The daily sentinel., 1909-03-29


| years and which was owned by Mrs.
Brennan Mrs. Farmer became
| frequent caller at the Brennan home
and Mrs. Brennan occasionally called I
on the Farmers. Mrs. Brennan kept
the deed to her property, insurance
papers and savings bank book in
black oilcloth pocketbook in a tin
case in her bedroom.
Months before the homicide, in
october. 1907, Mrs. Farmer went to
a lawyers office in Watertown, pro-
duced a deed of the Brennan prop
/ erty and impcrsonating Mrs. Bren-
\ nan, had the deed transferred to
James ID. Farmer, signing the name
Sarah Brennan" The deed was re-
turned from the clerks office to
James d. Farmer on November 90.
and on January Z. 1908, Mrs. Farmer
and her husband went to another
lawyer in Watertown and had the
| deed drawn to Peter J. Farmer, n
child who had been born to them the
preceding September 2
On the day of the crime Mrs.
Brennan's husband left early for his
work his wife telling him she was
going to visit dentist in Watertown.
Between 8 and 10 O'Clock she was
seen to leave her home and enter the
Farmer house. She was never 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 Farmer house, Mrs. Farmer pass
ed back and forth between the two
houses several times. Shortly after
noon she went for her baby and ar
ranged for young daughter of the
neighbor to assist her in caring for
the child
The girl, upon her arrival. found
Farmer and his wife at lunch and
later he left for the home of his sis
ter where he was laying a walk.
Soon after Mrs. Farmer 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 sisters
home with a package which proved
to be the black oilcloth pocketbook
of Mrs. Brennan containing the deeds,
insurance and other papers, and said
she wanted to leave it for 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
l bought this place?" Brennan fin
ally secured ladder, entered sec
ond story window and occupied the
house that night. The next morning
he went to work as usual
Mrs. Farmer that same morning
went to the sisters house, took Mrs.
Brennans oilcloth pocketbook from
where II had been hidden in chair,
and with her husband went to Water
town where they had an attorney
prepare papers ordering Brennan off
the premises. which were served on
him that night.
Brennan went to Watertown 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, however, later and
found Mrs. Farmer and her husband
occupying the house. Mrs. Farmer
told him that so long as he used the
Farmers well he could stay. Bren-
nan then reported the matter to the
district attorneys office and engaged
constable to search for his wife.
The Farmers, in the meantime,
with others who were induced to help
by free access to ale which was fur
nished, commenced moving their
goods to the Brennan house. In one
of the back rooms was a large black
trunk which Mrs. Farmer asked one
of the men to tie with a rope. Mrs.
Farmer lifted the ends of the trunk.
| while a clothes line was wrapped
around II and tied 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 it should be placed in a back
room where other things were piled
upon it. She then proceeded to do
some washing.
When the constable who had been
employed by Brennan went to the
house and asked where Mrs. Brennan
was, Mrs. Farmer told him that she
had gone to Watertown 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 Wis
tied the Farmers and asked Mrs
Farmer to produce the deeds, and
after some delay she pulled the black
oilcloth envelope from a cradle and
showed the papers. Then search
of the house was begun. Inquiry
was made in regard to the trunk tied
| with a clothes line whereupon Mrs.
Farmer denied that she owned it.
saying it belong 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 Bren-
nan fully dressed. The head and
face were horribly mutilated by
many blows from blunt instrument
but the body was not injured. The
turban hat which the woman wore
was missing but the burned wire