Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 61, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 April 1917 — More Light Shed on the Kankakee River Tragedy. [ARTICLE]

More Light Shed on the Kankakee River Tragedy.

Further light has been shed on-the Kankakee river tragedy, in which fenry Bruns, a hunchback resort owner murdered Babe Harker-4n—a cabin near Conrad. The motive for he killrihg pFovfMLa- mvsterv to the officers and the consensus* of opinion at first was that Bruns was attempting to prevent the girl leaving him when the tragedy occurred, but it appears that this conclusion is wrong if a story which was told in this city by one familiar with the financial condition which existed between Bruns and the woman. It seems that Bruns had accumulated conisderable property during his notorious career as a lawbreaker in the Kankakee section. Some time ago the Harker .woman, who is said to have originally come from Terre Haute, met Bruns and continued to live with him up to the time of her death. It is saad the woman grew tired of Bruns and told him she was going to leave him. Bruns demanded the deed back which he had given her to his property and the girl refused, which caused the fracas between the pair which resulted in the double tragedy. .. '