100 years ago in Spokane: Police point to new suspect in murder of alleged bootlegger

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100 years ago

In a shocking new development in the Mrs. Margaret Braun murder mystery, police arrested R.A. Hood, 30, for murder. Three other suspects were also in custody.

Police no longer believed Charles Keller and his son were directly implicated in her murder. They were now convinced that an hour after Keller had fed her takeout noodles and left her alone, Hood and at least one other man went up to her room at the Tourist Hotel. They intended to rob her. They gagged her and subsequently engaged in a violent struggle resulting in her death.

Police discovered jewelry and other items belonging to Mrs. Braun in Hood’s possession when they arrested him. A suitcase full of her bloody clothes and other items, erroneously thought to be hidden by Keller’s son, was now believed to be hidden by Hood.

Mrs. Braun was apparently in the business of selling illegal liquor. Police said the motive for the murder was the belief that she had large sums of money and jewelry hidden in her rooms.

When her body was found two days later, a towel was wrapped around her legs and the rooms had been ransacked.

Keller, after changing his story several times, apparently told police he heard the struggle downstairs, but was too scared to interfere or call for help.