The Washington times., 1922-12-21
Mrs. bRUNEN IN
FIGHT; TO FREE !
MOHR
Expected Brother to Be Exon.
Grated in Verdict That
Released Her.

MT. HOLLY, n j., Dec. 21.--
Acquitted on the charge Of slay-
ing her husband, Honest John"
Brunen. circus owner, Mrs. Doris
Brunen today determinedly faced
another battle-that Of obtaining
the release of her brother, Harry
|C. Mohr, whom the same jury
that freed her last night found
guilty of first degree murder,
The jury recommended. that
IlMohr, who was an official or
/ Brunen's circus, be sentenced to
life Imprisonment at hard labor.
Was Certain Of Freedom.
Mohr's conviction at thesbandH q
ths Jury came as distinc< fhoek
to Mrs. Brunen who swooned a.
the State troopers led her brother
away as Mohnr's wife epotionaiiy
wrung her hands after she heard
the fateful verdict. When re-
vfved, she demanded to be taken to
her brother in Jail. and was
escorted there.
Mohr had been SO sure Of acquit-
tai he laughed and talked as he
awaited the return of the jury and
ate a hearty lunch his wife had
brought to him.
At $50 o'clock last night, after
celebrating less than three hours.
the Jury announced itself ready to
report. Mohr and the slain car
nival mans widow turned expectant
eyes upon the twelve inscrutable
faces, buoyed up, as they had been,
by the judges charge, which
seemed to indicate both might be
acquitted. a.t
After taking the verdict. Judge
Kalisch announced that he would
pass sentence on January 8.
Walter 8. Keown. counsel for
the defense. indicated that he would
ask for a new trial for Mohr.
In a strong charge which virtual
ly demanded the acquittal Of Mrs.
Brunen, Justice Kalisch gave the
ase to the. jury which retired at
5:46 p m.
While Mrs. Brunen said before
he fury returned the verdict that
she intended going Immediately to
Philadelphia to stay there with her
mother for about week after
which she would open a Mexican
.ea shop in New York or Philadei-
ohia,- Il IL apparent she will change
Ter plans as result OF her broth
,r's unexpected conviction. %
ITO me the evidence against
Mrs. Brunen ID very meager," de-
clared Justice sKalisch in his charge
10 the Jury. He cited the fact
hat the two witnesses duplicating
the widow were Powell. the con.
fessed slayer, and her stepdaugh.
| ter, Hazel, who, he drew from the
testimony, was IAN undutiful
laughter and who had in addition
been recently involved in a lawsuit
with her stepmother over property"
UNLESS you find the essential
facts corroborated you must ac.
quit" said the Judge. '"The find
ing Of the gun, the bridge and
such matters are not -oorroborative.
Lawyer Scores Daughter.
"One of the questions for you
to decide 10 whether Doris Vrunen
and Harry Afohr had an under
standing with Charles Powell that
John Brunen should be killed and
you have got to decide whether
Charles Powell killed him before
you decide on the conspiracy"
when she finds she has failed
70 send her mother tp the electric
chair or to prison.. Walter c.
Keown, defense attorney told the
jury in his final address, Hazel
will be the first to come begging a
home and forgiveness. Y
II am not going to, brand Miss
Hazel Brunen--you saw her on the
stand. Can. you picture a mother
lying in jail six months. comforted
and loved by the girl she had al.
ways treated and loved as her own
daughter--can you picture this girl
going two weeks before the trial
to get her stepmother to testify
In her annulment cese and then
turing 30 suddenly on the woman
who had cherished her and whom
she had never before suspected Of
guilt" ~