The San Francisco call., 1897-04-17
Convicted of Extorting
Money From Theresa
Tarpey.
Judge Wallace Refused a Trial
With Closed Doors for the
Public Good.
Deputy District Attorney Black Com
me1ted on the Hideous Depravity
of the Prisoner.

In Judge Wallaces court yesterday
Nicholas Brennan was convicted of send
ing a letter 10 Miss Theresa Tarpey fol
the purpose OF extorting money from her.
The case attracted wide attention on
account of the remarkable depravity OF
the defendant as disclosed in his letters to
the victim of his passions.
Brennan comes of a respectable family,
and all his relatives are prosperous, while
the parents of Miss Tarpey, now dead,
came into court bowed with age and bear
ing tho stamp of penury, if not OF poverty.
The testimony indicated that the poor
girls lowly condition in life and the fact
that she was compelled to work away
from home at tender age led to the cir
cumstances which put her under Bren-
mans control, and made her, as Deputy
District Attorney Black informed the
Jury, 'his mere chattel and devoted
slave"
During the trial Brennan maintained a
bold front and smiled derisiyely as the
testimony of the girl, taken before the
com mitting magistrate, was read 10 the
jury. He did not appear to appreciate the
enormity of the charges against him, for
the master of extortion was the mildest of
the three counts formally prese ented. A
charge of criminal assault was dismissed
some time ago on habeas corpus proceed
ings, but there is yet pending a charge of
inducing female to enter a disreputable
house.
Judge Wallace refused to allow the case
to be tried with closed doors. for the
renson that he thought if such things are
possible in this City the public has right
10 know OF them and take warning.
Brennan has been surrounded by in
fuential friends from the time of his ar
rest, and apparently had no doubt of ac-
Quittai. He maintained an air OF brag-
gadocio up to the moment that the YER
dict Of guilty was announced and Deputy
Sheriff Usher slipped the steel gives on
his wrists, and then for the first time the
convicted felon turned pale.
In the morning session Brennan took
the witness-stand in his own behalf and
denied the allegations OF assault and of
inducing the girl to resort to immortality.
Deputy District Attorney A. Z. Black
addressed the jury, earnestly, but briefly.
He read the letter which Brennan sent to
Miss Tarpey, and said 1t was the most
brutal epistle that he ever saw. H ask ID
that justice be meted out TO this villain,
who had disgraced the name of manhood.
Brennan Is a vigorous, athletic young
fellow, and she was poor, weak, con-
sumptive girl, under Is years of age, yet
he threatened-to use his own horrible
and by so doing he extorted from her the
money that she gave him.
The jury was asked to consider only the
charge OF eI tor;ion at this time. The ale
cations in the dead girls testimony in re-
gard to any outrage that Brennan had
committed upon her. and that he had
forced her into vile house where he COM
PEELED her to receive the visits of China
men, would be inquired into at another
time.
Attorney E. L. Forster, representing the
defendant, made an able and logical argu-
ment, presenting the defense of his client
in the strongest possible light Every in
cident that could be considered as favor
able to the defendant was stated by Mr..
Forster in forcible manner.
Mr.. Black responded in a few words.
He said that be regretted the tears OF
Brennan's relatives. but the jurors must
do their sworn duty. In some communi-
ties the populace would not be so patient
IS to await the verdict of jury in such q
case. He thought the tears of Theresa
Tarpey ought also to be remem bered,
Judge Wallace delivered a succinct
charge TO the jury, and ten minutes later
averdlct OF guilty as charged was returned
Brennan was conducted to felon's cell in
the City Hall basement. He will be sen.
faOcad paYt Friiav