Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-08
BRUTAL MURDER IN OTTUMWA
Miss Clara Rosen Beaten to Death on
Way Home from Church.
JEALOUSY SUPPOSED CAUSE
Woman was to Have Been Married
Next Week TO wyoming Mine
owner and Police Looking
for Former suitor.

DIES MONIES. Feb. 7.-Clara Rosen.
soloist in the Lutheran church at Ottumwa,
was murdered in an unusually atrocious
manner Friday night. Her badly mutilated
body was found today and Widespread
search was made for her slayer.
Miss Rosen, who was a beautiful woman,
aged Is, was to have been married next
week to Sanford Carlson Of I~ronton, wyo.,
q mine owner. The police say this love
affair was the cause OF her death. They
say a disappointed sutton murdered his
former sweetheart in order to prevent her
marrying his hated rival.
Miss Rosen was waylaid as she was re-
turning home from choir practice at the
church. Her assailant dragged her to a
lonely spot on q vacant lot, where an
excavation had been, crushed her skull
with a sharp stone. Her death screams
failed to summon aid, as nobody was pass
ing at the time. She struggled desper-
ately with the murderer in an effort to
save her life. The story of her frenEied
attempts to wrest herself from the slayer's
grasp is written in the sand near the
place where her body was found. The
condition of the ground and the body in
dictate that the singer fought the man from
49, NAAS ~ 01PN AACA IA NhG AOC hAAAA
she sank unconscious beneath his blows.
WOman's Skull Crushed.
Miss Rosen's skull was crushed in two
places and a score OF cruel blows had
bruised and torn her body.
When Miss Rosen did not return home
last night her people became alarmed.
Searching parties were sent out. They
hunted all night, thinking that the girl, per-
haps, had wandered away while temporar-
lily demented. Not until today did any of
the searchers approach the scene of the
crime, although they passed and repassed
1t many times during the night. Then they
found the body and the sensational evid-
ence OF a battling crime.
The whole city was amazed at the trag-
edy and many men shared the day in search
for the murderer.
Two Suspects Arrested.
rive suspects have been arrested, one at
Oskaloosa, giving his name as James Mar
tin Of st. Louis, and he said he was a
teamster. When searched ne had blood on
his clothing. He admitted he had just come
from Ottumwa.
At Abba, a man giving the name of VIII
liam Travers, was arrested on suspicion.
He declares he was looking for work, and
left Chicago Tuesday.
Officials of the city, county and state are
putting forth unusual efforts to arrest the
riminal. Governor Carroll is considering
offering a large reward for his apprehen-
sion. The mayor of Ottumwa has offered
a reward of 500 and the citizens Of the
city nav made up 500 more.
Miss Rosen's diamond brooch and purse
are missing. The police say the slayer
took these to make 1t appear like a robbery.
They declare, however, the motive was far
different from robbery, and that one OF
the girls former admirers will be arrested
for the crime.
Carlson Formerly of Ottumwa.
SANFORD Carlson of Wyoming, to whom
Miss Rosen was to nave been married,
formerly was in business in Ottumwa. He
is the son OF Mr.. and Mrs. Carlson, 9Oa
Haynes street. He visited at the home OF
Miss Rosen's parents last summer when
the betrothal took place. The parents state
that their daughter was to have been mar
ried to Mr.. Carlson in March. She re-
ceived letters from Mr.. Carlson almost
daily. He was to have arrived in OttumwR
soon.