The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-03
KLEIN MURDERRECALLED
APPOINTMENT OF A GUARDIAN FOR
WILLIAM KLEIN'S CHILDREN.
Abandoned by the Mother, the Little
Ones Were Thrown on the Char
ity of Relatives.

AA0 appointment III At1 4 RdA " L
yesterday of Anton Keller as guardian OF
Belle Klein, aged twelve years, and Will
lam Klein, aged six years, recalls to mind
the story of the butchery of the father of
these little ones a little more than four
years ago. Most of the readers of the Jour-
nal will remember that on Thursday, June
%, 1898, the little town of Brightwood was
startled by a murder that was more hor-
rible in it's details than any that had ever
occurred in tha suburb. That was pay
day on the Big Four, and William Klein,
then night engineer at the shops, had re-
maine up until the pay car came in and
had drawn SAC, the amount due him. He
stopped on his way home and paid a bill
of less than a dollar, and that was the last
time he was able to talk or give any ac-
count Of himself. He went home, accord
ing to the story of his wife, Mrs. Lou Klein,
and gave her his money. He then went
to bed and more than an hour afterward
she entered the front part of the house
and heard what seemed at first to be a
yawn, but she later distinguished it as a
groan. On entering her husbands room
she found him lying on the floor with six
great cuts on his head and his own Ratchet
lying by his side. She ran out and gave
the alarm, and soon willing friends were
there to render any assistance possible.
Klein lived a few days and then died
without being able to tell how he was in
jured.
Footprints supposed to have been made
by the murderers were found outside the
house, but no person could be found who
had seen any man about the house at or
near the time of the murder. Mrs. Klein
said she had been in and near the house all
the time and had seen nobody. TIL city
detectives Immediately reached the conclu-
sion that it might be a case of murder
by the wife on account of family troubles,
but the closest questioning failed to bring
from Mrs. Klein anything hat would war
rant them in acting in this belief. h
mystery of the murder has never been
solved.
Anton Keller, who lives at Sc odd Ste
vens street, married a sister of William
Klein, the murdered man. He was APP
pointed guardian Of the remaining children
so as to make it impossible for the mother
to get control Of them again. They will
be placed in the German Orphan Home in a
few days, the arrangements for this having
already been made. Mr.. Keller tells a
story Of the treatment of the children that
has excited a great deal OF sympathy. At
the time of the murder there were three
children, Belle and William, and another
who has since died. According to the story
of Mr.. Keller, Mrs. Klein received about
$500 insurance on her husbands life. With
this money she opened Il little millinery
shop on Massachusetts avenue. She took
her children TO the Indianapolis Orphans
Home and left them there. agreeing to pay
so cents, a week for the maintenance of
each. She failed to pay this, and it was a
lonU time before the officers of the nome
heard from her again. She Kept he MILL
merry shop on Massachusetts avenue for a
few months and then appealed to her
brother-in-law, Mr.. Keller, for money TO
pay her rent, saying she would be put gut
Of her room if the rent was not paid. Mr..
Keller did not feel justified in helping her,
considering the fact that the life insurance
should have been sufficient for he mainte-
nance for a much longer time h had
elapsed.
That was the last time Mr.. Keller saw
Mrs. Klein for a long time. She disap-
peared completely for over two years. 1hen
she returned to this city and went. 70 the
orphans home and demanded her children.
The authorities could not refuse to give
them up. She took them to a room IN the
Empire block, according to the story or
little Belle, who is an exceedingly bright
and intelligent girl, where she kept them
for eleven days. Then she took them TO her
brother, who lives near Ellerton, Ill, and
there abandoned them, saying she would
never care for them again and did not care
what became of them.
AJnldItlIilA AlG VI hCRE LlAElAE 90 AOH2
as he cared to be bothered with them and
about six weeks ago they came walking
into the home of their uncle, Mr.. Keller,
on Stevens street. ,
The children said they had been placed
on board q train at Ellerton, ILL.,, and given
in care Of the conductor, who was told to
bring them to Indianapolis. The conductor
supposed they would be met by friends
here and took them. On arrival here there
was no one to meet them and the conduc-
tor turned them over to a policeman at
the Union Station, who soon learned that
their uncle lived on stephens street. He put
them on a Virginia-avenue car and the con-
ductor let them off at Stevens street, after
which they soon found the home of Mr..
Keller.
Mr.. Keller was much surprised to find
the children at his house when he returned
home from his work that evening, but de-
termined that they should be properly
cared for in the future, although he had too
large a family and too much expense to
undertake the care of them himself. He
sent them to their grandmother in Madison
to remain until he could make the proper
arrangements They remained there until
yesterday. when they returned here, Mr..
Keller having made the necessary arrange
ments to have the children placed in the
German Orphans Home. To make it GER
tain that their mother could not again get
control of the children he yesterday filed
afndavits showing that Mrs. Klein is not a
fit person to have the care of the children
and was appointed their guardian.
The children do not want to be with their
mother. For some time Mrs. Klein's where
abouts have not been known here. 1t was
reported that she had been married and
gone West, but relatives do not believe
fhaf cha fc Yn FRIED.