The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-04
Joseph Vending Convicted Of
Staying Little Alma KelIner,
Eight Years Old.
EVIDENCE CIRCUMSTANTTAL.
SO HE ESCAPES SCAFFOID
Prisoner Arrested in San Fran.
cisco Must Serve Life Term
in Prison.
BY Associated Press

BY Associated Presa
LOUISVILLE, KY. Dec, 3.-Joseph
Vending tonight was found guilty by
u Jury of tho murder of S-year-old
Alma Kellner, and his punishment
fixed at life imprisonment
The jury was given the case at $50
o clock this afternoon, and announce.
ment Of the verdict came at I0:I0.
Vending was talking TO his wife, Mrs.
Madeline Vending, when the verdict
was announced. He remained perfectlv
calm.
81 either killed the little girl or I
did not. - said Vending. "They
should either send me to the electric
chair or turn me free -
The verdict came after q dav slient
in argument by attorneys and the read.
ing OF the instructions by Judge Greg.
ory Although there were four posi-
BILE verdicts the jury might have re-
turned under the instructions of tho
court, the verdict was merely "mur.
der. -
Evidence Circumstantial.
The evidence presented against
Vending was purely circumstantial.
Since his arrest and throughout his
trial he denied any knowledge of the
fate Of the kellner girl
Witnesses testified, however. that
Vending, then ianitor at ST. John q
Catholic church, was seen in the church
in the morning Alma kellncr last went
there to mass
Alma Kellner was the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kellner Of this city,
and a niece of Frank Fehr, millionaiTe
brewer. who spent much time and
money in the search for the child and
in the prosecution of Vending.
Alma Kellner was last seen in ST.
John g Catholic church December 8,
1909 where she had gone for mass.
When she failed to return home after
alarmed and notified the police.
Big Rewards Offered.
1t was first believed the child had
been kidnapped. and numerous rewards
were offered for her return. On May
30 the mutilated body of child was
found in a cellar under the music room
at st. John IS Catholic church. Tho
body was accepted by the Kellner FAM
lily as that of their child. Circumstan-
! tiaI evidence pointed to Joseph Wend-
ling. former janitor of tho church, who
had disappeared on January IA, as the
murderer
y otlI'u was oldI ltd lpi ulU Wuf#u
led to New Orleans, through Texas and
finally 10 California, where he was
captured on june 30, the arrest being
made in San Francisco.
Chief of Detectives Carney Of this
city, who personally conducted the
search for Vending, had almost given
UP the hunt when he located Mrs. Cora
Munea, u miiliner at Hume, Mo. Wend-
ling had known Mrs. Munea in Texas
and had proposed marriage to her.
Mrs Munea denied any knowledge Of
Vending. but on his visit Captain Car
nev found post card from vending
mailed in California. Carney tele-
graphed his information to the san
Francisco police and the arrest fol-
lowed.
Once back in Louisville. attorneys for
Vending, who is Frenchman, at
tempted to have the case tried in the
federal court and with six of his own
countrymen on the jury. The federal
court sent the case back TO the state
court. The trial began on Monday and
has been one of the most celebrated
held in this state,