New-York tribune., 1922-03-13
Four Sought
For Murder Of
Circus Owner
Woman SnaI>c Char,s,cr
Freed After Giving Alibi;
three Seen in Auto Flee.
ing From Brr,nen Home
Wife Tells of Threats
Believes Assassins Pursued
Him Home Earlier in
Week; Gun Stock Is Clew
Special Dispatch to The Tribute


CAMDEN. \. j., March 12.--Four per-
sons were implicated in the killing of
John Theodore Brunen, owner of the
Ferrari Circus, at his home in River
SIDE, n. j., Friday night according to
County Detective Ellis A. Parker, head
ing the investigation, who said tonight
Brunen had been trailcd more than
week
From information in possession of
the police tonight it was said arrests
OF at least three persons might be
made within q few hours.
Bessie Milton, former snake charmer
with carnival and vaudeville shows.
was taken into custody last night and
questioned as TO her whereabouts on
the night of Brunen's assassination She
was said to have boasted that she
owned half interest in Brunen's prop
critics After several hours grilling
the woman was released. The police
said she produced an effective alib.
Brunens life had been threatened
and last Wednesday he was pursued al
most to the door of his home by three
men in & motorcar. On entering the
FF6tlssV 7Brufsen said, according to a
statement Mrs. Brunen gave the police:
Mother, three guys have been fol-
lowing me. I stepped on the gas and
left them behind"
Wife Tells Of Enemies
Parker said tonight the police had
obtained definite knowledge of an at
tempt against Rrunen's life last
Thursday night Friends of the dead
man are declared to have said his
habit Of reticence would have pre-
vented his telling of this attempt eX-
cept perhaps to Mrs. Brunen. The
latter made an extended statement late
tonight, details of which are with
held
Prints of woman's shoe, found un-
der the window through which the cir
Gus man was shot to death by two
charges from twelvegauge shotgun,
we're identified to-day by Mrs. Brunen
as her own. She said they were made
when she passed under the kitchen
window q day before the shooting. She
walked that way to close the cellar
door, she said.
1t was learned to-day that on March
4 Brunen sold an interest in mis- circus
to Mrs. Mary T. Bernardo, of New York
City, wife of circus owner. The CON
tract of sale was concluded on March
3, it was said, and the papers signed on
March a.
Efforts were also made to-day toward
identifying the loaded shotgun shell
found near the house. 1t is filled with
B. B. shot. such as is used by market
hunters after deer. The stock of
shotgun was also found and one un
loaded she'll. The shotgun stock was
taken to winter quarters of the cir9as
and more than a score of employees
we're questioned as to its ownership.
Detectives went to Philadelphia late
in the afternoon seeking George War
ner. a former assistant cook with the
Brunen shov. Th police say Warner
had uttered threats against the life
Of his former employer. The number
11,828 found on the stock is expected
to aid in identifying the shotgun.
Three Seen in Fleeing Auto
Ten witnesses have been found Who
corroborate Mrs. Brunen's story that
after the shooting she saw an auto
mobile witho out lights speeding toward
Camden All agree that the machine
carried three men, one at the wheel
and two in the tonneau. The police
investigation SO far points 10 prob
ability that two automobiles figured IN
the murder. One is believed to have
been parked about fifty yards from the
house.
Hazel Brunen issued denial last
night that her father had been an init
mate friend of Taylor, the slain motion
picture director, of Los Angeles. She
(ConfJnued nm naue thrce)