Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-11
MRS. BRUNElN IS NERVOUS
IN FACING DEATH ORDEAL
Courtroom First Sense Perturbation nder Mask
of Calm and Collected Den,eanor

\ brother and sister may face a mur-
der charge in different fashion.
Spectators gathered in the old yellow
brick courthouse at Mount Holly had
an opportunity to sense this when III"
venerable courthouse bell this murniN-
called Mrs. Doris Brunen and Harry
E. Mohr from their cells in the Jail Il
few PAGES up the Main street to answer
for the shooting of Honest John
Brunen. circus and animal show owner.
Into the silent courtroom that had
waited an hour for his coming. Harry
Mohr. who was listed a. assistant man
nger for the Mighty Doris show be-
longing TO his brother-in law, came
handcuffed This or the fact that some
one had to remove his hat did not d.
turb him. however. Soon he was sit
, ting beside Miss 4. Harding. the stc-
nographcr of Walter keown. his coun-
sci. gayly chatting and lingering Il jury
| list. Pongee cuffs and their flat fold
links showed from the sleeves Of his
! we'll cut brown suit. \ fountain pen
| clipped in his pocket added to the buSi-
ness like air with which Ii" took the
proceedings instituted by the Stat
against his life.
Mrs. Brunen Smartly GOwned
Not so the "Dorls" herself. whose
name the man She j. charged with hav-
ing had shot TO death fondiy gave t"
! the carnival circus of which he wa
owner.
| ! Is true she wore 4 smart and very
becoming hat. mounted with thrc" black
ostrich rlumeS. Her neatly adjusted
! veil and her carefully waved blond hair
| only added to til" effectiveness Of her
we'll set head. Her dress WAS Of care
I r,,ll Lat lln,I. al ,.hina a ~ Il
her coat Of black duvet!n. y string Of
: lustrous pearls added Il no" Of rich
ness; her black kid gloves touch Of
refinement.
= For those in the courtroom, who "N-
pccted tiusclly appearance when th"
Doris Brunen. Of many circus perform
ancc>. cam" slowly through the door
way OF tn" trial chamber there Wa
disappointment. They would have beer
jus ltipd. however, in naming her out
ward appearance at least that OF II ful
some and pretty blond woman dressed
for Il matinee or card party.
Women Sense Nervousness
That vas, however, where the san:
ir"id ended.
Nor" thun once curing the course &"
the long. rather uncventtul morning
women who sat uIl the jury panel ht'
c;'us" t" Nuds" each other ana whisper
sec. he ia only pretending not 70 b
nervous. Watch her hand shake.
Often snc raised her hundkerrht"
f. her we'll tyrmcd lips. Once ST
dropped II and her alert brother scpa
lat"d only hy Il guarding JalIer' lnc"c
it up for her. .,,
when the first Juror. Walter wills
was chosen, SAC hreathed eXclt"diN, III
4
take his place in the row OF S"aHnnr
old chuir- in the iIrybox. she con,
Iirssrd her lips tightly Il" though
rruli2arion that the affair had now lr
gun in cnrnear had suddenly com" I
her. When the first woman Ntnirr
man, Mrs. Lizzie l.. Con"Nrr, va
cqllrI in turm 10 place her hand on ,h
l;ihIr, Mrs. Bruncn pulled her chair
little forward.
Others ia tho picturesque cVurtroou
reminiscent Of Coloninl days, stIrrc0
too, when the quiet. motherly io"Etn
woman v"nircman, IN her b'ack sea
"oat, began 10 answer the questions
the Prosecution and defense. lnt"r"'
was chiefly conferred among the WON"
, themselves who had been called "h III
. panel "Would or would th"r" not /
Q women on the jury was TIA" inu
mrnt0uS question.
! II had been reported before the open
ing II the session that no women wen
wanted on the jury. The stir subsil'
and Mrs. Conover, who won IN" hdmii
/ alton Of the spectators by stating IL
r ugn in n clear voice. went bacK to h'
. place Oh challenge.
. Women Watch SteHlaughter
= Interest frankly given To, Mrs. Hrv
! ucn was divided with Hazel her st"I
: daughter. who smiled brilliantly al
a chntted with other witnesses for Il
q prosecution all during III" m"rnin
She wore II b ack plush coat and bla'
picture hat. Pearl earrings hung fr"
n hrr ears. Her cheeks were pink N
" her wide brown eyes darted here n
V .,err and everywhere except in h
" srnpmother's direction. The first su
prise of the morning came when Il VI
learned Hazel was to testify for lroS
n cutor Kelsey and not Tor Walt
- keown. lawyer for the defense.
= Hazel II, Parkstrom, daughter
Honest" John, proved n sensation
the crowd In the courthouse.
II Hazel, who until lately has been
10 faithful visitor TO her mo hers cell, d
not 10 near the gray wa led Jail, tV
y doors up from the courthouse. nt Il
te this morning. Instead, Dright-face
= pretty ard clad IN black. she came d
ip rec,ly into cOur with Mrs. Eliznbe
Je.chkc. sister of the murdered shov
man. who pointed the first accusil
n finger ut his wife by producing the Sc,
"a gnilonal letter IN which Bruncn, writi
IN Ia hia sister, charged Doris Brun