Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1896-04-01
A BRUTAL MURDER
At ESTHNLN.
n Women Found Stranded
and Buried.
HER HUSDHND ACCUSED OF DOING THE DEED.
EVIDENCE THAT SHE WAS BURIED BEFORE
sHE WAS DEAD-A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY
THAT HAS NO PARALLEL IN THE HISTORY
OF ATLANTIC COUNTY.

4
| American says:-A most brutal murder
was unearthed Friday afternoon last
near Esteiville, small village three
miles from this place. The victim was
the young and attractive wife of John
Recb, well known farmer, and circum-
stances strangely point to the husband
as The slayer of his wife.
| Mr.. Rech and his wife lived on farm
with their one child. Mrs. Rech was
great church worker. and well known in
the neighborhood for her acts of charity.
She and Rech did not get along con-
geDially, though the neighbors unite in
saving that this was through no fault of
hers.
The first Indication that there was
anything unusual in the Rech household
was on Sunday morning, when Rech
went to the farm of Leon MischIer, ad-
joining his own. He was greatly excited
and with a nervous hand exhibited the
following note in Mrs. Rech's handwrit-
ing:
Dear John; | am going to leave
go your way and will go mine. fyou
like the farm, | don't BESSIE"
Rech said that when he came down.
stairs bis wife was nowhere to be found.
DuI tDe HOUt Nds Ou Tie kItCUpfl UdDlh
will a pin holding it. Mr.. Mischler
thought this strange, as Mrs Rech was
q woman known to be devOtedly fond of
her home. She had called at his
home the evening before, aud while some
what depressed, was not more so than
she often had been.
On Monday morning Rpch left his
son at the home of another neighbor.
On Tuesday night he returned, bringing
with him a brother. who resides at
Allentown, Pa. On Wednesday morn
ing he came to Mays Landing and paid
the first deposit on the purchase of a
farm, promising to pay the balance in
July. He showed the real estate agent
the power of attorney executed by his
wife, authorizing him to collect all
money due her and to fully handle all of
her possessions.
The Rech brothers spent Wednesday
and Thursday packing up household
effects. On Thursday they came to this
place, and left on train, having bought
tickets for Philadelphia.
Whenever asked about his wife, Rech
said he guessed she had left him for
good, and he was not going to worry
about her any longer. He apparently
did not care to be questioned regarding
the trouble.
His explanation regarding his wife's
disappearance aroused the suspicious of
Mr.. Mlschler and William Jones, another
neighbor, and they decided to make an
investigation and clear up if possible,
the woman's mysterious disappearance.
They searched the Rech house and out
buildings, but found nothing.
Then began systematic search of the
woods and fields. On the outskirts of
woods they saw a freshly-cut down pine
tree with limbs and boughs completely
covering the earth. Pushing the tree
aside they saw a newly-dug grave. They
began digging, but had not gone far be-
fore they struck sack, through which
q human foot protruded.
They soon had the body up, and saw
that it was that of Mrs. Rech, clothed in
a single white undergarment, with a
hankerchief about her neck and tightly
tied with three knots. The body was
brought to the Courthouse in this place.
A physician who examined Mrs Rech's
body expressed the opinion that she was
| undoubtedly buried alive. He thought
the woman had engaged in terrible
struggle for her life before she was finally
overcome.
Mrs. Rech's story as told by her to her
neighbors is a sad one. The woman
met Rech in Philadelphia, where she
lived, and much against her relatives
wish married him. This led to an es-
arrangement that seemed to prey on her
mind. She several times told the Misch-
| lers that she was in constant fear of her
life, and often lay awake nights watch
| ing John. who she believed would kill
her In February Rech summoned a
physician. saying that he had accidently
shot his wife, The story he told was
| that he had killed an animal in the
chicken-house, and as his wife went with
in with lantern to get it his gun acci-
dentally was discharged. She suffered
for weeks, and one day told DIR. Wales
that she believed the shooting was in
territorial.
Mrs. Rech had small fortune held in
trust. on which she drew at stated inter
walls. and this is believed to furnish a
motive for the murder, as q document
has been found giving her husband
auth rity to draw the money.
Re- h was captured in Philadelphia
earl Inday morning and lodged in
Jail wait requisition from the New
Jers authorities. He will be brought
to Mays Landing for trial which, most
likely, will take place at the April term
of the Court.
MAYS LANDING. March 30--The young
| woman strangl.d TO death by her supposed
| husband. John Rech. formerly notorious
olive keeper at Gloucester City. ana
| found buried in the woods near Estelville,
n. j., on Friday, was Bessie Weaver,
daughter of Germantown physician,
whose youthful escapades and marriage to
Willie Heft, the son of the wealthy brewer,
from whom she was soon divorced, created
decided sensation in Philadelphia sew
eral years ago
| PHILADELPHIA, March 30.-John Rech
made a confession to the police admitting
that he murdered his wife for the purpose
of enjoying the money left by DR. Weaver
to his daughter Elizabeth (Bessie). The
authorities refuse to reveal the details Oh
the confession. 1t is said, however, that
Rech, in admitting the crime, says that
the child is not the offspring Of Elizabeth,
but that it was obtained in this city six
weeks ago as a result of newspaper ad-
yertisement. 1t seems also that the cou-
pie were not lawfully married, although
ceremony was gone through before lus-
/ fC~,I:~,,oI ~, Fourth paOp