The New York herald., 1873-12-17
THE HIGH BRIDGE (N.J.) TRAGEDY.
Trial OF Edward Brennan for the Al
legged Murder OF His WIFE,

Trial OF Edward Brennan for the Al
legged Murder OF His Wife.
Yesterday, in the Hunterdon county IN. Jl Court
OF Oyer and Terminer, at Pennington, before Chief
Justice Beaseley, Edward Brennan was arraigned
on the charge Of having murdered his wife
Catharine at High Bridge, in the above county, on
the 2lst Of November last. Long before the hour
arrived for the opening OF the court room crowds
congregated outside, where they waited with
anxious expectation for the commencement of the
proceedings.
Every available space was taken up inside few
minutes after the doors were thrown open, and
the greater portion OF the audience seemed to
belong to the agricultural population.
The prosecuting attorney, Mr. P. Chamberln, was
assisted by ex-C0ngressman John 7. Bird, and the
prisoner was represented by J. N. voorhees, and
Mercer Beaseley, Jr. In about twenty minutes a
respectable intelligent looking jury was picked
out, after the panel was nearly exhausted by the
peremptory challenges Of the prisoners counsel.
MI. Chamberlin in a brief manner gave to the
jury history Of the circumstances connected with
the tragedy, which was July reported in the
HERALD Of the 4th inst. The deceased, Catharlne
Brennan was the mother OF four small children
and resided with her husband tthe prisoner) up
to the time OF her sudden death the 2lst OF No
vember. On the evening qf her decease she was
at the washtub, at about hhlfpast five O'Clock, and
at seven O'Clock lone hour and half afterw ards)
she was a corpse. She was inferred without any
investigation taking place as to the cause Of her
death. In . few days after the burial her body
was exbumed and a -postmsrtem examination
discovered in her abdomen, together with several
bruises on other parts OF her body. The doctors
se
verdict charging the prisoner with the commits
sj9n q tbs deed s9q tpe Grsnq Jury q Hunter, TER
direct testimony agains{ the accused.
william ne Se an Peace s %o
as Coroner at the inquest. His testimony was not
very important to the state. He presented dia-
place. and minutely described the exact location OF
the rooms, passsgeways, stairways, windows, the
death Death and and the marks Of Of the three pools
Of blood He testified that he was present
At the Rosn0stem examination amin neia ,,n 10
deceased. He was oss-exaihined at great length
by Mr.. Voorhees, as to the location size and con-
struction Of the prisoners house and also the
residences adjoining.
Ellen Brady, sister Of the prisoner, next gave
throughout her examination she could hardly be
heard by any one. save Mr.. Chamberlin, who was
close to her, Notwithstanding she was several
times requested to speak in sufficiently
audible tone. The most important portion or
her testimony was as folows:-That she saw
deceased lay after her death, but she did not
know what the cause OF her death was; there was
no one present at the time she died but the
prisoner Edward Brennan; a short time before
that heard Mrs. Brennan cursing the baby in the
basement and also heard her make q threat that
she would throw the baby into the stove; prisoner
came in about this time and told Mrs. Brennan TO
give him the baby; heard him tell her
to 60 up stairs to the children; afterwards
heard deceased say she was not able to 60 up
stairs; prisoner then said he would help her up;
he then got one arm around her, and, holding
candle with his other hand, helped her up stairs;
that is all witness saw until deceased called her
soon afterwards to bring her some water; heard
nothing happen between them that day; they
often had angry words, which witness could not
now repeat; Mrs. Brennan used to beat her
baby, and, consequently, prisoner would often
take 1t from her; the blood on the floor came
from the body OF Mrs. Brennan; ! saw the clothes
that MRS. Brennan wore in the water closet, cov-
cred with straw.
During her crosse examination by Mr. voorhees,
she deposed that Immediately before the death OF
Mrs. Brennan witness called on Ned lthe prisoner
to 60 for the doctor, when deceased said-"No;
bring me drink Of water.o
Dr. william @. Alpaugh was next examined. His
evidence was tan tam0unt to that given before the
Cor0ner's jury when he described the nature Of
the wound In the abdomen and his opinion as to
the cause Of DEATH, which he said resulted from
foul play. His evidence was not concluded when
the Court adjourned.
II Is believed that the case will last the entire