The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-01-22

committed, and sentenced to prison
for life. The testimony was in sub
stance the same in beth cases. The
charge was made that Eichorn and
Brennan frequently visited the Alma
resort where they associated with diff
ferent women. They saw the Eppler
girl, who was employed in millinery
shop, upon the street and admired her.
They succeeded in forming her ac-
quaintance and with the assistance Of
a woman Of the town induced the girl
to meet them in an designation house.
Here the tragedy took place, as the
keeper of the resort testified, which
was corroborated by her innocent 13-
year-old daughter. The Eppler girl
fought the advances Of the men. "You
let me alone" Miss Eppler cried cut,
according to the story Of the 1a-year-
young Alma milliner was choked to
death. The body was taken from
the house and conveyed in an automo-
bile tc an outlying street, where it
was left among some bushes. All
of this was testified to by witnesses.
The woman who kept the resort even
told of the conversation had with
Eichorn the following morning about
the disposition of the body. The
evidence seemed to be clear and con-
elusive, at least the Gratiot county
jury so regarded it and promptly re-
turned verdict of guilty" in the
case cf Eichorn. That the two men
were together frequently in Alma and
on the night of the murder, was shown
by several witnesses, that they were
in the room with the Eppler girl and
engaged in struggle with her, was
sworn to by the keeper of the place
and her daughter. Feeling against
the accused men was intense in Ora
tiot county and after the result of
Eichorn's trial Brennan did not care
to risk his fate before a jury in that
county. His counsel asked for
change of venue, which finally re-
suited in the case being transferred
to Clinton county, where it was stub
bornly fought, resulting in the acquit-
tai of Brennan. The Johnson wo-
man, who is alleged to have assisted
the men in Turing the girl into the
trap that was set for her, is yet to be
tried. What her defense will be and
the outcome of the trial, will be await
ed with interest. 1t was testified
to in the trial Of Eichorn, that Mrs.
Johnson was heard to exclaim when
the Eppler girl was defending her
honor: miss Eppler, you are id
fool" In view of the acquittal of
Brennan upon substantially the same
evidence as that upon which Eichorn
was convicted and sentenced to prison
for life, steps have already been TAX
en-, it is said, to secure a new trial
for the convicted man. 1t is strange
and sensational case. Miss Eppler
was murdered, this much is certain
and the keeper of the house in which
the tragedy occurred swore that these
two men were with her in room
when she was murdered, but a change
If venue to another county away from
The prejudices, LEGAL sentiment and
environments that sometimes influen-
res court verdicts, helped one of the
| accused men out of the scrape.
This case recalls two other noted
| murder cases in Michigan, where a
,hange of venue secured an acquittal
after conviction at the first trial. The
first of these was in the early '70's
and was known as the Vanderpcol-
Field tragedy and the city of Manis-
zee was the scene of the crime. The
two men were engaged in the banking
business together, but trouble rose
between them which became intense
IN it's bitterness. One morning one
IF the bankers was found dead upon
the floor of his place CT business,
having been shot to death. The 9TH
err was arrested charged with the
murder and a great legal battle was
fought at his trial, some of the most
eminent attorneys in Michigan being
engaged in the case. The known
trouble existing between the two men
and other material proofs the nature
of which is faded by the lapse of
years, there was little trouble in Sc
curing conviction.
After time a new trial was Sc
cured and the case was transferred
to Barry county to be heard by a
| jury that was not in touch with the
sentiment of the people of Manistee
and away from that influence. At
this trial the same evidence was pre-
| scented that secured conviction IN
Manistee, but the accused was acquit-
ted. In conversation with one of the
attorneys for the defense in this case
several years late, very religious
and prayerful man, he said to the
| writer: Eyes, that was hard fought
case. He was as guilty as a dog,
but we got him cleared"
Another noted case which attracted
statewide interest because of the
high standing Of the parties involved
in which the accused was acquitted at
the second trial held in another coun-
ty far away from the scene of the
murder, was that of Mrs. Barnard,
charged with the murder of Mrs. Cur
tiss, aged wife of Baptist clergyman
| in Greenville. Rev. Curtiss was the
pastor of a church in Greenville and
among the members of his church
was this Mrs. Barnard, wife of
prosperous lumberman. Pastor Cur
tiss was white haired, withered and
bloodless old man, while Mrs. Bar
nard was young, healthy, well
rounded, full-blooded woman. Her
husband was that type Of a man.
Physically strong, thorough man in
appearance. The Barnards seemed
especially fitted by nature to be COM
panicns. In appearance there was a
strong resemblance between them.
The stranger seeing them together
would saw there is a well-mated