The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-06

anu dlSO gave iiOi ia <huSsA ie~i
money; his father gave him some money
also. Maria bought the passport and
the name in which it was made out
was Franz Beck. Bershine is his
proper name, but he travelled under the
name of Franz Beck. They talked
together before leaving about getting
married when they arrived in America.
They came over. via Bremen, thence
to London, and over the Atlantic to
this country. He would have welded
Maria In Austria, but his father threat
ened to disinherit him. and the sole
reason he came to this country with
her was to marry her, They, as he
thought, would be married when May
field was reached.
He first learned that she changed her
mind about marrying him when he WIS.,
tied her sisters house in Olyphant
about 430 O'Clock on the afternoon of
Sunday, Oct. I. Mrs. Kramer, Maria's
sister, told him that Maria would not
marry him because Anton Bourschneck
had sent the passage money, and Beck
answered her that 1t was not Boursch-
neck who sent the money but herself.
Then Mrs. Kramer told him that he
could marry Maria if he Taid back the
passage money He told her he would
get the money from his uncle in May
field, but to this she said that Maria
was going to marry Bourschneck any
how He then left Kramer's house and
went broken-hearted back to Mayfleld.
He could not stay away from the house
and after riding around on the street
cars for a few hours journeyed again
to Kramer's house.
He Would Not Eat.
They offered him supper, but he re-
fused to eat. He slept there that
night and the next night, and Maria
was not allowed by her sister to speak
to him. He was again offered supper
on Monday evening but refused to eat.
He wanted to write a farewell letter
to his parents in Austria, but his mind
was so disturbed that he could not
write. He intended to kill himself, and
before leaving the house he begged
Maria to marry him; she scorned him
and he left her, threatening to commit
suicide. He then went out to purchase
a revolver, and returned without buy
ing one. He went to bed and arose be-
fore o'clock the next morning, went
ont again to buy revolver and, having
purchased it with the intent to take
his own life, returned to see Maria. to
ask her for the last time If she would
marry him, and if she refused he had
intended to destroy himself in her
presence.
When he went in Maria was scrub
bling the floor. He begged of her with
tears in his eyes to be his; her answer
was in the negative; thereupon he
jerked the revolver from his hip pocket,
pointed 1t at his head and she threw
herself in his arms. simultaneously
with this act in pulling the trigger to
send Il ball into his head she fell into
his arms and the bullet meant for him
self killed her and she fell dead at his
feet. Two other shots were fired, but
he was so excited that he knew not
whether he fired the shots or not. He
knows that he fired to kill himself, but
the weapon refused to work. At this
| point his direct examination ended and
| court adjourned for the afternoon.
Judge Edwards ordered an evening
session, beginning at o'clock
On DISCRIMINATION.
District Attorney Kelly began his
cross-eXamination. and subjected Be-
EEK to thorough questioning. Beck
admitted that he spent very little time
at school and that hic sickness, which
sent him to the hospital in Liebach,
arose from his absence from Maria,
! because he could not see her, in other
words he was love sick. The reason he
| Travelled under the assumed name OF
Beck was because they were in a
hurry to come to America, and he
avaied himself of the first opportunity;
so that when Maria purchased his pass
port he readily travelled on it. When
he arrived in Mayfleld he had only SO
| of American money left He denied
that he tried TO buy revolver on Mon
day evening although he testified to
! that on direct examination. Several
| questions We're asked of him that he
admitted on direct examination he de-
MED on cross-eXamination.
DR.. c. r. Parke, who was a physl-
clan at the county Jail in October, was
called to the stand. He swore that he
remembered Beck and attended him a
few days after he was brought to the
Jail. Beck was suffering from a
wound on the chin that to all appear
ances looked to be a pistol wound. 1t
was not serious. Cross-eXamned he
was positive that the wound was a
pistol wound. There were powder
marks burned into the flesh around the
wound He was certain the wound
could not have been made by contact
with a barbed wire fence. Some of
Bezek's lower teeth were loose.
Justice of the peace Cummings was
recalled in rebuttal to show that there
was no such wound on Bezeks chin
when he was in his office. After his
testimony the defense wanted to re-
call Constable Philip Williams, who
took Beck from the 'squire's office to
the, county Jail. 1t was intended to
see If Beck had been shot on his way
to the county JAIL An attachment was
sent out for the constable, who did not
answer to his name, and Judge Ed
wards allowed the defense to introduce
Williams testimony this morning, as
well as the testimony of the wardens
at the county Jail
Closing Address Today.
Attorney Watson will speak first to
the jury today and Attorney CClborn
will make the closing plea in behalf of
the defense, followed by District Attor-
ney Kelly for the commonwealth
Judge Edwards charge will mark the
termination of the trial.
The strong chain Of evidence collect
ed by District Attorney Kelly, the re.
markable defense set up by Attorneys
Colborn and Watson in the face of
such obstacles as the brevity of time
l.i,.nI ~ thnra to nranar thnI,.