The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-27
MRS. BRENNAN'S STORY

MRS. BRENNAN's STORY
Pair Defendant Testimony Furnishes
Possible Basis for Insanity Defense.
Mrs. Stella Brennan, on trial charged
with the murder of her three stepchil.
dren, took the witness chair today and
told her story. A hush of expectation
when Attorney f. S. Cary called Mrs.
Stella Brennan, the defendant, to the
stand She appeared perfectly. calm and
answered counsel's questions in clear,
sweet voice.
"What is your namea' "Mrs Stella
Brennan.
How old are you'' "Twenty-
care you the wife Of Mr.. James
Brennan?' "Yes, sir"
Glow many children did Mr.. Bren.
t nan ha y; when you married himf'
s.Did you ever have any childrenf"
''Did you and Mr.. Brennan ever
have any trouble over the -ehifdrens"
-, "b 5j9 you ever I strike r1s,, those chill
beth B Tt1 ask YOU i DID Gq ailsd Eliza"
child o w tbs ask arBEf G Of i n.y. you killed sGS az
not
~ ask you if you inflicted any
wound upon, yourself on that night
''I ask you to tell in your own
way the story of that night.'
Mrs. Brennan's Story.
~ went to bed as usual. I went to
sleep. L was awakened about "
clock. I went to the window and
looked out and saw man crouching
on the roof. I went to the commode
and got the revolver and then I awak-
ened Tommy and asked him if he
didn't hear anyone. He said yes. We
went and looked. We couldn't find
anyone and we went a3to back Ok +? bed mat
know anything more until l was
wakened by a man standing at the
foot of my bed. He came around to
the side Of the bed and shot me. Then
| was unconscious until 1 woke up in
+or. W {bs I'd; dig IL you go on the day be-
~ vent to several stores. Tommy
..1 !" Are, you in delicate conditione''
that H Rsy' %@ny F t5%ss ti nsve you been
Counsel brought out that the defen-
dant had had maladies peculiar to the
Tried to Kill Herself. =
t'During any Of these troubles did
you attempt to commit suicide9' 81
did,
"Hows' I turned on the gas.'
s mYou had doctor at that times''
..o mDid you eyer walk in your sleep'
Glow old were youe'' '"Nine years
old
E, nHoE ", did =. yo:a, know thats" I'm,
s+o mDo you heEe any ny sickness at tht
During the examination, Drs. G. K
Bartlett, W. G. Williams and Clarl
watched the defendant closely and FIRE
quently consulted with Mr.. Cary.
The Characterization
The cross-examination by Mr., Smith
these children7' eyes, SIR
"You knew last Novemb Der and yo7
know now that it would be wrong +
murder child or any persona I"
have known that all my life
"You can not remember time whe!
der childg'' "No, SIR
"Now, you tell the court and jur
tina: you did not murder Elizabeth Bre1
Ean2' "Yes, sir.'
'You know just what happened i
the fiat on that day, do you not?'
CHOW you told Mr.. Helm about wha
happened in that fiat on that night9
eyes, SIR
"You told him what he stated on th
stand, did you not?" sfPart of it. -
Didn't Say Window Was Up.
HWhat part Of it isn't true?' &
didn't tell him about the window bein
up.''
"The rest of it you told him a
"You know it is wrong to comm
suicide, don't you9'' Eyes, SIR"
"You knew it when you were in Oh
cago, didn't yous' II did,
HYou did not know when you wei
taken! to the county jail, that you wei
in delicate condition''' II thought
"You didn T tell anyone before tina
"Didn't you tell your husband in
letter that doctor had examined yt
and told you you were in that como
tion9' eyes, sir.''
then h2a a aPX e dest9f examined y'
"Then that statement in that lett
was untrue9' "Maybe.' :
elias any doctor examined "
sincee" eyes, sir.'
"Who?'' CDR. Williams
"Wheng' "Last night
'tHow long had you known yo,
husband before you married him
Chicagos' "About seven months.'
HWhat were you doing then ?
Working in Dr. Prices Office
"What was he doinge'' "Carpent
work.
"You knew when you married yo
Get Rid