The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-20

George Kneis, 112 Eighth avenue
NE, blacksmith.
The last Juror in the trial of Mrs.
Stella Brennan for the murder of her
stepdaughter was secured yesterday af-
ternoon and County Attorney AL J.
Smith, in his opening address to the
Jury, outlined the state s theory OF
the case.
According to his theory, Mrs. Bren-
nan disliked her husbands children;
she was jealous of them, and they were
a continual source Of bother and annoy
Brennan in Chicago chiefly on their
account. She came to Minneapolis and
remarked James Brennan only upon
the understanding that he was to dis
pose Of the children. After a few
weeks she realized that the father was
not going to put the children aWay'
and she determined to 90 It herself.
her mind it will be commended that the
defendant bought the cartridges for
her husbands revolver with which the
children were shot. She told Tommy
that they were all liable to be killed
by some robber. She did not believe
there was anyone sleeping IN the sGoIe
underneath the Brennan rooms, md on
the night of Nov. she put the smaller
boy and two little. girls in one bed.
| Tommy. who was his fathers favorite
| and for whom she had the least aver
sion, she put to bed on the couch with
his clothes on. The state believes that
she intended to spare Tommy's life.
Her Original Plan
Her original plan, according t., the
states theory, was to kill the e. three
sleeping children, then wake tommy
hurrv to the salvage corps station and
PROGRAM was carried out, but Tommy
was awakened by the shots, and when
she rushed to his couch he had aroused;
She thought he knew OF her CRIME i anp
for burglars, and when he turned MS
head she fired the shot that was intend
| ed to put him where he could never
tell. Then she shot herself-whetherr
| for defense or with an intention OF
wiping the whole family out 'together'
is uncertain. ~
the witness and his deliberate state
he he is prepared to prove, Mrs. Brennan
sat with apparent calmness, and neither
by look nor sign betrayed anger, zen ten,
derness or rem1rse MOS sat o. With viii her
|
cheek resting on her shapely, white
hand, her elbow on the trial table, ana n, q
With her wide-eyed gaze fixed upon t.. the II
county attorney. If there was strug
gle going on inside, her mask *, was va IN IN
S mnrder We're repeated, the woman never
WINGED, and only once--when the prose
cutor said that the state would snow
that the defendant had told her nus 1
band that If he didn't, get rid OF IN
children she wouldmmd{id she he make 1oex an;
neticeable sgni 7o un9n quickly icS severa
times, az tho to down rising Ieai
Her color increased ever SO snghtl..
and there was the merest suggestion
moisture in the blue-gray eyes.
MIR, Smiths Statement.
Mr.. Smiths opening was logiea
and dispassionate statement OF What IN IN
INTENDS ID t. to- p e1ws A tss tn tn
county ette Of tEKe Children went to be
y in one bed, the little boy, the smalles
girl and Elizabeth. Tommy lay dow
nDon the lounge. There was hgh
left burning in the bedroom where tn
children went to bed. We shall sh 81,
you that the last thing spoken by FL:
abeth fas that she told her stepmothe
how to turn down this light, and sf
further told her that if her father can
home to awaken her, that she wanted
SsThe evidence will disclose to yc
that the defendant then went to NJ
room and undressed, and went: to pc
the four children were sleeping. Abo1
!, 1880 in the morning Of the Attn
November last, Tommy was awakent
while on the lounge. On opening b
\ eyes he saw this defendant, stel
: Brennan, standing by, his side, WITH 2
/ that she thought somebody was tryil1
+ to get in. He listened and said:
:. don It hear anybody don't hear an
q ] oneitrying to get in. - She said, "Y
!, there is; listen.'' AS he turned |
head he was shot, the. bullet passi
8 thru his head, and he fell over on
n lounge unconscious. He. will tell y
n he heard another shot after that.
r Awakened by Shots.
= ssThe evidence will disclose to y
Il that Immediately below this hat tn
d lived a man and his wife who slt
>! directly underneath the room VIII
it the children slepet. They were lw;
e ened by three shots fired in the TO
above them. They listened and tt
E heard another shot, and then anoth
and someone walked across the d
r. floor of the room over their heads:
I will show you by the testimony Of
90 people who went up there, that tt
y found Elizabeth, the oldest girl, W
~ bullet hole in the side Of her h
i and with powder marks around !.
10 10 wound We shall show you that tt
~ ~ found the two other little children
=. the same bed; they had also been 81
q with powder marks around the wour
a. Elizabeth was dead, she had ne
in moved One arm was under her he
:. one limb moved up a ittle-in
X. same position as she had gone to sic
RI The other two children were awe,
of survived only short time. They 70,
of Tommy in the bed of this defends
b. in the large room. She herself hat
as bullet wound in her side, going un
,ss the flesh to the back.
[ We will show you, gentlemen Of