Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-19
POSSIBLY A MURDER
James Brennan's Friends Think He Met
Foul Play.
His Body Found by the Docks at
Philadelphia-POcke Turned
Wrong Side Out.

Was James Brennan murdered? The be-
lief that he was is current among his
friends. and an investigation into the case
will be made. Several suspicious circum-
stances have been pointed out which seem
to confirm the murder theory. Although
the body when discovered had suffered con-
siderable decomposition, a great, ugly
wound, evidently inflicted with a blunt
weapon, could be noticed on the back of
the head, we'll up against the right ear.
This had the appearance of foul play. The
pockets of the clothing were turned wrong
side out, and nothing of value was found
on the body, though the man in life was
known to carry money and a watch. This
is an additional circumstance tending to con-
firm the theory that murder was committed
for the purpose of robbery.
James Brennan was a marine engineer,
who, during the winter seasons, lived with
his mother and two sisters at 81 Myrtle
street In summer he usually went to the
north and secured a position as engineer.
Early In the spring he left Washing ton,
went to Philadelphia and shipped en-
g1neer OF the excursion steamer Mary Corr,
out OF Philadelphia for Delaware river
resorts. Capt. Gallagher was master of the
craft. Brennan brought the Corr into port
on Sunday night, July 8, and on the same
night disappeared. Although his departure
SocHeu 10 tHe Officers ana crew OF tne SOrr
to be rather abrupt, nothing much was
thought about 1t as il was known aboard
that he had relatives at Bridesboro, and his
shipmates thought that he had gone there.
This was thought probable. as the Corr
was running only on half time, because of
the dizziness Of trade, and was not sched-
uled to leave on her next trip till Thurs
day, July IL.
After the surprise at his sudden disap-
pearance had worn away the matter was
dismissed 10 mo a. nd MA he
lieved that the missing man would turn up
In time to take the Corr out on her next
run. On Thursday Capt. Gallagher was
compelled to put a new man in the engine
rccH. and II was thought that Brennan had
either deserted or had been forced by illness
t. remain away from his post. The signal
OF two bells was given to back water, and
as the buckets churned round and the steam
er backed out of her slip, a human body rose
to the surface and, two-thirds submerged
ficated and eddied in the foaming water
around the wheels. The alarm was at once
sounded, and the corpse taken from the
water. Upon being lifted up, it was im-
ately identified that of Brennan the
missing engineer. The Corr continued on
her journey, and the body was carried to
the morgue. The friends and relatives Of
the dead man at Washington know nothing
as to the coroner's verdict, nor do they
know what action was taken by the Phila-
delphia police. The pockets were turned
out when the body was lifted from the river
The ugly bruise on the head was also noted
but whether the police at PHILADELPHIA are
at work on the case or not has not been
learned In this city. The body was in an
advanced stage Of decomposition and was
sealed i'm a metal casket and shipped to
Washington.
1t was met upon it's arrival here on Tues
day at the Baltimore and Ohio station and
taken TO Mount Olivet cemetery. where in
terment was made. Father Gasson of St
Aloysius Church performed the funeral
rites Of the Catholic Church. of which Bren-
nan was member The dead man was
thirty-three years old unmarried, and had
a wide circle of acquaintances In this city
His brother, Hugh Brennan, was called
from Pittsburg. and left today TO- Phila-
delphia. u see what the authorities there
are doing about the matter.
The Star man talked this forenoon with
the sister Of the deceased and she inclined
strongly to the belief that her brother had
been murdered In reply to questions by
the reporter she said that so far as the
family here knew he had no enemies among
the men on the Corr. he had written and
spoken of them all as good friends and the
best Of fellows. He was not quarrelsome.
and II was against his principles to provoke
q fight There was nothing to lead to the
conjecture that he had turned his pockets
out to give out a wrong clue, and had then
committed suicide So far as the sister
knew. her brother had had no love affairs
nor money troubles His watch was not on
the body when found, but he did not always
wear II, though II was more than likely
that on the night of his disappearance he
had II, as he was just closing a run.