Thriller Thursday: Brother Shoots Brother

This article found in the August 21, 1936 edition of The News-Palladium (Benton Harbor, Michigan) describes an incident between my great grandfather Orlie Charles McKenzie and his brother Lawrence C. McKenzie. The article states that Lawrence McKenzie, age 34, was being held in the Montmorency County jail in Atlanta, Montmorency, Michigan accused on wounding his brother Orlie, age 40 by shooting him in the shoulder with a shotgun.

This newspaper article relates to one of those stories I always heard as a child. It is always nice to find the "proof" behind the story, even if the story isn't a good one.

Article found on Newspapers.com

So, what made brother turn against brother?

The article states that a quarrel broke out the night before when Lawrence returned home suggesting that he take his nephews, ages 13 and 11 to a dance in Atlanta.

The two boys would have been, my grandfather, Alexander Orlando McKenzie and his younger brother Garnet.

The article goes on to say that Orlie protested to his brother's suggestion because Lawrence had been drinking. This is when the quarrel broke out, Lawrence seized the gun and fired! The article states that Orlie's wound was so severe that he may die and that he is in the Gaylord Hospital.

The good news is that Orlie does not succumb to his wounds in August of 1836. However, it seems that his luck doesn't change because he does die on July 29, 1948, by accidental drowning in Grand Traverse County, Michigan.