davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18

set for himself the task of check
ing on every one of them!
In the meantime another line
of inquiry opened up when a
boy, Leroy Hutchinson, found
the lock and barrel of the shot
gun lying on a mudflat two
miles south of Riverside on the
river road that leads to Philadel-
phia. 1t was not an American
shotgun but bore the name OF a
Belgian maker; so the chief
cabled the United States con-
sular service in Belgium to find
out how many more of those
guns there were in the United
States. They replied that a lot
of 10 had been made for E. K.
-Tryon of Philadelphia. That was
getting close to home.
Inside the lock of the shotgun
was q serial number, which en-
abled Tryon to identify it as a
gun he had sold to a man from
up near Hazelton.
Parker travelled the 100 miles
to Hazelton and soon located
his man. Reticent at first, be-
cause he had been accused of
hunting out of season with 1t,
the man finally stated that the
gun had been confiscated by a
game warden named Simonds.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18
Just John and I
In House at Time

Gust John and I. You see,
John went over TO Wllliamsport,
as he does every day, TO get the
circus ready TO go on the road;
it's going out In another two
weeks. We had all planned to
70 TO the movies, but John got
home late so I stuck around 10
get dinner for hIm-Halel and
mother went TO catch the early
show. After John finished eat
ing he sat down In the parlOr
TO read his paper, like he always
does, and ! went upstairs. Then
] heard that shot and ran down
stalrs-and there he was :"
do you know of any one who
might have q grudge against
your husband ."
There are plenty OF people
who didn't like him." the woman
confessed.
Doris Brunen's mother was
next TO be Intercepted; she was
asked whether her daughter got
along with her husband and her
Srepdaughter.
"Oh. certainly-DOris and John
lOAed each other" came the
reply And my daughter and
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18
Mark One Up for Bernie

DEN BERNIE those who composing most of the music
ID nowadays all fellows they like
Romberg Kern Shake Ben. You really said
something there.
handsome is born married. said John Ray
there happily married
plain than happily married beautiful women . 80, -
body, makes lasting said Puollius
Syrus There something this but 100 cent
"Why a worry whom she should marryS
she will find she has married
body said John Hay. -
1t that finds her husband is different
before But the angle this
not entirely pessimistc Many girl has married what she
thought guy him out TO be wonder
n love, life and money making "A
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18
Goes to Pieces,
Tells Whole Story

Then surprisingly. Powell went
to pieces - spilled the whole
story.
Mohr had offered him $1,000
II he would kill Brunen. and
after a good deal of persuading
got him to agree. The original
plan was for Powell to do the
actual killing while Mohr was
away somewhere else establish
ing an alibi. However, after the
fourth failure, Mohr got annoyed
with him and went along to
make sure he would carry out
the nefarious scheme. Mohr
drove the car and arranged the
ahbi.
Powell also made a statement
which later resulted in the
arrest of MI. Brunch.
"What route did MOhr take?
Parker aimed the question with
the purpose of learning more
about the abb.
81 don't know" whimpered
the prisoner. He came through
Camden from the south about !,
maybe a little before, picked me
ND there, and we drove on fast
TO Riverside where ! did the
Job. Then I got into the car
again and we crossed the river
by the upper bridge and drove
back toward Philly. He let me
out and took a bus back home"
On April 2, 1922, Mohr and
Mrs. Brunch were taken into
custody.
Harry Mohr received a life
sentence. and Charles Powell 80
years in the Trenton state
prison. "A few months later, in
April, 1923, Powell's mental con-
dition deteriorated TO such an
extent that he was removed TO
the Trenton asylum for the
criminal insaneD
When the The Mighty Doris
circus slayers were returned to
their cells after pronouncement
of sentence, who should turn up
but farmer Fletcher, the man
who had taken the number of
the car that passed him on the
S curve. In cleaning out the in
terror Of his car he had found
the slip Of paper on which he
had written the number-it was
the number of Mohrs car
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18

amateur plans a crime he figures
that his best method of avoid
ing suspicion is to have an alibi.
The man who killed Brunen,
therefore, had an alibi all rugged
up for himself, in some place
not far from Riverside. But
whatever the alibi, he must
have done some jugglery with
clocks, and even cut 1t fine by
fast driving.
News tories Of the case had
results the next afternoon when
a farmer named Fletcher came
into the chiefs office and stated
that he had driven to Philadel-
phia some time after Z o'clock
on the night of the crime. Just
as the chief expected, Fletcher
had met a car without lights
coming from the Philly direction
and travelling at terrific speed.
At the S turn under the bridge
near Riverton, it came over to
his side of the road and crowded
him into a ditch. This made
Fletcher so indignant that he
caught the cars number under
the bridge light and carefully
put it down.
And of all possible things, he
had lost the paper with the num-
Der on it!
The incident did reveal, how
ever, that the car had Pennsyl-
Vania license plates.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18
Gets in Touch
With Girl, Doctor

Parker got in touch with the
Julian girl and the doctor, and
Mohr's abb seemed to check all
right. He had left the girls
home a little before z and ar
rived at Paulson's after s.
which was just about right for
a man with a stomach ache
driving through the middle of
Philadelphia in the very heavy
traffic of that hour.
The chiefs disappointment
when he left the Quaker City
was abruptly dissipated when he
examined the reports of his
aides. Cain informed him that
Berkowitz recognized II larry
Mohr's picture as that OF the
man who bought the Belgian
shotgun! And Bading reported
that Mohr and Powell had been
in Wilkes-Barre together for a
long while and were quite
friendly.
Even more significant was a
report on Powell. particularly
his photo which Parker looked
at for the first time. Powell was
a slight, short man with small
feet, and so nervous that he had
had a breakdown and been under
observation in a sanitorium for
over a year.
That clinched 1t for Parker.
who was not firmly convinced
that Mohr and Powell were in
on the slaying-Mohr the brains,
and Powell the trigger man. But
he didn't have a scrap of definite
proof against either man. The
shotgun had been traced to
Mohr. all right, but no ballisticS
expert can identify shotgun
pellet as having come from a
particular gun.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18
Most Broken Up
Of Three Women

OF the three WOnrH, Hazel
Brunen was the most broken up
over the tragedy.
Tell me, Hazel, whose idea
was II that you go to the movies
tOnight?" the chief asked the
young daughter of tfe-dead man.
"Why, II was mOther's-Mrs.
Brunen's."
Parker terminated the ques-
tioning and turned to Cain who
had entered with his report.
cit wasn't robbery. chief-he
had Sl37 in his pocket" and
Cain displayed the bills.
Outside. Cain had found a
mans footprints that came
across the yard up to the win
dow where they were deeply
impressed; the tracks then
moved up and down in short
strides, and finally they showed
that the owner had run up the
road to a lane 20 yards away.
There. treadS Of a car revealed
how the killer had escaped.
The next morning the grip OF
a shotgun. found by a laborer
IN the lane near where the
killers car had stood, was
brought into the chiefs office.
II appeared TO be the right
weapon all right, but il had
been handled so much that there
was no use trying for finger
prints. However. this seemed
TO be a further clue as to the
slayer's nervouSness - dropping
the grip when he broke the gun
after the murder had been COM
mitted.
From his observations. the
clever sleuth had come TO the
conclusion that this was most
probably a planned crime .
by an amateur. So he reasoned
in nine cases out of ten. when an
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18
Sold With Batch
Of Other Weapons

Luckily, Simonds remembered
the CUNT had been sold with
a lot Of other weapons to a
pawnbroker in Phila d elphia
named Berkowitz.
So the circuitous gun trail
led back to the City of Brotherly
Love from where ii had started.
Here Parker was again for
tunate. for Berkowitz kept only
a small shop and recalled the
shotgun perfectly. He had sold
it just after Christmas to a
short. stocky man. and he was
sure he could recognize him, or
identify his photo.
Parker was pleased with the
fruits of his trip and headed
back to Mt. Holly. BY that time
Cain and his staff had worked
through the $50 names of the
circus people, and Parker found
his drawer full Of reports, most
OF them quite innocent.
Charles Powell had been In
Camden. and Harry Mohr in
Philadelphia; these cities face
each other across the Delaware
River and are exactly in line TO
fit the person Parker was look
ing for-and both men had good
motives. The chief decided to
go TO Philadelphia to question
Mohr. Before leaving he assigned
his aides TO obtain photos of the
two men: then Cain was detailed
to show the photos TO BerkowitZ.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18
NeighbOrs QMzzed
About Family Ties

Meanwhile. Cain and Bading
were busy interviewing neigh
bors and digging up information
about the Brunen family. Bading
heard OF frequent Quarrels by
the couple about Hazers mar
riage. The neighbors told of a
particularly violent quarrel on
Christmas Day, when some one
fired shots in the house, and
the police came. Both husband
and wife had pulled guns and
blazed away at each other. Mrs.
Brunen missed, and one of the
showman's bullets was DETECTED
by a corset steel.
Gains report was just as in
teresting. 1t seems that the
Snowman was a particularly
hard-headed individual-he had
quarreled with everybody in his
show or out of it. There were
any number of people who might
bear Hmm grudgc. including
practically the entire personnel
of the circus. The ones espe-
cially bitter against him were
Ward. the lot superintendent;
Parkstrom, the lion tanner; a
cook named Werner whom he
had fired. and a "ballyhoo man"
named Powell, who had also
been fired.
There was a suggestion Of.
motive in another case; that Of
Harry Mohr, Doris Brunen's
brother. Mohr was general man.
ager of the show and might be
part owner and in full charge
after Brunen's death. There were
$50 circus workers and the chief
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18
We Need to Change the Subject

ONCE people given advice how ito break that deadly
" silence" Everybodys trying to talk
Needed effective means OF break
dominating the atmosphere at break
dinner and between meals Let US figure out
subject changers
argument a why 1t husbands leave home ?" Or: Why
Or 1T mistake to
obey from the marriage ceremony Or "A wife needs
change doesn't shouldn't cocktails with an old
name?" Orr first better than
rghthanded Or: why tall girls make such
extravagant wives?"
That's the general idea you of any good chang
ideas let know The situation
is getting pretty desperate our block.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18
Maybe Mystery Menaces Mama

IRON a young matron Manhattan:
my husbands Mac. Our closest friends named
Murray Florida this Winter the FIRST three
Mervn Morton and Melvin.
my definitely be NJ" Very interesting.
Were married to Mac Monday morning in March
in Manhattan.
Howe sage Kansas said he redhaired mar
couple Kansas Grace and Gus
Tooh of Long Beach L. L. both redheds The jackson family
Flushing made mother father and three children,
redheads Hallerman family of New York City
posed redheaded and and four little brick ~p
kddies.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18

HAZEL BRUNEN, the slain
mans daughter. Her mar
rage caused q bitter family
feud.
Hazel got along fine, just like
she was her own child. Why
when Hazel ran away to get
married."
"When did that happen:" the
chief cut in.
"a few months ago. Hazel
fell In love with ParkstrOm, the
lion tanner in her fathers circus.
They went to HOboken and got
married; Doris went with them,
and also the lot superintendent
of the circus, Mr.. Ward. When
John found out about II he was
furious; he went up there to
Hoboken where he had a fight
with Parkstrom and brought
Hazel back; and just because
Doris defended her, he accused
Doris of arranging the marriage
with Mr.. Ward"
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18

carpet Who tagged this o
suicide ?" he asked.
Bading spoke up:
"Mrs. Brunen phOned DIR.
Stuart X. Maui 20 come over
because her husband had shot
himself. The doctor picked me
up. When we arrived here we
found this"
"Where Is Mrs. Brunen?"
"She's upstairs with her
mothe- and her stepdaughter."
II want TO talk TO all of them
after I've had n look around"
the chief ordered. and then he
continued TO explode the suicide
possibility. THE man was shot
from below and behind while
sitting close 20 the window, with
the shade drawn except for a
slit at the bottom. Not only Is
there no weapon, but you'll
notice a four-inch hole at the
bottom of the window with
flakes Of the glass blown inward.
It's obvious that the shot came
from outside the house.
Cain. you examine the grounds
outside the house, and also see
what you can find on the inside.
Bading, you bring the women
down"
Doris Brunen was a good
looking blonde. though rather
plump. in her late thirties. She
had been a circus performer be-
fore becoming the second wife
of John Brunen, who named his
show after her. Mrs. Brunen
accompanied the circus on It's
annual tour Of the entire east
coast Of the United States, and
during the Winter managed the
Brunen household in Riverside.
which included her own mother
and her stepdsughter Hazel Il
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18
A True
Detective
Story

Mohr was a heavy-set fellow
with broad shoulders; he didn't
seem a bit disturbed at Parker'S
visit.
"Yes, 1 remember that night"
he said, unhesitatingly. THAT
was the night 1 went to see
Julian, q girl friend, right here
In Philly. I was there for din
ner." He gave the address, which
was on the south side OF the
city. "Then i got feeling rotten
You know, 1 have indigestion
something terrible-so 1 got in
my car and drove to see Doc
Paulson, that's my doctor, and
he fixed mo up. Then 1 went
home"
Paulson's address was on the
north side of the city
The whole thing was a puzzler.
Harry Mohr didn't look like a
man who suffered much from
indigestion; and this alibi was
Just the kind Parker was ex-
pecting the murderer to have
in two separate places, with a
long drive between them. Yet,
when the officer looked at
Mohr's feet while they were
talking, he felt certain that
those big brogans never made
the footprints the killer had
left outside John Brunen's house.
Besides, Mohr told his story
coony and quietly; he wasn't the
type of man who would use a
shotgun for fear of missing from
two feet away, and then drop
half the gun while running to
IL,
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18

-yeaH-ela- child Of BFHReH- by a
previous marriage. .."
what makes you think your
husband killed hlmself?" the
chief asked the attractive widow
point blank.
That's the only thing could
figure out when 1 heard the shot
and came running down the
stairs" she replied calmly.
"Who else was in the house
at the time ."
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18
sEUen Hitler Had a Mother

IRON London newspaper:
population hyercai during raids by the Royal
Evidently takes people superior race such M
British TO remain calm at such times"
popular with British soldiers right one toed:
had Mother When the joins me IN RAID
ogush look and also looks fur
lively whether anybody might catch US before we
get hold of the cold turkey leg.
bought better blades for cent
kind paid 10 each for Not only that the $A
bedroom better radio than the $3.50
have for the living
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18
Beware the Constant Sn,iIer

THOSE smiles usually have mechanical
hearts suspicion the who
stantly oozing sweetness and light.
a human enough get burned
a criticize he thinks the criticism
write columns praise everybody
This fellow often
and Is likely to deprive his
expense by cheating her at ginruy
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18
How to Read Woman's Character

reading character to look carefully at a
"A living furnished after her ideas Most
general advice How to get husband etc. futile Every
individual such
should separately Same of how to hold
husband" advice.
every 100 stenogaphers could do with little
English stenographer
letter dlctatlon but
write
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18
Wnes Phone Call
Interests Chief

This isn't suicide. Suicides
are always neat for some odd
reason they fold their clothes
carefully before jumping into
the river, or stab themselves
where they won't ruin the new
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18
GaTHE MIGHTY DORIS"

III "a
l. travelling circus was begin
ming TO awake from its Winter
sleep in preparation for another
season as the most sensational,
stupendous show under The Big
Top" This was 10 be Honest
John Brunen's last season as
owner Of the circus, for he
PLANNED to retire in the Fall
For most OF his so years,
Brunen had been following the
sawdust trail, and now he
desired the quietude Of eoun-
try home.
But the elderly Snowman did
not lead his motely menage
when they hit the road that
Spring for on the night OF
March 10 he was found dead in
his Winter home in Riverside.
n. ibis life abruptly ended
by a shotgun blast
The tragedy was reported as a
suicide to Chief f. Parker OF
Burlington County's detective
force-and as he drove to the
scene from his nearby home in
Mt. Holly. the county seat. the
chief could not quite reconcile
self-destruction with the dy-
manic character of the Snowman.
And when he viewed the body
a few minutes later, Parker was
convinced that is was not sui
eide, but murder! The whole
right half of Brunen's head had
been blown away, and the room
was spattered with crimson
from one end TO the other. To
the officers who had preceded
him-Detective Cain and State
Policeman Bading - the chief
stated:
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-18

ard
VI
,! lie
AC
FFlH
&C
I ~
tien
eEH
AZ
Evening star., 1941-09-16
What Stocks Did.


CHICAGO, Sept. Is - Extreme
weakness in soybean futures carried
all grains sharply lower today. Soy
beans turned downward in sympathy
with the lower trend in cotton and
cotton seed oil futures. Demand was
Indifferent and reports of rapid
progress toward maturity of the new
crop in the two main producing
States, Illinois and Indiana, led TO
liquidation sales.
Wheat started about unchanged
but soon gave ground with soybeans.
At times the losses in wheat eX-
tended to more than a cent a buShel
but prices rallied slightly just before
the close
Many traders turned cautious
pending legislative developments in
Washington concerning taxation,
price control and lend-lease meas
ures. The start of protection for
shipments to Iceland also contrib
uted to caution in the trade.
Wheat closed 4 to s. cents lower
than Mondays final quotations,
September, Sl.1814 Is: December,
S1217s-3. a; corn, s. to l3s off; Sep
tember. 78s4: December. "a; oats, i
to cent down, and soybeans, 41a to
~H
Evening star., 1941-09-16
Stock Averages
60 Stock Range Since 1927:
Rv VICTOR EIBANK.
Associated Press Financial Writer

NEW YORK, Sept. l6-Stocks
CROPPED their way through a fog Of
domestic and foreign questions in
today's market and, considering the
visibility, gave fairly good account
of themselves.
While minor gains and losses were
pretty evenly divided during the
greater part of the proceedings. a
number of specialtleS managed TO
edge into new high ground for the
year and mild recovery tendencies
elsewhere appeared in the final hour.
Closing prices were no worse than
slightly mixed.
Dealings frequently were sluggish
but a bit more active in the tall
end Of the session. Transfers were
around 100000 shares.
The Nays shoot first" order in
relation TO Axis raiders in the At
lantic became effective today and
many customers apparently held
aloof pending repercussions from
the seize sink decree Some
also inclined to await congressional
action on the tax bill and more light
on Washington-Tokio negotiations.
The business scene was none too
hopeful marketwise, brokers said, but
some bidding was inspired by the
fact selling had dried up appreciably
and suggested the list was in a po-
sition to rally briskly if constructive
news should eventuate.
Further reactionary tendencies Of
major commodities served TO cool
purchasing sentiment to some de-
gree, although it was realized the
lengthy upsWing here called for at
least a temporary correction"
Among stocks posting new tops
for 1871 were LoeW's, American Ma
chine 81 Metal, Savage Arms and
Atlantic Gulf & West Indies COM
mon and preferred.
Consolidated Aircraft pushed up
on the expectation directors later in
the day would vote the proposed 100
per cent stock dividend after the
vote of shareholders yesterday TO
double the capital issue.
Occasional resistance was dis
played by United States Steel.
Chrysler, General Motors. New York
Central Southern Pacific. Anacon-
da. Kennecott, United States Rub
Der, Boeing. Douglas Aircraft, Cen
eral Electric, Armour and Wilson &
Co.
In the faltering class were Dupont.
Dow Chemical, American Can, Union
Carbide, j. c. Penney and Montgom-
cry Ward.
Evening star., 1941-09-16
B. & O. Loodings Rise
Sharply During Week
Special Dispatch to The Star

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BALTIMORE, Sept. 16.-Durlng
the week ended September 13. 194l,
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
handled 66,1O3 cars of freight. OF
this total 43,276 cars were loaded on
line and 22,827 cars were received
from connections. This was an in
crease of 1854 cars over the same
week of last year, when the total
was 54,4O9, consisting of 35,e15
loaded on line and lS,494 received
from connections.
Carloads handled during the pre-
vious week (the week ended Sep
tember 6, with Labor Day holiday
were 58818, comprising 1925 loaded
on line and 20,593 received from
connections.
Evening star., 1941-09-16
Dow Chemical Boosts
Pay Rote for $3.50
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
MIDLAND, Mich, Sept. 10
Hourly wage rate increases of 10
cents for $3.50 workers covered by
the Dow Chemical Co.'S agreement
with the United Mine Workers
&C. 1. o. were announced here
today.
The increases. combined with
conversion of the company's bonus
system to a weekly wage basis, will
add $1,373,OOO annually to Dow's pay
roll, the announcement said. The
new hourly rates were not disclosed.
The Down.. M. w. agreement
negotiated after the union won a
National Labor Relations election
also includes sole bargaining rights
and a dues checkoff for union
members.