San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-03
RxI C. OWEN.

Copyright, Dy Tne san Antonio Light.
Lodi, Cal, Oct. 3.-Aicxander Kels,
wealthy cattleman and chain meat
store proprietor, whol-. his little world
had mourned as the victim of wan
ton murderer, was brought back to
Lodi today to stand trial for muir
der even more wanton.
Arrested at Eureka. Halls has con-
fessed, the authorities declare, that
be picked up a stranger at an en-
ployment agency, drove him 10 the
kels ranch near Lodi and deliber-
ately slew him lnder circumstances
intended to indicate that Kels him
self had been murdered.
Thus he planned to drop out of a
life which had become unbearable TO
him, leaving behind widow" soon
TO become a mother-but leaving her
well provided for by the proceeds of
nearly 100000 in insurance which be
had taken out in her name.
Three old maxims about murders
were indicated once more in the kels
case. The first was that 1.-THE slayer
will return 10 the scene of his crime. y
Kels had made a clean getaway and
had journeyed over into@stern Tex
as when. as he tells it. something
forced me to come back: I wanted
to see what was happening he was
on his way 10 Lodi when he was
arrested Tuesday at Eureka.
"Murder Will Out"
New vindication is also found for
the old saw that murder will out
and that no criminal is clever enough
10 perpetratc crime so perfectly
that he does not leave hebind a. single
tell-tale clue.
Kels owes his apprehension 10 the
fact that he lacked the forethoughi
TO forego can of sardincs which his
palate craved.
Up 10 two weeks ago, Alexander
Keis was prominent citizen" OF
Lodi. A wealthy cattleman anc
ranch owner. proprietor of chair
of meat shons in dozen San joaquin
valley towns. Kels was looked up tC
by everybody. He was married. ap
parently happily and his fortune wa.
rated at quarter of n million al
least.
Burned Body Found.
! Then his automobile was found
burned. beside the ashes of what had
been n large hay stack on the Wood
man ranch near Lodi. In the machine
was n charred body. bound, gagged
and burned beyond recognition. The
charred clothing contained Kels' keys
and various other belongings of the
cattleman. A large sum of money
which he was known 10 have carried
was missing. The theory that he had
been robbed and murdered and his au'
tomobile burned in an effort to hide
his identity was generally accepted.
Two days later all Lodi turned out
to pay its last respects 10 its towns
man. An. that is. except Sheriff w. |.
RiecSs and Deputy District Attorney
Morgan Sanford. They knew what
Kels' fellow townsmen did not know
that n blunder had been committed
in the preparation of this otherwise
"pcrfect crime" and that it was not
kels' body that was being buried.
No Sardines in Stomach.
Preliminary Investigation had
shown that Eels. a short time before
his murder had stopped at res
taurant and had eaten sardinos. The
autopsy showed there were no sar-
dimes in the dead mans stomach-only
n few grapes.
Spurred By their find. the autop.
sists continued their examination OF
the body and discovered:
/. That the dead man had been un-
-nourished. while Kels was known
as hearty eater, always well nour-
ishcd.
.. That the dead mans teeth were
in poor condition. while Kels' teeth
had been his pride. always well cared
for.
Then detectives went on, the trail
with renewed vigor and succeeded in
establishing the facts that Kels had
been quietly converting his effects
into cash for some weeks Several ac-
counts in local banks disclosed heavy
Withdrawals.
Finally they found that. an hour be
fore his surpassed murder. he had pick
cd up 2. wanderiHg harvest worker in
= nearby town and carried hin, awa7
IN his automobile. The authorities say
Tho BODY found WIS that of the har-
vest worker. not of Kels.
Attempiing Suicide Wheu Caught.
On SATURDAY. the word was flashed
ont TO the noliee Of other cities to
search for Eels. On Tuesday word
came from Eureka that he had been
arrestcd in the railrc"d ya~ds there.
He had the muzzle of a rifle in his