The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-05-09
THE EAST HAVEN MURDER
MRS JENNINGS GIVES EVIDENCE
REGARDING HER HUSBAND

Tells Of the Doings on the Night of the
Murder-Claimed He HOrsewhipped
and other Ways Maltreated the Boy
Taylor--She Gave a Clear and COM
prehensive Account of What Hap
pened ON the Fatal Sunday Night and
Wept Bitterly When Telling of the
Shooting and Discovery That Her
Husband Was Dead.
The principal feature of the East
Haven murder trial yesterday, the tenth
day, and third week of the proceedings,
was the appearance of Mrs. Jennings
herself on the stand; the evidence of
the reporters who intervied Mrs. Ada
Brockett, the murdered mans daugh-
ter; the testimony of several witnesses
to prove that Jennings was married
previously to a colored woman named
Rachel Brown DIR. Bacon's testimony
as to young Taylor's mental condition,
and the counsel for the defense's evil
dence regarding the divorce of Amelia
Jennings from Joseph e. Jennings
granted on the ground of improper con-
duct. This woman was Jennings sec
ond wife.
Mrs, Jennings was the first of the two
prisoners to reach the court house yes
terday. Shortly after her arrival Sher.
iff Bradley came in with young Taylor,
who was handcuffed. He looked bright
and cheerful greeted his mother af-
fectionately and shook hands with her.
The proceedings throughout the day
were listened to by quite a large gath
ering Of spectators who seemed to be
greatly interested inthe case. A number
Der Of influential and prominent citi-
Gems were among the spectators part
of the afternoon.
MRS. JENNINGS TAKES THE
STAND.
When the court resumed after lunch
the first witness was the young colored
man referred to above. Detective Don
nelly, recalled for Short additional
| cross examination, and then Mrs Jen-
| nings herself was called She was calm
| and self-possessed, though giving evil
denoe of nervousness at times gave her
| evidence in a ready, straightforward
manner. She answered the questions
| asked her freely and without any hest
| tation. Her voice was much of the
! time inaudible to- the, audience and
counsel from time to time asked her to
raise her voice so that the court and
jury and lawyers could hear her. Dur
ing her recital of the shooting and the
discovery that her husband was dead
! she wept bitterly and 1t was some time
before she could control her feelings
and proceed with the testimony. Mrs.
| Jennings began her evidence by telling
Of the visit to the Brockett house on the
| fatal night, of the quarrel that arose
through the threat OF Jennings to sell
! the property and the harsh and threat
| ening words uttered by the dead man
| and others. She told very infinitely
| what happened when she and her son
| left the Brockett house, the alterations
that took place and the story Of the
shooting. She said Jennings grasped
! the reins and slapped her in the face
and threatened the boy, who interposed
on his mothers behalf She then said
that the lad stepped back to escape a
| blow from Jennings and how jennings
started after him to attack him. She
| reeited her story of the shooting, the
taking Of the body to the Jennings
home, putting him in bed and how the
| lad Taylor at once set off in sarch of
q doctor, returning about an hour after
| with DR.. HolbroolI, In answer to Law
yer Alling, who was questioning her,
she told of the doctors visit and of the
arrival of the coroner later, telling 9TH
er facts which have already been pub
lished
Mrs Jennings also told of how her
husband turned his wrath against the
lad and herself when he was the worse
for liquor. She testified that her hus-
band had horsewhipped her son unmer-
clfully and maltreated him in other
ways on various occasions. She claim
ed that she did not know the boy had
the pistol until after the fatil deed was
done.
Later on in the evidence she informed
the court that 1t was usual for them to
hide the pistol when Jennings was I'M
der the influence Of drink and that he
had on one of these occasions flourish.
ed the pistol around reclklessly. She
denied that her son. when the body of
her husband was brought home and she
broke down, cursed and threatened to
kill her and himself also.
When the hour for adjournment came
Mrs. Jennings was stih on the stand
and she will resume her evidence again
this morning.