The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-08-19
AMouN1AlN MURDER.
The Brutal killing of an Old Ebens-
burger.

range AZ about fourteen years, were on their
Eav 10 Ebersbzrg, and when near the Ress
house they heard The report Of firrarn.
Going On down the hill they observed bug
" standing opposite the house, which is
situated perhaps hundred feet back from
the road. In the buggy were woman and
q child. As the boys approached closer q
man crasled over the fencs from the direc-
ton Of the house and hnrriedly walked up
the hill away from them. The woman
started the horse and applied the whip quite
freely. When the boys got opposite the
house they noticed 8 man lying on q bank
20 the rear and east side of the buildiDg. He
was in 3 reclining position, moaning and
covered with blood.
They proceeded to town and reported what
they had seen. DR.. Davidson was sent out,
but when he arrived the man was dead. He
had been shot ia the mouth, the ball passing
through his tongue An investigation Of
the house and Surroundings showed that
bloody contest had taken place. The mur-
dered man was covered with blood. The
kitchen door had been broken in, and just
inside pool of blood was found. while on
the outside, near the door, were several pools
Of blood loaded shotgun. the stock Of
which was covered with blood, was near the
dead man, leaning on chair In the front
room OF the house large file, made like a
chisel, was found lying near trunk which
had been pried open and portion Of the
contents scattered promiscuously around the
room. This latter finding establishes very
oonclusiYely the theory that the murderer
was pIundering the house when he was
probably caught in the act by the unexpect-
ed Reese. Reese Is supposed to have taken
bis gun when he discovered the murderer,
but the lstter took no chances and shot, and
from the powder marks, be must have been
very cio.e when be fired. The bullet went
directly in his mouth and lodged back of
the throat
The murdered man lived alone in the
house and had just returned home after
finishing his days work at neighbor's who
lives some distance away.
The description the boys give Of the man
seen leaving the house is as follows: OF
medium size, fairly stout, smooth face, dark
complexion, dark suit Of clothes, somewhat
scuffed. and black slouch hat.
Reese. the murdered man, was about sixty
years old, and had resided in the neighbor-
hood all his life He served some time in
the late war His wife is living with her
daughter and = in poor health. Reese had
recently moved to the house he occupied
and had said to his neighbors that as soon as
bis wife improved in health she would join
him aud they would live together. In the
meantime he was living alone. He is not
known 10 have had money, and if he did
the sum must have been trifing.
! The suspicion that has attached to Albert
and Sadie Price as the murderers Of old man
Reese at Ebensburg do not appear to have
. been well founded. Il is now almost Ger
tainly known that one Elmer Bruner wa,
t the murderer and that his accomplices wer'
} his uife-Annie Bruner-and q boy-hi:
t nephew-named Charley Bruner, sixteer
; years OF age.
I 1ut DD1 Was A4AN1tC0 A~4AiOOC A9aA1AAe.
: BY Chiefof- Police Cannon and made con
! fession.
He said that the murder had beer
( committed by his uncle. Elmer Bruner, whe
was accompanied by a woman and him
! self; that they had been travelling all through
: the East and had stolen several horses
which they disposed of at private sale along
I the road that they had returned home load
ed with plunder and money from their East
D ern victims, but had decided 10 rob old San
Reese The woman bad kept house for th
: old man, and knew of considerable monel
= and valuables about the place; that they
D drove boldly through Ebensburg, from th'
f direction Of Altoona, and on reaching III
Rees house found the old man was at work
: and that in his absence the house was thor
4 oughly ransacked, and just as the thre
r were preparing to depart, old Reese came tc
; the door, dinner bucket in hand. He haC
Q not time 10 say much, the boy says befor
! Elmer stepped from behind the door an
shot him dead.
The woman was arrested in Pittsburgh
on Liberty street. Saturday night. WOr
I was sent to Sheriff S;ineman ct Ebensbur
!. and be started after the prisoners. landin
n them in jail at Ebensburg last evening.
: There was large crowd al the entrance /
the jail when the Sheriff arrived with th
= woman and boy. The boy was the first
: alight from the carriage. He is siIteel
: years of age and very tough-looking younI
y man. His dress and general appearance
: would indicate that he had been roughing
+ for some time. The woman sat still in IA
q carriage until the Sheriff told her to get oui
: She was apparently alarmed at the appeal
: ance ofso many people and showed eyidenc
= Of fear in her manner Of action. As sh
+ passed up the steps to the jail yard th
crowd naturally pushed forward to secure
, fair look at her, and, no doubt, she fe.t n
n lieved when she was securely placed benin
y the iron bars. She is twenty-three years G
A age, small Of stature, unusually dark skin
. ned, and about as hAggard looking in be
' general appearance as could be imagined
= She claims to have been married in Canad
A about four years ago to Elmer BTuner.
n ] NudIlc- AINucI - y AcPAcN "a --aAi>
i. Bruner, as above stated, and was capture
: while bathing with other boys near Lat'ob'
At Latrobe. before Squire 6eiger Ii
woman swore to the following stat smen
n after relating a story similar TO the boy
! about their travels through the East
: On our return from the East, as we droy
=. toward the house Of old man Reese, the lon'
illness Of the place and the apparent absenC
n Of the occupant suggested thar there was ce
tainly no one At home Elmer shared
: my belief. and said ne would go through th
% house, and possibly get something of yalr
y there. He told me to hold the horse an
Il place the boy, Charlie, on guard outsic
while be entered the house Elmer imm
diaiely entered the front hall, and had hard
ly done 50 when the old man Reese entere
: by the back WY, meeting Elmer in the bal
Reese ordered Bruner out Of the house an
! the latter refused TO 60 Rees then starts
= toward a gun leaning in corner, bat hs
hardly made move before Elmer whips
I. out his revolver and fred, The old man fal
/. ing dead at the bsek door, where Brun,
!. had evidently followed him. The boy Cha
lie, Is sooa ss be heard the shot. entered n