On This Date in Minnesota History: December 13

December 13, 1906 – James Brennan, husband of Stella Brennan, now serving a life sentence in the Stillwater penitentiary for the murders of three of her step-children, has been ordered out of Chicago by the police for attempting to kidnap his son, Tommy Brennan, the only surviving child.

Tommy was shot by his stepmother when the other children were murdered, but quickly recovered. The courts refused his father permission to take him and he has been living with an uncle in Chicago.

A short time ago Brennan told his friends that he was going to get the boy. He went to Chicago and tried several times to capture Tommy, but the boy escaped each time. Finally the matter was reported to the police and Brennan was ordered to leave the city. Since then he has not been seen by acquaintances.


The Minneapolis Journal; “Brennan is Ordered to Leave Chicago”; Dec. 14, 1906; p. 7.

Tommy Brennan

The Minneapolis Journal; Nov. 20, 1905

Murder of three Brennan children while they slept; oldest son and stepmother shot; see Nov. 4, 2015 blog

Stella Brennan indicted by coroner’s jury for murder of stepdaughter; see Nov.9, 2015 blog

Stella Brennan indicted by Hennepin County grand jury for murder of her three stepchildren; see Nov. 21, 2015 blog

County Attorney outlines the state’s theory of the Stella Brennan murder case in his opening statement; see Dec. 19, 2015 blog

Stella Brennan spends Christmas in hospital room of the Hennepin County Jail; see Dec. 25, 2015 blog

Stella Brennan Found Guilty; sentenced to the State penitentiary for life; admits she is in a family way; see Dec. 30, 2015 blog

Daughter is born to Stella Brennan in Stillwater State Prison; see July 26,2016 blog

The prison-born babe of Mrs. Stella Brennan leaves for Mich. today with her maternal grandmother; see Oct. 18, 2016 blog.

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