The New York herald., 1873-12-04
THE ElaHBRIDGE, N. j., MYS-IRY

Light Breaking Ip-Dav.aging Evi..
d.mcc Against the Musbnnd-A Sad
Parody on Welded Biiss-What n.
Child Saw--Iarervicw With the
Prisoner.
The excitement occasioned by the mysterious
death OF Catharine Brennan, ana the arrest OF her
husband rose to fever heat on Tuesday IN High
bridge, N. j., when the medical testimony was
given at the inquest before Justice If Tho
court room was densely packed. and more noisy
and disorderly crowd could not be found In any
court room in the whole country. There was no
provision, whatever for the maintenance Of
order. The audience composed entirely
OF men and bows OF the unwashed, unterrifed
class who kept their hats on, smoked cheap cigars,
chewed tobacco, cracked small jokes, laughed and
jeered without let hlndrance. The shocking
details OF the story OF blood Tehearsed in their
hearing made little or no impression on them.
on the 18th OF January 1867, Edward Brennan
led TO the altar pretty young girl In the land or
their birth, the Emerald Isle. Fifteen months
afterwards they arrived IN this country, and after
q stay OF three weeks in New York they proceeded
to Iiighbrloge, n j.. where the husband obtained
employment in Tayor's iron WORKS. Here he con-
tinued at work till the 5th OF July last,
when he opened a low groagery. At this
time they had four children, the eldest
being six years old and the youngest
lour months Both husband and wife had wal
lowed in the vice of intemperance, and when the
rum shop was started they abandoned themselves
entirely to the bottle. The Catholic pastor
OF the place exerted all his good oflces to effect
reformation, but with such poor success that he
was at last compelled to launch against the
unhappy couple the public censure Of the church.
Then indeed, their downfall was complete. There
was no remorse, no. attempt at reformation.
Last Friday week, the 21st of November, the wife
died. and by virtue OF the ecclesiastical condemna
tion, the body would not be admitted to the
Catholic cemetery. 1t was therefore inferred at
Clinton. Strange whispers noated around when,
week after her death, the husband
disappeared. The two women who prepared the
body for burial observed a deep cash in the region
OF the groin and there were several bruises
other parts OF the body, They had not as yet re-
vealed the fact within their knowledge that there
were three small pools of blood on the floor and
that the wall was spattered with gore. DR.. Al
when he arrived, and the husband objected to an
examination. The physician, however, notified
reason, refused to investigate the case. Rumor
too busy to be hushed up, and an affidavit was
drawn up, subscribed by respectable citizen. The
body was eXhumed last saturday, and q post
mortem examination was made by Drs. Alpaugh
and Todd. The testimony OF the former unraves
the mystery surrounding the case, and ls as fol-
lOws:-
found five bruises the body over her right
sye 81 s % s na oes ss on % s
outside Of the thigh. about midway between the hip and
A. s shsesa hfs W.:
high; on the possrior part the wound in the form
Zoe Of boot; the other bruises 1 Ca cannot form %
pSn baes ss rogs pscs f
would require force to form these bruises;
iS5%sa ;S;n
icied while she was in ltng condition, unless they
wo e % Se tho nhss s..
rasged The arera system was the part Of the body
blood from the wound without the stoppage OF blood
Mould cause death q in 70 minutes ate in opinion from
have been partly sharp and partly blunt
To the ordinary reader the foregoing testimony
ingulnal artery was severed and that death rc-
suited from the hemorrhage caused thereby.
quest was adjourned TIL to-day. Several wit
nesses testified that they frequently heard loud
noise IN Brennan's house. The evidence thus far,
though circumstantla, Is considered very dam
aging to Brennan who, 1t should have been pre-
ylously stated, returned from his hiding place on
Monday evening and he was arrested at the depot
by Constable Day. AS there is no jan,
nag Large or small In IN the town Bren,
There was Quite n sensation IN cnnrt when tne
clothing OF the deceased saturated with gore was
produced. The bundle had been fshed from the
water closet attached 10 Brennan's house. Brady
a Drotner.in-law OF Brennan, admtten in bis testi-
mony that he deposited the bundle OF clothing
there.
coored woman named Lizzie Campbell testi-
fed that Brennan and deceased we're quarrellinx
in the basement about eggs on the evening OF Mrs.
Brennan's death Brennan called her several harsh
names, ana said II she did not shut up he would
make her; the child told witness that father
wanted mother to go TO bed, ana when she would
not go, he pushed her down.
Last evening the inquest came to an end and
the Jury rendered the following I'VE find
that Catnarlne Brennan came to her death by
murder, and we believe that one Edward Brennan
her husband was the perpetrator In INJECTING q
cut stab or wound on the person OF the said Cath
arine Brennan with an unknown instrumentu
A HERALD reporter had interview with the
prisoner last evening. He declared his inno-
cence OF any completely IN his wile's death He
says she 'drank hard, ~ was drunk on the day or
her death; that he had no quarrel with her then
and on that very day. when she was washing he
asked her TO leave the wash tub. She replied that
IL none oil his business. She had not 'wasned
the vessels" cleaned the house for mon tn pre-
vious TO this She fell several times going up and
down stairs. He went to New York, not to as-
scond, but to bring back his child. He cannot tell
whether his wife met with q natural death or not;
she died suddenly. About hatI-rast i've in the A.
tethoon she left the wash tub and she was dead at
seven. He Helped her up stairs.