The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-07
Says He Put Rat Poison In the
Teakettle.
He Went Home After the Act and
Slept S0undIy and Felt no Com
junction Till He Saw His Sis
ter's Dying Agonies - Claims
That He Did It Because They
Slandered His Wife and Not in
Order to Get Their Property.

FAIRFIELD (Cal), Feb. 6.-Frank
Below has confessed that he is fratri-
cide-a double murderer.
On the 9th of last November the lit
tie town of Dixon was thrown into
condition of extraordinary excitement
by the deaths from poisoning of Louis
BeleW and his sister Susie, who lived III
the same house. Bruno Klein, an en-
ploye of Louis Below, was also pol
soned but recovered after severe ILL
ness.
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 ut
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 We're soon con-
WINGED that Frank Belew had muir
dered 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 al
legged that Frank had confessed his
guilt 20 him. Frank Belew was ar
rested on Thursday night, and at first
protested his innocence, denouncing
Bird as deliberate faisifier. The Off
GERS persisted that Belew would weak
en- in Jail. and before he had been in
his cell forty-eight hours he had told
the story of the poisoning twice to re-
porters in the presence of two differ
ent Jail officials. At first Below said
he did not know why he had commit
ted the crime. but subsequently said:
Il guess l killed them for revenge.
They had slandered my Wife
The officers are unwilling to admit
that Belews motive attained the dig
nifty Of revenge, insisting that he COM
mitted the murders through cupidity
and for the sole purpose of securing the
six or seven thousand dollars possessed
by his brother and sister.
Afer telling how he had managed to
slip the poison into the kettle, Belew
admitted that he went home and slept
soundly. no pangs of conscience dis
turbing his slumbers.
Belew told of how the news came to
him of the three people dying in his
brothers house: how he went there and
stood by the bedside of Susie, his sis
ter, ano watched her death struggles.
Then only-and only for a moment
did be feel the pang of pity.
When l saw Susie dying I was
filed with remorse. 1 wished l had
not done it" said he, and the tears
flowed from his eyes.
Il met Louis that Sunday, Novem-
Der It'll said Frank Below, in the
course of his confession. He said my
wife had run away with another man.
I told him it was allie. He never did
like my wife. He never had good
word for her. I said no more to Louis
then. 1 was very mad at him. Then
! went down to see Susie She asked
me to come down to supper. / was mad
at Louis and Susie. l suddenly re-
mernbered / had some rat poison at
home. l went and got it, but when l
returned l 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. L don't remember what | did
with the paper. 1 regret now that l
did it / feel pretty tough about it,
Il do not know what will become of
me. / guess | will have to stretch for
it, but 1 guess l will make the best
of it. / expect to be punished for it.
Il knew that Susie had about 81 900.
/ did not know what Louis had, as he
was in debt. 1 did not think he had
as much as Susie / had no feeling that
was going to get any portion Of
this money by their deaths. / did not
xii them for money, but because they
had siandered my wife,