The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-07

Fairfield, Cal. Feb. Crank Below
Mas confessed that he is a fratricide-
a double murderer. On the 9Th of last
y November the little town of Dixon was
thrown into 4 condition of extraordi-
nary excitement by the deaths from
poisoning Of Louis Belew and his sister
Susie, who lived in the same house.
Bruno Klein, an employee of Louis
Belew. was also poisoned, but recovered
after 4 severe illness.
Louis and Miss Belew We're each en-
gagged To be married, ard suspicion Of
having placed in the water kettle the
poison which caused their deaths at
first fell upon q rejected sutton OF Miss
Belew. This man was not arrested
however. the officers being satisfied Of
his innocence. Detectives worked Sc
cretly on the case, and were soon con-
WINGED that Frank Belew had murdered
his brother and sister because he had
been diNinherited. and coveted their
property. The authorities were aided
by Franks brother-in-laW. John w.
Bird. who alleged that Frank had con-
fessed his guilt to him.
WEAKENED IN JAIL.
Frank Belew was arrested on Thurs
day night and at first protested his
innocence. denouncing Bird as a de-
that Belew would weaken in jail. and
before he had been in his cell q hours
he had told the story of the poisoning
twice TO reporters in the presence OF
two different Jail officials. At first Be
lew said he did not know why he had
committed the crime. but subsequently
saiG: I guess I killed them for re-
venge. They slandared my WIFE
The officers are unwilling to admit
that Belew's motive attained the dig
nifty of revenge, insisting that he COM
mitted the murder through cupidity
and for the sule purpose of securing
the $4,000 or $1,000 possessed by his
brother and sister.
COLD-BLOODED DEED.
After telling how he had managed
to slip the poison into the kettle. 'Belew
admitted that he went home and slept
1 soundly, no pangs of conscience dis
ffurbing his slumbers.
BeieW told of how the news came TO
him of the three people dying in his
brothers. home; how he went there and
stood by the bedside of Susie, his sister.
and watched her death struggles. Then
only-and only for a moment-did he
feel q pang of pity. when / saw Susie /
dying. l was filed with remorse. I
shed I had not done it" said he, and
again the tears flowed.
HIS WIFE.
Il met Louis on Sunday. Nov. Z" I
said Frank Balew, in the course of his T
confession. He said my wife had
run away with another man. l told
him it was a lie. He never liked my
wife. He never had good word for
her. ! said no more to Louis then.
] was very mad st him. Then I went
down to see Susie. She asked me to
come down to supper. l was mad at
Louis and Susie. 1 suddenly remem-
bered I had some rat poison at home.
] went and got it. but when | returned
I was backing out from my first in
tention, when Susie jumped on my wife
again, and I determined to put an end
to them both.
REMORSE.
7 was excited at the time. though 1
had not been drinking that day
just lifted the lid off the kettle and
put the poison in-put in all that was
ia the paper. I don't remember what
did with the paper. I regret now
that I did it. 1 feel pretty tough
about it.
Il do not know what viii become of
me. 1 guess I VIII have to stretch for
il, but l guess / viii make the best of
it. ! expect to be punished for it.
I knew that Susie had about 1000.
L did not know what Louis had as he
vas III debt. I did not think ne had
as much as Susie. I had no feeling
that l was going TO get any portion ,
oI this money by their deaths l did ,
not kill them Tor money, but because
they had Slandered my wife"