Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-03-30

town and had the deed drawn to Peter j.
Farmer a child who had been born to
them the preceding September 2.
On the day of the crime Mrs. Bren-
mans husband left early for his work, his
wife telling him she was going to visit
dentist in WATERFOWL. Between 9 and 10
o clock she was seen to leave her home
and, enter the Farmer house. She was new
er seen alive again. Early the same day
Mrs Farmer took her baby to the home
of a neighbor and left it, saying she was
going up town. Between that time and
the time Mrs. Brennan went to the Far
mer house Mrs. Farmer passed back ana
forth between the two houses several
times. Shortly after noon she went for
her baby and arranged for young
daughter of the neighbor to assist her in
caring for the child.
Found Couple at Lunch
The girl, upon her arrival, found Far
mer and his wife at lunch, and later he
left for the home of his sister, where no
was laying a walk. Soon after Mrs. Far
mer went into the Brennan house. she
returned and told the girl to go for her
husband, but Farmer refused to return
home. Mrs. Farmer then went TO the sis
ter's home with a package which proved
to be the black oilcloth pocketbook OF
Mrs Brennan containing the deeds, IN
surance and other papers, and said she
wanted to leave it for a while.
Brennan upon his return from work that
Afternoon was unable to get into his house.
The keys, which his wife was in the habit
of leaving, were not in their accustomed
place. While he was trying to get in he
saw Farmer standing nearby, who re-
marked:
Brennan, don't you know bought this
placer" Brennan finally secured ladder,
entered a second story window and occu-
pied the house that night. The next morn
ing he went to work rs usual.
Mrs. Farmer that same morning went
to the sisters house, took Mrs. Brennan s
oilcloth pocketbook from where 1t had
been hidden in a chair and with her hus-
band went to WATERFOWL, where they had
an attorney prepare papers ordering Bren-
nan off the premises, which were served
on him that night.
Failed to Find Her
Brennan went to WATERFOWL and made
inquiries for his wife, but failed to find
her and Saturday morning left for his
work as usual after spending the night
in the house. He returned home. how
ever, later and found Mrs. Farmer and
her husband occupying the house. Mrs
Farmer told him that so long as he used
the Farmers we'll he could stay. Bren-
nan then reported the matttr to the dis
trtSt attorneys Office. and engaged con-
stable TO search for his wife.
The Farmers, in the meantime, with
others who were induced to help by free
access to ale which was furnished, COM
menced moving their goods to the Bron-
nan house In one of the back rooms was
a large black trunk which Mrs. Farmer
asked one of the men to tie with rope.
Mrs. Farmer lifted the ends of the trunk
while a clothes line was wrapped around
it and tired securely. Mrs, Farmer said
"she had stuff in there she didn't want
broken" and had two men carry it to the
Brennan house while she walked along
and directed where 1t should be placed in
back room where other things were
piled upon it, She then proceeded to do
some washing.
'"TO Get Her Teeth Fixed"
When the constable who had been en-
ployed by Brennan went to the house and
asked where Mrs. Brennan was, Mrs.
Farmer told him she had gone to Water
town to get her teeth fixed" She sent for
the parish priest. told him a similar story
and had him bless the home.
On the following Monday the sheriff
with several others. again visited the
Farmers and asked Mrs Farmer to pro-
pulled the black oilcloth envelope from
cradle and showed the papers. Then q
search of the house was begun. Inquiry
was made in regard to the trunk tied with
clothes lire, whereupon Mrs. Farmer
denied that she owned It, saying it belong
ed to her husband, and he, with an oath,
said it did not belong to him. The rope
was removed the lock broken and in the
trunk the sheriff found the body of Mrs
Brennan fully dressed. The head and
face were horribly mutilated by many
blows from a blunt instrument, but this
body was not injured. The turban hat
which the woman wore was missing, but
the burned wire framework of a hat sim
| liar to the one she wore was found in
Mrs. Farmers stove.
Mrs Farmer and her husband were
arrested charged with the crime which
the woman at first stoutly denied. Then
she stated that Mrs. Brennan was in her
house and stood by the door LOOKING out
| of the window and that she stepped up
| behind her and hit her with an axe. Sub
| sequently she said to the sheriff that she
had not told the truth; that Jim lid
1t. She said Mrs. Brennan had been
with her uptown and that when they
came back Jim" was angry because
she had left her baby at a neighbor's :.
/ She SAID she Unen went Tor the DaDy dnO
| on her return Jim" was just putting
the body in the trunk.
"AII Right, Here She Goes"
| At the Jail Mrs. Farmer made another
| statement in which she said that Mrs.
| Brennan came to her house and said she
was not feeling we'll. She said that Mrs.
Brennan said she would give anything
/ if she would taAe that old axe that laid
| there and knock her brains out, and
said all right, here she goes 1 takes
1 the axe and kills her." She said then
she put the body in the trunk, washed up
| the things that were bloody and burned
up the things from which she could not
remove the blood. She said Mrs. Bren-
nan was sitting down in a chair by the
; window when she killed hel.
The cases of Mrs. Farmer and her hus-
! band were appealed to the court of APP
peals which has yet to determine the
husbands case. Mrs. Farmers convic-
ton was affirmed and E. r. Wilcox, her
counsel, asked the governor to appoint
commission to examine into the wo-
mans mental condition, expressing the