The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-11-19
Joseph Vending to Answer to
Charge Of Killing Little Anna
Kellner at Louisville
Monday
ACCUSED man Is not UNEASY
Stoutly Maintains His Innocence in
Face of Strong Circumstantial Ev-
idence-Case Very Sensa-
tional One.

Louisville, KY, Nov. 19.-Not in
many years has criminal trial in
Louisville excited the intense interest
exhibited in the case of Joseph Wend-
ling, the young Frenchman, who is to
be brought into court Monday to
stand trial for the alleged murder of
little Alma Kellner, whose mysterious
disappearance last winter and the sub
sequent finding of her mutilated re-
mains after a search of months at
tracted the attention of the whole
country. The police and the prosecut-
ing attorneys office declare they have
evidence sufficient to convict Wend-
ling of the horrible crime of which he
is charged The accused man, on the
other hand, continues to maintain his
innocence and at no time since he has
been lodged in the Louisville Jail has
he manifested any uneasiness over the
outcome of his trial. on the contrary,
according to the Jail attaches the
young man has rather appeared to en-
Joy the notoriety.
Strong circumstantial Evidence.
That strong circumstantial evidence
exists to connect Vending with the
murder is not to be denied. His po-
sition as janitor of the school where
the remains of the little girl were
found and his flight from the city soon
after her disappearance are, considered
the strongest links in the chain of ev-
ldence forged against him.
Alma Kelner, the eight year old
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Fred f.
Kellner left her home In I1ast Broad
way on the morning of December last
60 attend mass at st. Johns Church,
about three blocks away. When she
did not return home at the expected
time her parents made inquiries and
the next morning general search
was begun. The general theory was
that il was case of kidnapping and
with the publicity given the case let
ters began to reach the parents at
tempting to extort money for the re-
turn of the child.
Body Found BY Plumbers.
From day to day the search contin-
ued for many weeks. The uncle of
the child well-to-do resident of
Louisville, expended much money
running down supposed clues But not
not the slightest trace of the little
girl was found either by the police
or by private detectives and the case
remained an absolute mystery until
May 30, nearly six months after her
disappearance.
on May 30 some plumbers employ
ed to find leak i'm the water pipes
under one of the building attached to
st. Johns Church found ip the slime
and ooze in which they v e digging
a part of the remains of the missing
child Buried near by were found
glove which the little girl wore and
several garments identified as belong
ing to her
Further evidence found around the
school building and among the effects
of the janitor. Joseph vending, di-
rected suspicion toward him and when
an effort was made to capture him IL
was found he had fled the city In jan
nary. His wife was taken into GUS
tody on suspicion of being an access
sorry, but was subsequently released.
Arrested at San Francisco.
A worldwide search for Vending
was begun. He was traced into Tex
as but eluded the detectives when
they were almost on the point of cap
turing him I'm San Antonio Late in
July, however, he was located in San
Francisco through letters he had writ
ten to a woman i'm Hume, Mo-, and
taken into custody.
The police theory Is that the child,
who was late for church, was discov-
cred alone in the church by Vending,
the janitor, who assaulted and mur-
dered her and then dropped the body
into the basement through a hole In
the sacristy. IL Is believed he tried
to burn the body in the chruch fur
mace, and failing, later threw 1t into
the old cistern where 1t was subse-
quently discovered.
The accused man is about twenty
seven years old and rather good look
ing. He Is supposed to he a son OF
a good family In France. According to
his wife he came to America to es-
cane punishment for desertion from
the French army.