The evening world., 1922-03-11
THEATRICAL MANS MURDER
IN HOME NEAR CAMDEN, NJ,
RESEMBLES ELWELL SLAY|NC
John T. Brunen, Promoter Of
Public and Private Enter
tainments, Killed by Man
Who Came in Auto.
Widely Known by Young
Women-Los Angeles'S In
terest Stirred by News of the
Killing.

CAMDEN, March 11-John T.
Brunen, who made n business of en-
gaging actors and musicians for
dances and private entertainments,
was murdered in his home at River
side, near here, last night under cir
cumstances that suggest to the police
the hard work which came TO the Now
York police after the murder of
Joseph B. Elwell and to the Los
Angeles and Hollywood police after
the killing OF William Desmond
Taylor, the moving picture director.
Mr.. Brunen's body was found on
the floor OF the kitchen OF his home
He had apparently been reading at
the kitchen table. A full load of bird
shot had been fired into the top of
his neck, tearing away the base OF
the brain.
Neighbors told the detectives that
an automobile stopped in front of
Brunen's home last evening. Three
men got out and one entered the
house. lie returned In few mo-
ments, re-entered the car with the
others and drove away. No unusual
sound was heard while he was in the
house.
No one noted the number of the car.
though the police have Il fairly close
Il - 1,a
to come out Of the house.
Brunen had large acquaintance
among entertainers. including young
women who were always on the
ragged edge of real theatrical engage.
ments and hoped to attain them
through the opportunities they got
through him.
Mrs. Brunens mother and the slain
mans daughter had left the house
only a few minutes before the shoot
ing to attend a motion picture theatre.
In July, 1920. the Brunen home
was entered by two men who held up
Mrs. Brunen and robbed the place OF
jewelry and money. According to
Burlington County authorities to-day
the descriptions of the two men re-
semble those OF two of three men seen
by neighbors to park "A motor car near
the Brunen home last night before
the shooting.
County detectives said that Bruncn
was identified with group OF well
known gamblers in Baltimore about
two years ago. \ dispute arose be-
tvs cen Bruncn and some Of the
gamblers, and shortly after his home
was robbed under peculiar CirCum-
stances which detectives believed in
diCatcd the robbery was perpetrated
for revenge.
Neighbors OF tine murdered man in
Riverside said Brunen had engaged
in a violent quarrel in the house last
Christmas Day and that several shots
were fired AT that time No one was
hurt and no arrests were mare, how
ever. Brunen recently purchased the
remnants of the "Bostock Animal
Show" which he was wintering in
Riverside.
Ellis Parker Burlington County de-
tcctivc, said to-day that he had been
unable to learn from the neighbors
as to which direction the machine
came from or where it headed later.
Mrs. Brunen was in state of col
lapse and was unable TO give any
information to the police.
Los ANGELES, March 1l.-Ncws
of the murder at Camden, n. j., OF
John y. Bruncr, close friend of Will
lam Desmond Taylor under circum-
stances similar to those in the death
of Taylor, created a profound stir
here to-day The possibility that
Brunen met his death hN the Same
mysterious agency that killed Taylor
was discussed everywhere. .--