Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-02-07
BrLEw coNFEssEs TO MURDER.
Killed His Brother and sistcr-nIotive fol
the Crime.

Fairfield, Cal. Feb. 6.-Frank Below
has confessed that he is fratricide-
n double murderer. On the 9th of last
November the little town OF Dixon was
thrown into n condition of extraordi-
nary excitement by the deaths from
poisoning of Louis Below and his sis
ter, Susie. who lived in the same house.
Bruno Klein, an employe of Louis
Belew.was also poisoned, but recovered
after Il severe illness.
Louis and Miss Below were each en-
gagged to be married. and suspicion of
having placed in the water kettle the
poison which caused their deaths at
first fell upon 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 disinherited 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.
Frank Below was arrested on Thurs
day night and at first protested his
innocence, denouncing Bird as de-
liberate falsifier. The officers predicted
that Below would weaken in Jail. and
before he had been in his cell forty
eight hours he had told the story of
the poisoning twice to reporters in the
presence of two different Jail officials.
At first Below said he did not know
why he had committed the crime. but
subsequently said: II guess I killed
them for revenge. They had slandered
my wife" The officers are unwilling to
admit that Bellows motive attained the
dignity of revenge, insisting that he
committed the murder through Gu
pudity and for the sole purpose of Sc
curing $4,000 or $1,000 possessed by his
brother and sister.
After telling how he had managed to
slip the poison into the kettle. Below
admitted that he went home and slept
soundly, no pangs of conscience dis
turbing his slumbers. Below 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 bed
side of Susie. his sister. and watched
her death struggles. Then only-and
only for moment-dld he feel a pang
of pity. when 1 saw Susie dying /
was filled with remorse. / wished I
had not done it," said he, and again
the tears flowed.
7th," said Frank Below, in the course
OF his confession. HE said my wife
had run away with another man. 1
told him 1t was lie. He never did
| like my wife. He never had a good
word for her. l said no more to Louis
was very Ut n. linen
| went down to see Susie. She asked
me to come down to supper. / was
mad at Louis and Susie. suddenly
remembered / had some rat poison at
home. went and got II but when
! returned was backing out from my
| first intention, when Susie jumped on
| my wife again and determined to put
an end to them both.
Il was excited at the time, though
| ! had not been drinking that day. |
Just lifted the lid off the kettle and
| put the poison in-put in all that was
In the paper. / don't remember what
| i did with the paper. regret now
that did 1t. I feel pretty tough about
| 1t.
II do not know what will become of
me. 1 guess l will have to stretch for
| II, but i guess ! will make the best of
| 1t. ! expect to be punished for it.
Il knew that Susie had about 81. OO0
| | did not know what Louis had, as he
was in debt. I did not think he had
as much as Susie. / had no feeling
that l was going to get any portion Of
this money by their deaths. did not
KIN them for money. but because they
had slandered my wife"