Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-08-22
Seek Man Who Outraged
and Strangled Little Alma
Braun, of LeMars.
OLD
VICTIM OF BRUTE
3irl Left Home Early in Evening to
Visit Grandparents-Seen Later Co.
ing in Direction Of Circus Grounds
Body Found in Alley, Outraged and
StranoIed With Her Own Skirt
Coroner Conducting Investigation.

LeMars, Aug. 22.-Coroner H. B. Bar
nett. Of Merrill. held an inquest yes
terday afternoon over the body Of Alma
Braun. whose dead body was found III
an alley here Tuesday.
The child had been waylaid out
ragged and murdered GONE time Monday
night.
The evidence given before the jury
was by DR.. j. NJ. Fettes. who de-
scribed the condition of the body.
Chris Braun, the father OF the girl.
stated she had left home at 1880 o'clock
Monday night to go to the home Of her
grandparents, living in the west end OF
town, and had said she would be home
by o'clock. He arrived home himself
at little before II and went to bend,
supposing the child was at home, as he
said, she had never failed to return at
the hour she promised. In the morn
ing he called her to get breakfast, as
her stepmother is an invalid.
Finds Girl Messing.
Receiving no response, he went to
been occupied. He then telephoned to
the homes OF his father and his father
in-law and to the houses Of some OF
her girl friends, and not learning oil. her
whereabouts informed the police.
The body was found In an alley un-
der pile Of old rags by Mrs. Herman
Becker after she had been told by an
aged couple next door that there was
dummy figure In the alley The police
and sheriff were then notified.
Two small children named Hejgner
are credited with the statement that
they saw Alma Braun en- the grounds
where the Yankee Robinson show ex-
hibited, but they we're not called before
the coroners jury. They STATED Alma
told them she was going to the circus
and said she could get In for q quar-
ter. Her father testified he had given
her dime to get two rides on the mer-
ry-go-round and then come l.omo In
quarter, with which she bought some
white stockings, which she was wear
ing when she was killed. She had
nickel tied in her handkerchief.
Body in an Alloy.
When found the body OF the girl was
in an alley near the Illinois Central
railroad track in the west part OF town.
To get to her home she had to pass an
unfrequented spot across the railroad
track. The girls underskirt had been
torn from her body and wrapped in a
roll around her throat, with tight
knot under the chin. There were
bruises on her arms and side. Her
corset had been torn open and her side
was bruised. Her limbs were covered
with dust, and marks in the ground in
the alley showed where she had strug-
gled against her assailant or assail-
ants.
!. The police are working on the theory
that the crime was the work Of circus
employees Of the Robinson show or
toughs in the wake OF the circus.
Reward For AssaiIant.
The town Is deeply stirred over the
orime and there Is probability that q
large reward will be offered, and de-
tectives engaged to work on the case.
Alma Braun was IL years old last
January. She came with her parents
to this town from Akron about year
ago. Her father Ia employed with an
implement company in this city.
Another theory is that the girl was
waylaid while returning from her
grandparents home. which Is in an
outlying part Of the city, to the west.
at an early hour in the evening and
never reached the circus grounds,
which are in the north part Of the city.
Efforts are being made to discover
anyone who saw her after she left the
home OF her grandparents as dusk was
approaching.