The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-06
Beck Tells HIS story
SAYS He Mas in an Insane Asylum
in Austria.
HIS LOVE FOR MARIA KERZIC
1t Led Him Away from Home and Friends
lie Says and Caused Him to Come
to This Country-Cl Closing
Addresses Today.

Murderer FRANZ Beck Is now stdHu-
ing in the shadow of the gallows, his
trial Is at an end, and today the OPP
posing attorneys will make their argu-
ments to the jury. Judge Edwards VIII
deliver his charge, and into the hands
of the twelve men sworn to do justice
between the commonwealth and the
prisoner at the bar, will be consigned
the responsibility of rendering verdict
according to their consciences and
based upon the evidence adduced in the
case. As on the day before court was
yesterday in session from 8 a. m. until
$50 pm, with the exception of ad-
journments for dinner and supper and
a short recess now and then.
When the morning session opened
Judge Edwards directed the defense to
proceed with their case and Attorney
Colborn began his argument to the jury.
AS early as the hour was the audito-
rum of the court room was thronged
with people eager to hear the eloquence
of Mr.. Colborn. The speaker spread
before the jurymen a romantic figura-
tive tableau of the prisoners life cover
ing the time beginning with his BOY
hood in the Austrian Tyrol down to the
day that he stepped his hands in the
life blood of the girl he loved because
she refused to marry him. In closing
his argument Mr.. ColbOrn outlined the
character of the line of defense and
said that evidence of former insanity
would be offered in evidence, and that
witnesses would go upon the stand and
swear that the defendant had in his ma
tive country been confined in an in
sane asylum.
A man by the name of Frank Beck,
Of Mayfield, was the first witness called
to the stand. The murderer's name is
not Beck, but Berchine, although in
the indictment he is so called. The
former name he went by on account
of having purchased the passports Of
that man and on these he Travelled to
this country. District Attorney Kelly
objected to the evidence of Besek who
was to testify to the passports, on the
ground that it was immaterial and ir-
relevant. Court sustained the obJec-
ton and the witness was not ques-
toned further.
Bezek's Uncle Testifies.
Joseph Petrotschi, the murderer's
uncle, was called to the stand. He was
expected to prove that the murderer
was confined in military hospital in
Liebach Austria, and while there was
suffering from dementia. Witness saw
Beck in hospital In Leibach, Austria.
He seemed to be sick and was acting
strangely The murderer was in the
military service and this was mill
tary hospital. Beck and Maria Kerzic
first came to his house in Mayfleld on
Sunday, Oct. Z. The girl left before
Beck and her absence appeared to
have gloomy effect on him. He began
to cry and wiring his hands. Beck left
his house at 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon
to go to Olyphant and he was angry
with his uncle because he did not ac-
company him.
John Bosnot was the next witness.
Counsel for the defense was required TO
make an offer explaining what was
intended to prove by the witness and
court ruled that the witness would be
permitted to answer only as to the con-
duct of the murderer during a period
covering five years beginning at the
period when witness saw Beck in the
military hospital The witness testi-
fed substantially the same as the pre-
ceding witness.
Anthony Kranc, another man who saw
Beck in the military hospital at Lie
bach, testified. Beck was acting very
strangely, crying and praying, and
seemed to be out of his head when wit
ness saw him.
Beck on the Stand.
There was curious stir in the court
room when the murderer's name was
called and he was announced as the
next witness. Answering the questions
put to him by his attorneys he told his
l.fe's history as follows: He Is now q
years of age, was born in the small viii
lage of Liebach in the southern part OF
Austria, adjoining Turkey, and lived
there until he emigrated to America
Maria 'Kerzic, the girl he murdered
lived close by his fathers farm; 1t re-
quired a three minutes walk to get tC
her home. They grew up together and
when he arrived at the age of 90 he had
learned to love her. His father is q
| wealthy farmer and he labored with his
fathers peasants. At % he joined the
Austrian army and was engaged in the
service seven months.
He was a patient four months in the
military hospital in the insane depart
ment. When he recovered his sanity
the physicians discharged him, he wa.
given papers of discharge by the mill
tafy authorities and returned to hi:
! fathers home. He fell violently in love
with Maria and they became engaged
to be married Mary was a working
girl and her parents were poor; hi!
father Is rich and he objected to thei
union. He was home for four years af
Ter his first discharge from the hosplta
and was thrown In Mary's compan!
much of that time. At the end of .fou
yearsh his father sent him back again t,
the hospital because he was sufferin.
from another attack OF. dementia. H
was confined there about three months
He could not remember anything tina
happened to him while he was in th
hospital and did not remember any o
his friends coming to see him. After hi
second discharge he returned hom
again and worked on the farm for sevei
months; then he determined to come t
this country. He had been keeping
steady company with Maria for, thre
years altogether. and she agreed to fl.
to America with him, where they coul
get married, because his father object
ed strenuously to their match.
The girl secured a passport for hin