Arizona republican., 1894-01-09
THE BRENNAN CASE.
Husbands Care for His Wife'S Morals.
4 Conditional Threat to Divest Wife of Her Undergarment Construed
 to Have Murderous Meaning.

The hearing of J. M. brennan, ar rested on complaint of his 15-year- old wife, Mary brennan, for threatening to murder her, began yesterday before Squire Johnstone. Notwithstanding the supposed serious character ot the proceeding it was of the nature of a comedy. The husband is apparently about twenty years older than his wife and both are young looking, and 1t may be said, good looking. Mrs. brennan is one for whom man might commit murder, but certainly none could be so brutal as to murder her, and brennan IS in no respect brutal looking man, but on the contrary man with strong impulses, apt, however, to be well di- rected.
 Mesars. Damron & Crenshaw ap- peared for him and District Attorney Williams on behalf of the prosecuting witness. Mrs. brennan was the first witness. She said she and brennan were married in Prescott more than a year ago; that her husband had never supported her. They hadn't been liv- ing together for six months. Two months ago brennan came from Will COX and called on the witness. who was living with her mother, Mrs. McLaren, the proprietress of the Dublin restsu- rant. He afterward went to Prescott and returned week ago. On the oc- casion of this visit he threatened her with bodily injury; one night he dragged her into private room at the restaurant, "set her down and told her to sit there until he was ready for her to go." While she was thus torcibly seated he gave her square talking to and told her if she didn't behave her self he would "pound the shirt off of her back" Witness did not believe that this system of divesting one of 8 chemise could be practiced without serious, if not fatal, effect upon the wearer of that intimate garment. Last Saturday he followed her upon the street and ordered her to go home, threatening to 'fx her 80 she couldn't" :" This, the witness thought, was the last warning of her painful separation from her shirt and she went to the law for relief.
 The cross-examination developed that Mrs. brennan is a natural born witness, though this was her first ap- pearance on the stand. Her story was comical and her gestures tragical. MT. Dlmron was inclined to admit the general correctness of her story, but wished to go more into detail and throw a stronger and truer light upon it. Was it trus that her husband in following her about was remonstrating with he. upon her association with young hoodlums and women of ill re- pute? Had she not been buggy riding with d1sreputable young men, and had she not been at saloon one night with singing girls and Lieut.. Maude Wright, late of the Salvation Army? All of which the witness indignantly denied and the district attorney entered an objection to testimony concerning Drenn ans motive. In the course of an argument on the objection Mir. Damron was challenged by the witness. "Keep still, madam, please; you're not the court, though you may be some time Pm speaking to the court"
 The objection was sustained and the cross-examination proceeded, in the course of which the witness managed to drag in some irrevalent matter which, however, was calculated to place the defendant before the county in an un- enviable light. For instance, when he married her more than a year ago he represented to the probate court that she was of age. Her wardrobe, pur- chased by her husband since her mar riage, consisted of a calico dress. Her hus band had created no great stir in the industrial world. He had threat ened to have her put in reform school
 ''To save you from ruin?" asked the attorney. "No," replied the witness, "because I wouldn't live with him. Here MT. Damron stated that he would show that not only the defendant, but the witness's mother had taken steps tc have her sent to the reform school fol incorrigibility.
 All the witnesses for the territory testified but one, who could not be found and the case was adjourned un- til this morning.
 A Chinese Supporter.