Evening journal., 1922-05-01
WOMAN ENTERS
BRUNEN CASE
Detective, However, Denies
She Had Any Part in
Killing
POWELL UNDER
ARREST, ACCUSED

the bIuntH HuEntI case
The woman" heavily veiled. was
seen in the tonneau OF an automobile
with State Trooper Herman Bading,
near Mount Holly last night. They
were driving In the direction OF the
town.
This Is denied by Detectives Ellis
/ Parker. He insisted that instead OF
woman. the person with the troop
er was Clifford Cain. his assistant.
As a matter OF fact, it is said Cain
was at the time at Delaware avenue
and Market street. Camden, where
he was taking possession OF the
sedan OF Harry c. Mohr. Brunens
brother-in-law. Charles NJ. Powell,
confessed murderer OF Brunen.
swears Mohr paid him to slay the
circus man.
Tins automobile. a small sedan,
has been taken TO Mount Holly by
Cain for inspection by the Burling-
ton County Grand Jury. There is
another murder case TO come before
this Grand Jury. so It is not known
whether the Brunen murder will be
considered today. II Is conceded
It will depend upon Detective Bar
ker. II he is ready. the case will
come up.
The trend OF sentiment in connec-
ton with Powelrs end OF the case
was shown yesterday by Hood OF
communications received by Detec-
tive Parker and Prosecutor Kelsey
asking clemency for the slayer. In
discussing Powell. Detective Parker
said he appeared to be straight
forward and clean-cut fellow.
mo one can ever make me believe
that Powell was not doped. There
was something besides whisky in
that bottle OF liquor Mohr gave him
10 drink Just before the commission
OF the murder. Mrs. Powell has
even told how Mohr had constantly
dogged her husband and continually
gave him whisky to drink. until he
was almost in a state OF insanity.
That man Mohr Is a beast. He got
Powell in his power. got him drunk
and finally forced him to commit
the murder. I've had much expert
ence with murderers and I know
that Powell Ia not OF that type"
The tracking down OF the murders
by Detective Parker Is classed as one
OF the most clever pieces OF detec-
tive work ever done in New Jersey.
While Parker has merely smiled
when questioned by reporters and
personal friends. the story was
cleaned in bits from the detective.
State troopers and other officials.
Immediately after the murder,
March 10. Mrs. Brunen, Hazel Bru-
men. Harry c. Mohr and Mrs. Au-
gusta Mohr, Mrs. Brunen's mother.
were closely questioned by Detective
Parker. Suspicion then pointed 70
Mohr And later. when Brunen's
letter 70 his sister in Chicago was
published. in which the murdered
man said he suspected his wife OF
planning to have him done away
with" the suspicion was strength
ened. II was learned that there had |
been jealousy between Brunen and !
Mohr over attention paid to the late
ter's wife by the Snowman. Mrs. |
Mohr was a snake charmer in Bru- I
mems circus. Virtually from the I
time OF the murder until the day OF
his arrest, Mohr was constantly
watched. His mail was examined
and all phone calls to his home lis
tened to.
The day after the crime was COM
mitted, a part OF a shotgun was
found in Brunen's yard. Immedi-
ately orders were given to State
troopers by Detective Parker to
scour the country for a radius OF
Ave miles in search OF a shotgun
which might possibly have been
brown away by the murderers. The
search for the weapon was made, es-
1ecially along the route from River
lide to Philadelphia and from River
dde TO New York.
Footprints Of the murderer on the
avn around the Brunen residence
we're measured and compared with
shoes. but they were seen to
have been much smaller than those
" the slain mans brother-in-law.
L was then supposed that Mohr had
hired someone TO commit the crime.
And Il was learned by detectives and !
tate troopers who watched Mohr.
hat he was constantly paying visits (
o Powells residence at 45 Cooper
treet. Camden. Suspicion was then
iirected at Powell.
Shortly after the murder a shot
un was discovered in the Pensauken
,reek at low tide. II was in two .
,arts. and the numbers on each and ,
he number on the piece OF the shot
run found on the Brunen lawn were
he same. 1928. On the stock Of ,
he gun we're peculiar scratches and :
and a search of pawn s
hops. especially in Philadelphia,
vas made. until the owner OF a shop ,
N Vine street above Ninth identified 7
he weapon as one he had sold. The r
urchaser OF the gun. as the pawn {
roker described him, answered the {
of Powell. The finding OF a
he gun was not made public until !
lpril IL.
on April 6. Powell was arrested at
is home. His wife. knowing moth
ng OF her husbands crime, saw S
i'm forced into an automobile and v
he machine start off. Not under
tnding what It was all about and s.
caring harm was to come to her y
usband. she screamed and ran up
he street after the car. And It was L
ot until the next day that she was
,otified of his arrest. Since then she e
as visited him twice a week. r
The day after his arrest Powell J
onfessed TO having committed the
murder. It was learned for the first
me yesterday. But his confession. 7
-hich implicated Mohr as having
tanned the crime and Witnessing IT, a