Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1918-11-21
BRENNAN CASE
TO START SOON
Second of Trio Held for Murder
Will BE Brought TO Trial
Very Shortly.
ST. JOHNS SCENE OF TRIAL
Celebrated Murder Case il Expected
To Last Some Weeks and Attract
" ide Attention.

The trial Of John F. Brennan. one
of the trio arrested last December
for the alleged murder of Miss Bea-
trice Epler of this city on the night
Of September 4, 1917, at the home Of
Mrs. Hiram ellison in this city, will
be started on Monday, December 2,
in the Clinton county circuit court
at st. Johns.
Early in the year, following the
conviction of Albert Eichorn on q
charge Of first degree murder in con
nection with the now famous Epler
case, the attorneys for John f. Bren-
nan, the Flint Snowman, asked Cir
cult Judge +. j. Monet for a change
on venue on the grounds Of prejudice
against the defendent and because
cf the heavy expense that the trial
would cause in this county
Shortly after the motion for the
change was made, it was granted and
the case changed TO the Clinton coun-
~ circuit. and set for trial.
II came up early in the summer.
but owing to the shortage of labor on
the farms. il was found 10 be almost
impossible 10 secure a jury, and after
over a week of delay the case was set
over. until such a time as a jury
could be secured.
More recently the case again came
TO the attention Of the public, when
the attorneys Of Brennan made a
move TO get the defendant released
on bail, owing 10 poor health The
attempt 20 have the court release him
on bail was refused by Judge Monet.
and Brennan is still in Jail, awaiting
trial
II is expected that when the case is
called the first week in December
that it VIII be brought TO trial with
out delay. Every evidence points 70
the fact that tie attorneys are ex-
pecting a hot legal battle during the
trial, which Will probably last
for some weeks II is expected thai
Ora l.. Smith, prosecutor, who re-
tanned ExJudge Kelly S. Scarf, and
secured the conviction of Albert
Eichorn, VIII again have Kelly s.
Searl retained TO aid the state in
fighting the case.
Inez Johnson. the third member Of
the trio arrested a YEAR ago in con-
nection with the murder case, is still
in the county jail awaiting trial, and
1t is very probable that her case will
not come up until after the first Of
the year. No attempt has been made
30 get a change OF venue for her by
her attorney, and the present ex-
pectations are that she will be tried
in this county.
Eichorn, Brennan and Mrs. John
son were arrested about the middle
of December a year ago for the death
of Beatrice Epler, who was strangled.
while at the home Of Mrs. Gilson on
the night of September 4, according
to the testimony given at the trial
Of Eichorn early in the present year
Later in the night it was maintained
that the body Of the girl was taken
from the ellison home and placed
near the road on Grover avenue, a
number of rods from the home of the
girls parents, where it was found
the following morning by Charles
Hooper.
The air of mystery which sur
rounded the case. and the fact that
some of the best detectives in the
state failed TO unravel the mystery
gave it great prominence throughout
the state. not only at this time but
at the time Of the arrest of the three
and the trial of Fichorn.