Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-21
BRENT VOICES
DEEP REMORSE
BLAMES CRIME ON PASSION
FOR WHISKY
DOCTORS SAY WIFE HAS EVEN
CHANCE FOR LIFE
Prisoner Declares officer Burned His
Cheek with Cigar, but Secretary
Furnishes Explanation of
the Wound

Sanford Brent, who shot his wife
late Saturday afternoon after she re-
fused to live with him because of his
drunken habits, expressed deep re-
morse for his deed at police headquar-
ters yesterday. II am sorry on account
of the little glrl;' he said. ut will
always be a blight on her life. 1t Is
the drink that did it. If could only
leave whisky alone my life would not
have been ruined, and today | would
be living happily with my wife and lit
tie daughter instead of being here
waiting for news of her DEATH"
Brent went to the little restaurant
conducted by Mrs. Brent at 812 East
Fifth street and asked her to with
draw the divorce proceedings she had
instituted and live with him again.
He promised to reform, as he had
done many times before. She refused
and Brent went away and purchased
a cheap revolver at q store on Fifth
street.
He returned a few hours later and
walked through the restaurant to the
back yard where he found Mrs. Brent.
He drew the revolver and fired: Ralph
Humphrey, a motorcycle Policemen,
heard the shot and grappled with
Brent, who turned the revolver on the
officer. A shot rang out, but 1t passed
through Humphreys coat, and Brent
was finally subdued.
Bullet Has Been Removed
Mrs. Brent was taken to the receiv-
ing hospital and operated upon. The.
bullet was removed and the woman
was taken yesterday to the Clara Bar
ton hospital
The hospital physicians say that Mrs
Brent has an even chance for recov-
cry. The principal danger is from
peritonitis. which usually appears
about the third day. When the wo-
hospital she said: 81 am sure will get
we'll and 1 won't believe anyone who
tells me I will die" Her optimistic
attitude is greatly in her favor, ac-
cording to the doctors.
When Brent was brought from the
jail to the detectives office to be ques-
toned he appeared utterly downcast
and displayed little interest in the pro-
ceedings. He answered all questions
readily and told of his past life. He
came originally from Pittsburg, Ind,
and then went to Danville. ILL.,, where
he married Miss Hattie Weaver, the
daughter of prosperous farmer. Her
father. Ellis Weaver. still lives there
and has held various offices in the
county.
Brent admitted he had been arrested
twice before, once for forgery and
again for intoxication.
When asked about the shooting he
said: ut was like dream. 1 bought
the revolver to kill myself with, and
then somehow I shot my wife. I re-
member that she grasped the pistol
when 1 drew 1t, but everything else is
hazy. l would have killed myself also
but did not have the courage"
On Brent's left cheek was a red
burn, circular in shape and about the
size of a half dollar: 1t appeared to
have been newly made When he was
asked by the newspaper men how it
came there he said: "a police officer
pressed a lighted cigar against my
cheek"
when was this?"
Last night, In The jail"
Says Burn Was Accidental
Secretary Pendegast, in explanation
of the statement made by Brent that
some officer had burned him by jab-
bling a lighted cigar in his face, said
"Brent was taken into the receiving
hospital for the purpose of identifica-
ton by his wife as the man who had
shot her
at was while he was being brought
from the hospital to be placed in
cell that the incident occurred which
he refers to. The hallway leading
from the hospital to the Jail is a very
udITuW OHt, anu Two people can 0dTQly
walk abreast therein. l was on one
side of Brent. and as we came through
the hallway / was jostled against him
and lighted cigar which / had in my
mouth struck against his cheek. After
we had got out into the hallway Brent
exclaimed: You've burnt me- looked
at him and saw blackened smudge
on his cheek at the point of the cheek
bone. I pointed at the spot and said:
There?' and he replied, Yes That |
was all the conversation we had, and
nothing further was said about the
matter
II desire to state that I did not burn |
him Intentionally and had no intention |
IF harming him in any way. The burn |
was accidentally inflicted.
Until Brent called attention to the |
TACT that he had been burned on the |
cheek did not know that such a thing |
1ad happened, and he neither made |
nor uttered any sound when |
t Is supposeda to have happened"