The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-31
Little Alma Ke||ner Was Mur-
dcred In Louisville and
Not Kidnapped
JAN|TOR OF SCHOOL IS
SUSPECTED OF CRIME
Wife of the JanitOr Has Been Arrested
While Her Husband, Who Is Miss
ing, Disappeared Month
After Crime Occurred

Louisville, May 30.-Mrs. Joseph
Vending was tonight arrested on the
charge of being an accessory to the
murder of Alma Kellner, whose multi
ated body was found this morning un-
der one of the parish buildings under
ST. Johns Catholic church..
Confronted with gold ring and a
pin which had been found in her trunk,
and after the pin had been positively
Identified by the mother of the long
missing child as one which Alma wore
the day she disappeared, Mrs. Wend-
ling maintained a stolid demeanor ana
casually vouchsafed the information
that the ring and the pin had been
given her by boy who found them
on the street
Mrs Vending also admitted that
stains on some clothing which she
washed for her husband shortly after
the child disappeared were blood stains
In her belief. Her admission was made
In advance of chemical analysis of
the garments, which are in the pos
session of the police.
Mrs. Vending declared the stains
came from a wound her husband had
accidentally SuHered on ms drIi our-
ing the course of his work.
Further than the foregoing evidence
a three hours sweating which ended
shortly before midnight ELECTED little
Information from the woman whose
husband the police now seek as the
murderer of the little girl.
Chief of Detectives Carney announced
tonight that he has set the police
throughout the country to work in an
the janitor of the church and school,
where the child met her death. NO clue
as to the whereabouts of the man thus
far has been obtained.
Part of Mystery Solved
with the finding today of her multi
ated and decomposed body in an old
cistern under one of the parish houses
of st Johns Catholic church, Clay and
walnut streets, part of the mystery
surrounding the disappearance OF Alma
Kellner. the S-year-old daughter OF
Fred L. Kellner, on December s. has
been solved Frank Fehn, millionaire
brewer. uncle of the child, who since
her disappearance has spared neither
time nor money in the search for her,
has positively identified the body.
The body was found only few yards
from the entrance to st. James church'
where Alma had gone to attend services
the morning of her disappearance.
The police are looking for Joseph Wen
ding, former janitor of St. Johns church,
who since January IA, a little more tnan
a month after the disappearance OF tne
Keilncr girl, has been missing. MRS
Lena vending, wife of the missing man
and housekeeper for Father Schurmahn'
pastor of St. Johns church, is under sur
VIGILANCE.
In a sworn statement made before Cap
tain Carney, chief of detectives, this aft
arnoon Mrs. Vending admitted washing
muddy clothes of her husbands shortly
After the disappearance of the little kelL-
ner gir The detectives have the clothes.
trousers, shirt and hat, and declare there
are still blood stains on them.
little more than year ago. accord
Ing to police records. Vending was ar
rested and fined because of improper
conduct with young girl whom he ac-
costed on the street.
Manner of Identification
Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Kellner, parents
Of tho chill, have seen the body found
today. Mr. Fehr, the uncle, is positive
of his Identification through the compare
son Of a shoe found with the body with
one worn by Alma before her disappear
ance Other means of identification at
the lack of clothing found with the body
and its horrible mutilation and decom-
position.
The finding today of the body, after
months of search, not only in Louisville.
but throughout the United States. for
Alma Kellner. was by mere accident.
Saturday the janitor at st. Johns
church, told Father Schuhmann that
water was collecting under one of the
parish buildings. Plumbers were sent for
and Immediately commenced to pump out
the water. Their work was resumed this
morning. A.~
After pumping only short time the
water commenced TO smell badly and a
few minutes later q slime-covered object
was discovered. A child's foot, with Shoe
and stocking on, appeared. The police
and coroner were notified Immediately by
Father Schumann. After WORKING for
Ave hours over the fragments of the
body Coroner Ellis Duncan said that the
top and part of the left side Of the skull
and part of the right leg and foot were
missing entirely. All the ribs on the left
aide were broken, he said.
Body Partly Burned
TT appears that che body was partially
burned" said Coroner Duncan, "and be-
lieve quicklime was used in destroying
the body, but further examination alone
will develop these facts
Father Schuhmann said this afternoon
he could remember nothing suspicious in
Wendltngs actions after the disappearance
81 Alma Kellner. He would not commit
himself on weddings guilt or innocence.
'Wendling left the church without say
ing he was going to quit. and he said
nothing to his wife. 1 thought at the time
that possibly the fact that his wife was
much older than he caused him to leave
He often talked of returning to his old
home In France, but his wife wrote his
parents and they have heard nothing OF
him."
Although the police were supposed to
have searched the premises about St
Johns church, the church school and
ether parish buildings, today 1t was ad-
mitted that no search was made of the
place where the body was found. Wend-
ing is described by the detectives as be-
ing 27 years Of age. about s feet 10 inches
ln height, weight about 100 pounds q
small black mustache and dark hair and
eyes Mrs. Vending Is AZ.
Weddings parents live at Gendlis. Cote
cor, France.
According to the wifes statement to
Captain Carney Vending was a desertel
tScm the French army. Father Schulz
mann said he had learned since Wend-
unGs disappearance that he had left sew.