The San Francisco call., 1897-11-24
Evidence Is Not Sufficient
to Justify Specific
Chai ges.
NESSES SPRING SOME
SURPRISES.
Two Men Contrad ct Frank BeieW's
Tes stimony as TO His
Whereab bouts.
specla! p.snateh 70 TIE cALL


DIXON, Nov. 23-As anticipated in
The CALL to-day. the Coroner's jury in
the Belew poisoning cases tonight rem.
dered a verdict that Louis and Susie
Belew were killed by arsenic admins
lered by person or persons 10 the jurors
unknown. The jury deIberated for nearly
a hour. Though 1t was eager 10 bame
some one. the evidence did not justify
specific charges.
Tnc ,ovn was crowded ali day. The
hall was fill 10 oveIfowing, aud interest
throughout was intense. Many women
were present at the Investigation. The
chief features were the testimony of the
accused brother OF Susie Beiew and that
OF her iormer lover, also under suspicion.
Night Waterman S.aton and his
bro her were new witnesses. They swore
they saw Frank Belew as ate as 9 O'Clock
on the night preceding the murder. :
though be swore he lett town at 7:30
O'Clock. Eugene Ferguson also surprised
reople by ;estifying that he heard Frank
Belew say on the day of his relatives
funeral:
Tommy wants 10 be administrator, but
I want a STRANGER. They got the best OF
ne before, but they cannot get the best Of
NE his time. ="
Deputy Coroner Maynard and District
Attorney DevIin conducted the inquest
assisted b. Captain Cartin OF San Fran
cisco.
Night Watchman Joe Station and his
brother both swore they saw Frank Be
lew on the streets al 9 P N. on the 7lh of
November. He claims TO have been IN
TED miles away half-hour prior
10 that time. Frank Beew ac-
n mitted that he had some Rough on
Rats" year ago. This compound con-
talns ar -enic II was hOwn by the aft
davlt of Chemist Wenz=il and by the ev.-
dence of ProfassO- G.instead thai death
was cauz-d by arsen C. Thomas Belew,
Frank Belea ana Miss Louise Brimiev
swore that Frank BeIew, the suspect
Claimed to have had headache the night
he last q t. at his sisters home.
The largest hail here IS the Veniome
where the Inves lgatlon was ED. 1t was
crowded TO its fullest caUaclty and there
was al times hardy standing room.
The cOole-t. most intelligent and best
ail-arOund witness OF the day was Frank
Belew, the brother who has been gene
rally accused of the crime. A great deal
"
it revealed nothing new or startling. He
swore that either he or his wife bought
some rough on rats few years ago. He
was sure the Dox was empty and that he
had not seen the poison ior fully a year.
He had not burnfd the box. but hid il
from his children. Frank described in
detail, heretofore publis he'd exclusively
in The CALL how he aJe supper with his
dead brother and sister the night before
the fa1a! breakfast.
II was met at the door by Susie" he
said. "and she exclaimed, as was usual
with her. Why, here's FRANK | came in
and ate"
According to he evidence OF all the
witnes ses save Miss Brm ey, there was a
great deal of light talking among the
guests on the evening of the last supper.
1t seems that Frank and Bruno Kline
were Joking with Sus and Louis Belew
abont their coming Dqptiais. Frank, &c.
cOrdIng 10 Kline, remarked that Louis
lad boug ht q $40 taior-made suit. Susie
did not like the GOSSIP about her wedding
and she remarked that all the Ieople o1
Dixon seemed to know more about her al
lars than she herself did.
There was attempt 10 fix the time W he 4
the poison might have been pl aced in the
teakettle. There were a Jew momen
when Susie was fixing her hair, prep ra-
tory to visit IRON her sweetheart, when
Frank could have dropped the fala
draught in the teakettle, or he would bave
had an opportunity while the other guests
were leaving the house, as he stood n the
doorway.
Frank told in detail OF a visit to San
Fran cisco about October 8. He said be
went to but TWO places there-the Milk
mems Headquarters and bookstore. He
was questioned very closely as TO any
visit II drugstore, but denied that ht
had visited such place or purchased any
poison. The line of questions was so di'
rect as 10 give suspicion that Captain
Curtin and Chiel Lees may have found
clew as TO the purchase of poison in the
city. Frank Belew stood the ordeal well
however, and was in no manner weak.
ened.
Harry Allen, the rejected lover of tht
dead lr, male a fine impression. He
said he had nothing to conceal in the
case. He had no lawyer, but he had nc
objection u being questioned IN detail
He told how the dead Louis Belew, brothei
ut the girl, had mt rtered with his suit
how al the brothers tried to get their sis.
Ter to quit gong with him. and confessed
that h. had often said he would get even
with LOUIS.
''But l only meant that l would qui
parronzing his 8ble," said be, land
thatG would do al | could to hurt him il
Il busin ess way"
Allen swore positively that he never
bought arsenic nor any other poison al
any time since he came to the State, nor
had it in his possession for any purpose.
He told in detail where ne was the nigh
when the teakettle was supp to have
been poisoned. He spent most of his
time in various saloons. He also told
where he mad been employed for the past
nine years ana asked for thorough in
yes 10 ation OF his hal is.
Much Of the evidence introduced was o.
it'll general interest. Drs- Downing and
Traiton to d how the gill suffered and
d led from arsenic and how the symptom:
at first struck DIR. Trafton as being those
OF acute indigestion.
Thomaa Belew again told the story O.
the last supper. Bruno Kline, the hlreo
man, who was the sole survivor of he
fatal breakfast, told of how he was taker
Ill and hnu q hen I'd The unfQrlunate Suslt