The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-07-30
VENDING CAUGHT
Alleged Slayer of Eight Year.
Old Alma Kellner
LIS Found and Arrested by San
Francisco Police.
HIDDEN UNDER A SINK
LIN a ROOming House to Which
He Was Traced.
He COnfesses That He Is the
Man But Denies Guilt.
HIDDEN UNDER A SINK

San Francisco, Cal. july 30-Josenh
vending, former janitor of St. Johns
parochial school. Louisville. XIV.
charged with the murder of Swear. old
Alma Kellner, was arrested in this .ity
today. He admitted his identity to the
police on his arrest
Vending was captured in a Third
street lodging house by Detectives
Ryan and Eurke of the local depart
ment. He made no resistance and ad-
mitted to the officers on the way to
the city prison that he was vending
Chief of Police Marlin, District Attor-
ney Ffckert and two detectives are now
with him in the prison attempting to
secure confession from him.
The capture was due to a tip given
the detectives by a note from some un-
known person. The note stated that
Vending would be found at 431 Third
street. That was three days ago and
when the detectives went to the place
they found vacant lot Adjoining
this was a lodging house at 435 Third
street. The place is conducted by
French woman who insisted that no
man answering to Weddings descrip-
ton had ever stayed there. A watch
/ was maintained about the place. how
ever, and this morning the detectives
determined to search the house.
Found Under the Sink.
vending was found hiding under
| the sink in the kitchen. He denied
| that he was the man, but the mark or
| the bullet wound in the hand, received
| while he was in the French army, was
discovered and investigation disclosed
| the ship tattooed on his body. when
the officer spoke of these vending
broke down and admitted his identity.
| Vending has been sought for in this
city for three weeks. He was tralled
| to Vallejo, town 80 miles away, by
| Chief of Detectives J. P. Carney. or
1 4ffAT
/ chase that led across the continent.
From the description furnished by Car
ney, Chief of Police Stamford OF val
leio recognized a man who had peeh
| livin- in Vallejo for several weeks, but
| who hal disappeared as soon as Carney
| arrived. Carney and Stamford took up
the trail which led to this city ana
i nlaced the case in the hands OF the To-
cal department, Stamford remaining y
| aid in the chase while Carney returned
to Louisville to follow other clues
| MANY traces of weddings presence
in the city were found by the ofncers,
but they could not lay hands on tho
man himself. On Wednesday night a
net was drawn about a house where
the unsigned note received by cap
tain of Police Wall said Wendhng
could be found. The officers lay IN
wait all night but the man did not
come local paper published the
story of the case and the detectives
feared that the suspect would escape,
but redoub1ed their guard of the exits
from the city and kept up the nunt.
| Today Detectives Ryan and Burke
became convinced that the man was
in the building or had been there re-
Gently. They determined to searcn
the house, and, leaving guards at the
tion of every room, which resulted IN
the capture Of the man in the kltcnens
Wendling denied any connection
with the murder of the girl in his talk
with the district attorney and police.
| He described his wanderings since
leaving Louisville saying that he went
Ito New Orleans, thence to Texas and
lfiuaIly to Vallejo, where Carney found
his trail.
| vending is charged with the mur~
der of Alma Kellner, the S-year-old
niece of the wealthy Louisville brewer
Frank Fehr-
Ibis capture so certain were the Louis
Iville authorities of his guilt The child
went to the school on December s.
last to attend mass. She was not
| seen again until her mutilated body
| was found in the basement OF the
school building on May 80. There was
every Indication that the child had
| been murdered and her body hidden
| in an effort to conceal the crime.
Evidence found around the school
building and among weddings eHects.
directed suspicion toward him ana
when an effort was made TO capture
him it was discovered that he had
fed the city. His wife was taken into
custody, but was dismissed after be-
ling examined for several days. Addi-
tional evidence pointing to Vending
was wrung from her by the question
ers and the dead child's relatives OF
fered $4,000 reward for his capture.
vending is about 27 years of age
| and is supposed to be of a good fam
| ily He speaks several languages
Huently. When captured today he had
made no attempt to disguise himself
According to his wife, Vending
left Louisville or January "a, and the
trail followed by Carney led him into
Mexico. Central America and finally
back to this country to a ranch near
Vallejo