Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1918-06-06
BRENNAN GETS
VENUE CHANGE
Flint Snowman Held in Epler
Murder Mystery Will BE
Tried Outside of GratiOt.
CASE TO CLINTON COUNTY
Inez Johnson. Third Of Trio Held in
Case, Was Arraigned Before
MOinet Saturday.

The case Of the People VS.. John +.
Brennan, Flint Snowman, held in con-
nection with the Beatrice Epler mys-
terry on charge Of murder, will not
be brought to trial in Gratiot county,
it was decided Saturday by Circuit
Judge f. j. Monet, following the ar
guments on the petition for change
of venue which had been filed by the
attorneys for the defense.
Following some hours of delibera-
tion between the attorneys for the
defense and the prosecution during
which they were unable to agre on a
place for trying the case, it also fell
to the lot of Judge Moinet to decide
this point. He decided that the case
should held in the circuit court at
St. Johns, which is a portion of the
Clinton Gratiot circuit This means
that Judge Moinet will set in the case.
1t is believed that the case will get
under way this coming Manday, un-
less the attorneys for the defense
file for continuance. This is re-
garded as more than likely as one of
the attorneys for the defense has been
i'll for some little time and confined
in a hospital and has not entirely re-
gained his strength. 1t is regarded
as certainty that such a motion
would meet with the consent of the
court and that it will throw re case
over for couple of months.
Attorneys Travers> & Purcell of
Saginaw and Goggin of Alma ap-
peared in court Saturday for the de-
fendant and they laid great stress on
the probable cost of the case if tried
in Gratiot and also on the fact that
there probably has been q prejudice
created against the defendant since
the conviction Of Eichorn. The fact
that several venires were called be-
fore a jury was secured in the Eichorn
case, furnished gild-edge example of
the probable cost, especially in view
of the additional publicity which has
been given during the Eichorn case.
In granting the change of venue
Judge +. J. Monet called attention TO
the fact that while there was no
noticeable prejudice before the con-
viction of Eichorn, that there prob
ably is now. He also called attention
to the probable expense of trying the
the case in Giatiot county. 1t was set
forth that the expense of the change
of venue would probably be offset by
the expense in Gratiot of securing a
jury.
Saturday afternoon Inez Johnson,
the Alma woman who is held in con-
nection with the case, under charges
of murderwas arraigned before Judge
Moinet. Attorney Charles Goggin Of
this city, who is handling the case
against her in regard to running
house Of ill-fame, appeared in court
and asked that an attorney be ap-
pointed for her for the murder case.
Mrs. johnson was put on the stand
and questioned regarding the ability
of herself and ex-husband, Jas. John
son, and her father TO provide funds
for an attorney. 1t was brought out
that she was without funds for such
expenses, and it was improbable that
she would be able to obtain funds. The
appointment of an attorney was held
up pending investigation into the fin
ancial condition of herself and rela-
tives in regard to their ability to fur
nish legal talent for the case As a
result when arraigned she stood mute
and the court directed that a plea of
not guilty be entered for her.
In case that the Brennan trial is put
over, Prosecutor Ora l.. Smith will
endeavor to get the trial of Mrs.
johnson started first, so that the cases
can be brought to a conclusion just as
quickly as possible. 1t is expected
that any attempt to secure change
of venue for the Alma woman will
meet with a big legal battle from the
prosecution.