Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-07-03
BRENNAN NAS MURDERED
VICTIM or A FOUL AND MISTER
I0Us CRIME WAS A WHEEL
ING MAN.
BODY BROUGHT 10 THIS CITl
For Interment This Mornins-Dead
Body Found ON the River shore
MT Long Observation-Disclosures That
Brennan Was Beaten and Choied
to Death-The verdict OF the Corr
oner's Jury.

0ner's Jury.
Information was received in this
city yesterday that James Brennan, q
we'll known Wheeling man, was found
dead on the shore of the Ohio river at
Long Reach, w. Va. John Nau and
Edward Schnelle, the latter brother
in-law OF the dead man, went down to
Friendly, W. Va, where the remains
had been prepared for burial at an un-
dertaking establishment. The body
was brought to Wheeling on the after
noon train over the Ohio River road,
and at once taken to Bertchys under
taking establishment. The arrange
ment for the funeral had not been coru-
pleted last night, but 1t will take place
to-day, and the remains will be buried
in Mt. Calvary cemetery.
Brennan was a well-known and
popular glassworker, but has not been
employed at his trade recently. He
last worked at jeanette, Pa, and
Greensburg, Pa. He was about 81
years of age, and married. and made
his home on East Eleventh street.
All the circumstances surrounding
the death of Brennan make it appear
that he was victim of foul play. There
is scarcely any room for doubt that he
was foully murdered.
The discovery of the dead body was
made by Edward Carter and Harry
Hagus, two boys who live in Friendly,
and who started Sunday morning to
walk along the river shore to fishing
camp some distance below the town.
When they reached a point on the
shore near the Long Reach station on
the o. r. road, they were startled to
find the body of man near clump of
willows, in half sitting, half reclin-
ing posture. One arm was hanging at
the side, and the other extended al
most at right angles with the body.
The boys made a hurried examina-
ton, which satisfied them that the man
was dead, and returned to Friendly
with the news of their CHASTITY discov-
cry.
The little town was soon in an up
roar and half hundred citizens, led
by the Mayor, went down to the spot.
The position of the body and the sur
roundings were carefully noted, and the
remains were taken to Friendly and pre-
pared for burial in Thorn & Sons up-
dertaking establishment.
A mere superficial examination Of the
body led to the suspicion of foul play, as
there were ocular evidences that the
man had been beaten and otherwise mis-
treated. Letters from his wife, and
other documents on his person, led to
the establishment of Brennan's identity.
and his relatives in this city were COM
municated with by wire.
T. 80, al
Mayor of the town of Friendly, ex-
pressed the opinion that Brennan had
been dead IS or 20 hours when
found, which would fix the time the
crime was committed as late Friday
night or early Saturday morning.
The evidences that Brennan did not
meet his death through natural causes
were manifold and convincing His
face was covered with black marks and
bruises, evidently caused by some blunt
instrument When his pockets were
searched knuckler covered with blood,
and partially wrapped in a blood
stained handkerchief, was found in his
vest
There were also marks on the neck.
evidently caused by fingers, and the
wind pipe was almost closed. Bren
mans neck was also broken. The ply
sicfans who examined the body stated
that he was choked to death, and that
it was the deed of man who must have
known how to cause death In this man
ner, as the finger marks were low
down on the neck. The neck may have
been broken by the body falling or be-
ing thrown, either before or after the
unfortunate man was checked.
The coroner's jury, which heard all
the evidence obtainable, was in session
for about two hours and a half at
Friendly yesterday, and returned the
unanimous verdict that the deceased
came to his death through foul play on
the part of some persons or persons I'M
known.
There was little or no evidence upon
which to base a clue to the identity
CT Brennan's slayer.
Recently he has been employed as a
bartender by Stony" Duffy, formerly
of this city, who now conducts hotel
and saloon at st. Marys. Whether he
worked there last week, could not be
learned.
1t is understood that Brennan and
Duffy left st. Marys last Thursday ard
went up the river in a yacht owned by
the latter. Brennan is said to have
stopped at a fishing camp on the Ohio
side, directly opposite the place where
his dead body was found. The camp
was made up of Sistersville people, and
it was stated at the coroner's investi-
cation that as a result of quarrel
last week with the owner of the pro-
perty, the campers were ordered TO
leave. The camp was broken up Sun
day afternoon and all the members of
the party returned to Sistersville.
1t was also stated at the investiga-
ton that Brennan was taken sick at
the camp Thursday, and that the SER
vices of a-physician were required
So far as could be learned, the last
person who saw Brennan alive was the
Ohio River station agent at Long
Reach. He testified before the cor
oner's jury that he saw Brennan at
the depot Friday afternoon. He might
have been drinking, but was not
drunk. He walked about like a man
who was bewiloered, and asked the
agent what time the next train would
be along. The agent afterward saw
him walking from the depot toward
the river.
1t is not likely that Brennan was
killed at. the point where his body was
found. The indications and surround
ings point to the theory that he was
placed in the position in which his