FULL
TEXT (Article 1 of 5): Minneapolis, Minn., Nov. 6. – Three children are dead
and one is badly wounded while the mother lies fatally injured at the city
hospital as the result of a tragedy at the home of Jas. Brennan, a fireman. The
dead:
Alice
Brennan, aged 10.
Lizzie
Brennan, 15.
Arthur
Brennan, 5.
Seriously
injured:
Thomas
Brennan, 11.
Mrs.
Stella Brennan, 27.
Five
shots were fired in quick succession. The first intimation of the tragedy was
heard by W. G. Farmer, who lived on the first floor of the Brennan home.
The
woman says says a stranger shot the children first through a window and then
herself. The police think Mrs. Brennan did the shooting. The couple had
separated, but recently became reconciled. She is step-mother of the children,
and is believed to have become temporarily deranged because of jealousy of the
children. The woman has tried suicide twice previously.
[“A
Minneapolis Tragedy – Mrs. Stella Brennan Kills Three Stepchildren, Fatally
Wounds a Fourth and Attempts Suicide.” Ironton County Register (Mo.), Nov. 9,
1905, p. 2]
***
FULL
TEXT (Article 2 of 5): Minneapolis, Jan. 1. – Guilty of murder in the second
degree is the verdict whereby the jury holds Mrs. Stella Brennan of this city
accountable for Elizabeth, and at the same time saves her from the hangman’s
noose.
The indictment in the case
charged murder in the first degree — the inevitable penalty for which is
hanging – but the jury, as was considered provable, availed itself of the
possibility of clemency provided, in Judge Dickinson’s charge and made its
verdict murder in the second degree. The maximum penalty under this conviction
is life imprisonment, and it is expected that will be the sentence of the
court.
Mrs. Brennan was completely
unnerved when she heard the verdict. She did not appear to be in any measure
prepared for it, and burst into tears when she heard the verdict.
[“Mrs. Brennan Convicted.
Minneapolis Woman Found Guilty of Second Degree, Murder.” The Eau Claire Leader
(Wi.), Jan. 2, 1906, p. 1]
***
***
FULL
TEXT (Article 3 of 5): Minneapolis, Jan. 2. – Mrs. Stella Brennan has begun the
service of her life sentence in the Minnesota state penitentiary. This woman,
convicted of the ointentional killing of her step-daughter, Elizabeth Brennan,
has been sentenced to the penitentiary for the rest of the Hennepin county
court.
In
the custody of Sheriff Dreger, Jailer Nels Clausen and Jail Matron Mary
Woodburn she left the Hennepin county jail shortly after noon and was properly
installed in her permanent abode at Stillwater at a little after 2 in the
afternoon.
The
two indictments charging Mrs. Brennan with the murder of the other two little
children were continued over the term, on motion of County Attorney Smith, and
will be kept on the calendar until the defendant’s motion for a new trial has
been decided or dropped.
[“Given
Life Imprisonment. – Mrs. Stella Brennan Begins Serving Life Sentence.” The
Daily Independent (Chippewa Falls, Wi.), Jan. 3, 1906, p. 1]
***
FULL
TEXT (Article 4 of 5): The application for parolee of Stella Brennan, sent to
Stillwater in 1915 (sic, 1905 is the correct year) for the murder of her three
step-children in this city, has been denied, it was announced yesterday by the
state parole board. Her life sentence was commuted to 20 years a few years ago.
[“Woman
Slayer Denied Parole,” Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Mn.), Feb. 12, 1916, p. 16]
***
EXCERPT
(Article 5 of 5): The board denied Stella Brennan, a pardon. She is the
Minneapolis woman who killed her stepchildren and the board’s action was based
largely on objection made by Thomas J. Brennan, the only surviving stepchild.
He recovered from the shot wound inflicted by his stepmother.
[excerpt
from “Three Pardons Are Granted By Board” Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Mn.), Feb.
13, 1916, p. 10]
***
CHRONOLOGY
Nov.
4, 1905 – Shootings of 5 stepchildren, 1 seriously injured, 3 dead. Attempted
suicide.
Nov.
15, 1905 – Doctors remove last bullett from SB.
Nov.
22, 1905 – SB indicted on 4 counts: 3 murders in first degree, 1 assault in
first degree.
Dec.
31, 1905 – guilty verdict, 2nd degree murder of Elizabeth.
Jan.
2, 1906 – sentenced to life.
Jul.
26, 1906 – girl born to SB in prison at Stillwater.
Circa
1913 – sentence commuted to 20 years (according to 1916 article).
Jul.
1915 – pardon was announced, but was apparently rescinded.
Apr.
12, 1916 – SB denied parole.
***
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For more examples, see Step-Mothers from Hell.
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