. W. Hall's residence in the south-east part of the city, but upon arriving there, learned that the sad affair
occurred at the residence of Mr. Christian Behrens, the first house this side. There a horrible and sickening
sight was to be seen. Mrs. Hall was lying on the ground in the yard at the north-east corner of the house,
dead. In a room formed as an ell to the house, was found Ellen Brink and her husband; she dead, and he
dying, and utterly unconscious. In order to learn the facts in the case, Coroner Heinz, who had been
summoned, procured a jury, when the following facts were elicited: The first inquest was upon the body of
Mrs. Hall. After the jury were sworn, Dr. A. C. Corr made an examination of the body, when it was found
that a bullet from a pistol, had passed through her body, entering the right side passing near the heart; passing
through the lungs back of the heart, and out of the body. No other wounds were visible. The first witness
examined, was Mrs. Dora Behrens, at whose house the sad affair took place. Upon being sworn, she
testified: I was down in the cellar at work, and heard Mrs. Hall calling for help, stating that Brink was trying
to kill her. She looked out of the window and saw Mrs. Hall running on the side walk to her house. As she
got out of cellar, met Mrs. Hall and Brink at her porch; Mrs. Ellen Brink also got there abo't the same time.
Brink shot; did not see Mrs. Hall shot; but 3 shots were fired. Thinks the first shot was fired on the porch.
Brink had a pistol in his hand when he was running after Mrs. H. and Brink. Did not see any one else. He,
(Brink,) told them he was going to kill them; were just then on the porch, and the shots were fired. - Thinks it
was about 9 o'clock in the morning. Brink made no threats upon her, (Mrs. Behrens). She went into her
room when the shot was fired; did not see any other shots fired; but heard two in the next room. Also heard
a shot fired before she first heard Mrs. Hall call for help at her own house.

Mr. Conrod Dena Sanders sworn. Lives near by, was out in her kitchen making a fire, when she head
screaming in, or near Mrs. B.'s house. She run over there inquiring what was the matter; was at the fence
trying to climb over, when she heard a shot fired, and saw Mrs. Hall come from the porch screaming, and
when she, Mrs. Hall, got to the back of the house she fell to the ground. Heard a shot when she was in the
kitchen. It was hardly a minute before she saw Mrs. Hall. Saw Mrs. Hall fall had just time to get to her
before she died. Mrs. Hall did not say anything; did not hear any threats, and does not know anything more.
Mrs. Hall breathed several minutes after she got to her, but could not speak.

Mrs. Elizabeth Reifenburg was next examined. All she knew was that she heard 3 shots fired, and when
she run over to Mrs. B.'s house, she found Mrs. Hall lying at the back of the house, but not dead yet.

The jury next proceed to hold inquest upon the bodies of Charles Brink and Ellen, his wife. Drs. Head and
Corr were present, and examined the bodies. Found a bullet hole in center of the back of the head, just
above the ears. No other marks of violence upon her body. Charles Brink was lying upon his back on the
floor of the room near to the body of his wife with a revolver in his hand, and a ghastly would in his right
temple, from which blood and brains were oozing out. No other mark or wound upon his body.

Mrs. Sanders was again called, and testified she knew nothing more about the matter. When she got there
she saw Mrs. Hall lying at the back of the house dead; Mrs. Brink lying in the room with her head against
the wall and dead, while Brink lay on his back on the floor near his wife, and not yet dead. No other persons
on the premises. About this time Mrs. Scharra came. Mrs. Scharra testified the same. They opened the
door and saw Mr. and Mrs. B. on the floor with a pistol in his hands.

The jury after hearing all the testimony, gave a verdict in regard to Mrs. Hall, and her daughter, Mrs. Ellen
Brink. That they came to their death by a pistol shot from the hands of Charles Brink; and that he came to
his death by his own hand.

It is impossible to furnish any rational explanation of motives that led young Brink to the commission of this
horrible deed. A few months ago we recorded his marriage, which took place at Springfield. His wife was
a very amiable young lady, who had some time previous spent a year in the Democrat office learning to set
type. So far as known their married life had been as happy as is usual in that condition. They both
professed religion in the revival last winter, and quite recently attended church together. He was but 19
years of age, and she somewhat older. Before their marriage they had both worked in the Woolen mill,
were industrious and made good wages. Of late he had not been doing much, and furnished a very scanty
support for his wife. She had became sick too, and not having the attention desirable, her mother suggested
that she be removed to her residence, where she could see to her. This was done with the apparent
acquiescence of Brink. On Monday night he slept at the residence of his mother just north of the Square.
Tuesday morning he told his mother that he was going down to bring his wife either there, or to their own
home. She remonstrated with him, and finally induced him to promise to let his wife remain with her mother
while sick. He then asked his mother to give him $2 to buy some lemons and sugar to make some lemonade
for the sick wife. She gave him the money and he bought the lemons. He also went about making several
unsuccessful attempts to borrow a pistol, telling a somewhat improbable story about wanting to pursue a
horse thief. At last unfortunately he succeeded in getting a Smith & Wesson's five-shooter, and, it is said,
took three drinks of whisky at different places. Not a half hour later the fearful deed was perpetrated. The
lemonade was found there in a glass afterwards. It would seem that he remained in the house upwards of
fifteen minutes before the shooting, as Dr. Hankins passed the house and saw nothing unusual. The words
that passed between the young man and his victims in that time, can never be known. The two fearfully
afflicted families have the warm sympathy of the entire community.

P. S. Since the above was in type, we have been furnished the following letter which was written by
young Brink late on Monday night, and was found in his pocket. It indicates, we think, that his mind had
become unsettled by brooding over the delusion that there was an attempt to take his wife away from him:

MY DARLING WIFE: As I cannot see you, I must write you a few lines, for I must
know how you get along. Oh, my darling! You don't know how I have suffered since
Sunday. Oh, darling! For the love of God, please don't stay away from me. I can't stand
it. I will show you first I can be a man. I have a steady place, and you can see for yourself.
Now, darling, I will let you draw the money and pay the rent in advance, and you can buy
enough for us to live until you draw the next. Now, darling, I want you to see yourself first
that I am at work, before you come. Oh, darling! I hope God will strike me dead if I am
trying to deceive you. Oh, Ella, listen to my prayer-for God sake, please do, darling. I
promise you that you can have a girl to do your work, and you can do just as you please
about everything. Oh, darling! I have cried ever since I went away, for I can't live without
you. I will be ruled by you in everything. But you can see for yourself I am trying to be a
man. Oh, darling! Don't think I am deceiving you, for as God is my witness, I am not.

Oh. Darling! The tears blind me so I can't write any more. Let me know every day how
you are. You can find me at the pit. So good by.

Your loving husband, CHARLIE.

Carlinville Democrat - Thursday, October 7, 1875 - front page.