The San Francisco call., 1897-11-18
POISONED
WATER FOR
THE DYING
Agony of the BeleWs
Increased by Their
Nurses.
DRANK OF A DEADLY
LIQUID.
Given to Them While the
Suspected Brother Stood
Looking On.
HIS POSITION is GROWING
DESPERATE.
Detectives Certain That the Muir
derer Was Fam liar With
the Premises.
Given to Them While the
Suspected Brother Stood
Looking On.
HIS POSITION is GROWING
DESPERATE.
Detectives Certain That the Muir
derer Was Fam liar With
the Premises.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL

the officers OF this county have been busy
all day gathering in the threads OF evil
dence in the Belew murder mystery.
Ratified by the three hours cross
examination of last night, Frank Belew,
sus uspected of having poisoned his brother
and sister, hurried to Woodland to-day
and engaged Attorney Reese Clark 10
guard and protect his interests. Clark
advised him to keep his mouth closed and
resume his regular labors at the ranch.
He went 20 the ranch tonight.
THE CALL correspondent asked Belew
why lie had hired a lawyer, and he said 1t
was because he was being bounded by
detectives and followed by officers, who
were trying to trap him. Whether guilty
or innocent, Frank Belew will never forget
the three hours cross-examination which
Captain Curtin gave him last night. He
was greatly disturbed when he emerged
from the inquisition chamber, and did not
feel right until he got legal aid. His
story was replete with vital contra
dictions, and he was crowded 10 the wall.
Two or three important facts came to
light in the examination to-day. BY the
evidence of Mrs. Ehmann, Miss Ferguson
and others, who minlstered to the wants
of the poisoned girl as Frank Belew held
her hand at the oeathbed, 1t was shown
that those who nursed her unConsciOusly
fed her poison every hour, for they gave
her hot drinks prescribed by DR.. Trafton,
who insisted that the case was only one or
acute indigestion. These hot drinks we're
from water in the teakettIe, and that ket-
tie held the poison that originally made
the victims fatally i'll. Thus, if Frank
Belew was the murderer he 8 It calmly by
his diving sister, heard her cry and plead
with him to do something to relie her
and saw her women associates and neigh
bors give her the fatal arsenic water hour
by hour without wincing or showing a
sign OF remorse.
Those conducting the examination are
satisfied that the murders was committed
by some one who knew the Belew home
well. By the testimony OF Charles En-
mann, who was engaged to Miss Susie
Belew. and by the evidence OF the women
who frequented the house, it was shown
the, a savage little watchdog that barked
whenever he heard strange footsteps WAS
silent on the night when the fatal dose
was placed in the teakette.
There is now little question that the
poison was placed there between supper
lime and o'clock. for the kitchen door
was locked alter that hour. Frank BeIew
went all through the house with the de-
tectives to-day and showed them where he
sat. whittier he went when he left the sup
per table, where he was taken ILL., where
he stood when he took the headache pow
der which he says his sister gave him, and
where he passed, with reference 10 the
position of the tea-kettle. 1t was ascer
iained at Kirby's drug store, where the
Belews always dealt, that Susie and Louis
Belew never bought any headache powder
there, and that the girl never got any pre-
scriplion for headache at T. hat store.
A. L., Benson, Il reput able and we'll |
known rancher testified that he saw Frank
Belew on the nj hit when the teakettle
was poisoned. Belew was at Fishers
saloon as late as $3.50 o'clock, bearing a
troubled, studious look. This looked like
a fine lead, and The detectives began to
feel mat they were close on the trail. Ben
son returned, however, and changed his
evidence. Refreshing his memory, ne
recoilected that what ne said he saw oc-
Cured on Saturday night instead of Sun
day night.
1t has appeared by the evidence of sew
eral witnesses, as well as oy the aomis-
sions of Frank Belew, that he had not WIS.,
tied his brother and sister for month
prior to the supper he ate at their home
the night before tie fatal illness. 1t has
also been shown that he had not been in
the hal of patronizlng his brothers 5
sta Bile at all times when he came TO town,
sometimes putting his horse at the other
stable
Constable Newby and others are work
ing with Captain Curtin along the lines
indicated by the foregoing facts. They are
now diligently looking for the great key
stone fact in the arch OF evidence. Up to
the present every detail that in any way
casts even the fainte t suspicion on any,
BODY is cumulative and rather remote.
The Cfficers are struggling hard to find
if any of the suspects have purchased
arsenic for any purpose at any time. All
persons thus lar seen deny that they ever
bought any arsenic for any purpose what
ever. If this cou.d be shown TO be false it
would be a strong fact IN the chain.
With the idea OF NJ aking some discovery |
along this line, Constable Newbv has been |
visiting the former homes of all persons |
In any way suspected.
1t should be borne in mind that Frank |
Belew I'D mits that he once forged some |
NOES against his dead biotner. There are !
many rumOrS of his errat.c conduct at |
various unes. His father-!n-law is quite |
bitter on the question OF Bellows Lonor. !
Belew marrie,i the daughter ola pleasant |
hammered old man named w. ID. Martin, |
who is d rancheI about four miles iIom |
here. Martin to-day told The CALL cor |
respondent that he had had nothing TO |
do with his SON in law for about five years. |
Their arrangement grew out OF the fact |
that Beew was once custodian OF $500 for |
his fa her-in-law.
at was raining one day about five years |
ago" said the old gentleman, "aEd as | |
had wad Of green backs-something like |
500 asked Frank to take care o. it for
me at the house while | was out in the |
storm on business. He took it and |
wrapped it in piece Of newspaper. A day |
or two later / asked for the money, and |
he went TO the drawer TO get it. The pa |
per was emil PITY, and he at once declared |
he had been robbed AS he had dis |
charged hired man that day he accused |