Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-05-03
TEMPTED. HE FELL
Is the Remarkable Story That
Cornell Tells.
ALLEGED LIGHT ON A TRAGIC DEED

| The Alexander" of the Chicago South
ern Hotel Mystery Confesses His Connec-
tfon Therewith-What He Said to the
Reporters His Trip to the Western
Metropolis and Its Consequences A
I Il yerdictiof Suicide.
/ New YORK, May 3.-Part of the mystery
surrounding the death of Miss Rebecca
Berghold in the Southern hotel at Chi.
cago has been cleared up by the confession
of William Alexander Cornell the man
whom Captain Berghold has indicated as
the possible betrayer of his daughter Cor.
nell is a lawyer, living at II East One Hun
dred and Fifteenth street; is % years old,
married, and has one child months old.
He was seen by a reporter, and denied that
he had seen Miss Berghold in two years. or
that he had been out of the city within a
month. Later, however, after seeing the
statement of Captain Berghold he made
what he claimed was full and truthful
statement of his relations with Miss Berg
hold. He admitted having gone to Chi
cago with her, and said that it was he who
registered at the Southern as "Mr. Alex
ander."
Had Trouble with Both Girls
He said that he met Miss Berghold
twelve years ago. He had been attending
the College of the City of New York wieh
son of the captain and became acquaint-
ed through him with the family. He be-
came attached to Eliza, the youngest
daughter, and paid her so much attention
that it became reported that they were en-
gagged to be married. Then he tired of
her and paid attention to Rebecca This,
he says, caused Eliza to become HE enemy
and her sisters. Three years ago he ceased
to visit Rebecca and two years ago she
called at his Office and said she was not
living happily at home. Her sisters were
at work and they often tainted her with
being dependent upon her father She
said she wished to learn stenography and
typewriting and asked hin. to find her po-
sition.
Rebecca Leaves Her Home.
He secured several places for her, but
she could not keep them long. She often
appeared to be Respondent and threatened
to commit suicide. She said she was tired
of home life. Afterward she wrote that
although she occupied the same room and
the same bed with her sister they had not
spoken for several months. On April 70
she wrote him that she had left home and
Vas stopping at the Cosmopolitan hotel
and asked him to call upon her. She had
registered as Mrs. Alexander. She said
she was determined TO make her own liv-
ing. He advised her to go home.
WO Gays aiIerWart!, SAID cornell, NOn
April II, she came into my Office in the
Bennett building. We went out and had
lunch together. Then we had talk. She
vas In tears. I can't go home, she said,
and I cannot go away alone
1.-The Woman Tempted Me-"
"The end of it was that l gave in and
agreed to escort her to Chicago. l did
have little business there. but l had not
intended to go so soon. | took her to Chi
aud roc rad ifl har ar Ia
ern hotel as man and wife. For two or
three days she went around some, looking
for a boarding place, and l stayed little
longer than l intended to. l had caught
cold and had neuralgia. Then she began
to beg me to remain with her. At first l
declined firmly and then not so firmly, and
finally l forgot my duty and stayed. We
lived together until Thursday, April -,
without my having the courage to say that
l must leave her.