The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-31
Disappearance of Alma
KellnerP allySolved
at Last.
CHURCH JANITOR
is BEING SOUGHT
Little Girl Left Home for. Sunday
School Last December, and
Since That Time Search
for Her Had Continued
Throughout Country.
Discovery by Accident.

ASSNSS~AJ y
Louisville. KY. May 3o.-With the
finding to-day OF her mutilated and
decomposed body in an old cistern ur-
der one Of the parish houses Of St.
Johns Roman Catholic Church, Clay
and Walnut Streets. part of the mys-
December s. r1sos. of Alma Kellner.
daughter of fred L. Kellner. was
solved. To clear the identity of the
slayer. the police are searching for
Joseph Vending, formerly janitor OF
ST. Johns Church. He has been miss
ing since January 12. His wife Is un-
der surveillance.
Frank Fehr a. millionaire brewer.
uncle of the child, who. since her dis
appearance. has spared neither time
nor money In the search for her. posi-
lively identified the body found TO-
day
Near Church Entrance.
The body was found only a few
yards from the entrance to St. Johns
Church. where Alma had gone to at
tend services the morning of her dis
appearance Mrs. Lena Vending, wife
OF the missing janitor. and house
Keeper for Father Schumann, pastor
of St Johns Church, in a sworn state.
ment made before Chief of Detectives
Carney to-day. admitted washing the
muddy clothes of her husband shortly
after the disappearance OF the Kellner
| girl. The detectives declare that these
| trousers shirt and hat are still blood
stained.
A little more than a year ago. ac-
cortiing to police records. vending
| was arrested and fined because of
improper conduct towards young
girl. whom he accosted IN street
The parents of Alma Keilner have
| NOT seen the body found to day Both
are prostrated. but expressed some re-
| lief at learning finally the fate OF
I their child. whom they had feared had
! been kidnapped Because of the lack
| OF clothing found with the horribly
l,mutilated and decomposed body, iden-
| ,ification had to be based on thechiid
shoe.
months of search throughout the
United states. was by accident.
on Saturday. the janitor at 81
Johns Church told Father schumann
that water was collecting under one
of the parish buildings, Plumbers oe-
gan TO pump out the water.
After pumping only a short tune,
the water began to smell badly. and
later sliny object was discovered.
chila's foot. with shoe and stocking
on appeared. The police and coroner
were called by Father Schumann.
After working for five hours. all
tbe fragments Of the body were coll
lected except the top Of the skull anu
the lower part of the right leg, AZ
the ribs on the left side were broken
Body Partly Burned.
.1t anpears that the body was part
,v burned" said Coroner Duncan. and
| I believe quicklime was used to alu
| in destroying the BODY -.
Father Schumann said that ne couipH
| remember nothing extraordinary ~
| wendling's actions after the d'sap-
pearance of Alma Kellner.
"wendling lef, the church withouI
saving he was going to quit He salo
nothing even to his wife. | thought
! AT the time that possibly the fact tha'
/ his wife. who is forty-two years OLD
/ was much older than he. caused MIN to
4 leave He often talked of returning
ia his old home In France. HIS wlte
| wrote his parents at Genlis Cote DOE
4 France. but they had heard nothihs
!. of him.
vending is described as twenty
4 seven years old, about tive feet tel
4 inches tall, weight about $50 pounds
j s,,,a11 7h,ack mustache and dark hall
4 and eyes.
j According to the wifes statement
wendlinr was deserter from thu
! French army. Father Schumann sale
4 he had learned since Wendling's dis
1. appearance that he had left severa
positions without notice.
Mrs. Joseph Vending was arreste'
\ tonight on the charge u being acces
sorry to the numbering 81 Alma kel4
Ring md Pin Found.
a gold ring and a pin were found II
Mrs wendling'e trunk. After the PHI
5|4had been identified rs one Alma wor'
i the day sho disappeared. Mrs. Wendlint
i maintained stolidly that the ring ant
\ the pin had been given her by 20!
i lwho said he found them In the street,
Mrs. Vending admitted that Stain
on some clothing which she washed 70
! lher husband a. short time ago after tn
j, child disappeared were blood stains
Her adnliss ssion was made In advance O
IA chemical analysis OF the garments
which are in the possession of the po
,Ilice. She declared that the blood stain
. came from wound her husband ha'
acctdently suffered on his arm While a
work.
Further than this a three hours
"sweating" elected little information
from the woman, whose husband tn
police now seek as the possible slaye
Of the girl.
I Chief OF Detectives Carney announc
ed tonight that the police throughou
the country had been set to work I
: trace Vending, who was the janito
of the church and school where tn
child's body was found No clue as I
i kthA ,1nan,a sphera aa holitR thus far iha