New-York tribune., 1896-07-22
THE RECH MURDER TRIAL.
TESTIMONY AS TO FINDING THE BODY
UNDER A FALLEN TREE.
| ALLEGED son OF THE PRISONER IN coURT-THE
| FATHER ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS WIFE TO

ALLEGED son OF THE PRISONER IN CoURT-THE
GET THE BOYS PROPERTY.
Mays Landing July A (speciaD.-John Rech. the
confessed murderer Of his young wife Bessie.
placed on trial before Supreme Court Judge Ludlow
this morning. Two hours consumed in getting
a jury. the defence exhausting its quota of per-
emptory challenges
The crime the most brutal one ever COM
mtted In this county, and the excitement over It
has not yet subsded. When the doors Of the little
brick courthouse were unlocked a crowd of several
hundred people, the largest in attendance at the
court were ready 10 enter and they soon filed the
room to overnowing. More than 200 women jostled
with the others in their efforts TO see and hear
hech was led across from the Jail few feet distant
py constables. closely guarded. He took the mos:
intense interest in the selection OF the Jury Several
members We're challenged at his request. his first
glance seeming to satisfy him that they were un-
favorable TO him.
In his opening address TO the fury prosocuto-
Perry said the State would insist upon verdict of
murder In the first degree; that overwhelming cvi-
uehce OF premeditaton and motive would be shown
anu clearly proven by witnesses who would testify
TO the shooting of Bessie by her husband last fall
me hrst witness called DR.. Souder who testi-
fed as to the autopsy. Death was caused by
strangulation from the effect Of two handkerchiefs
tied together around the throat, he said. Leon
Mischler and Sheriff Smith l.. Johnson testified as
10 lhe nnding ana identification OF the baby
benjamin. or "Spikey' Jones, the star witness Of
the prosecution and the hero of the tragedy was
then placed on the stand. Jones is slightly weak
minded, and an uncouth and illiterate woodsman,
Dut ms story was graphically and ntelligenty told.
lie hdd worked for Rech from the time ne and his
wife arrived last August until the time the crime
was committed. He had nursed Bessie for weeks
after she shot by her husband last fall and
her good treatment OF himself and his child by her
had endeared her to him.
When one Sunday morning In March John Rech
showed note 10 the neghbors signed by Bessie say
ing she had gone for good and abandoned him and
the baby, "Spikey' was loath to believe II and ne
suspicious and long searches about the place
Vealed nothing until the following Friday morning
when he found freshly cut tree in the woods
the outskirts OF the farm, the boughs being strewr
with a neighbor and the aid Of shovel he soon
found Ii to be the of Bessie Rech and "A
sent word to the Sheriff.
While Jones testifyng the with the
passed or by the couple their own was brought
close to the witness. The child threw its arms out
and was taken and kissed fondy by Jones for several
minutes
space and although he bad not seen the child for
months and asserts that IL is his son, he paid no
attention even glanced at it. The trial Will last
several days.
Bessie Rech was the daughter Of Dr. Weaver.
wealthy physician Of Philadelphia, and she was
formerly married 10 d wealthy brewer. She received
Slo week income and was soon to have received
a large sum OF money. The will recently drawn, in
until the boy was twenty-one. This the State con-
tends. the motive for the crime. In a letter 10
his attorney after he had escaped to Philadelphia
Rech told him that ne strangled Bessie when ne
sequent confession 10 Chief OF Police Miller, of
Philadelphia are the States strong points