The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-07
.BELLEW A FRATR|C|DE
He Confesses to an Atrocious
Double Murder.
WITHOUT A PANG OF PITY
He Slipped Rat Poison in a Kettle of
Water-W Watched His Brother and
Sister Die-He Expects to
Hang for It.

Fairfield. Cal. Feb. 6.--Frank Bellew
has confessed that he is fracticide,
double murderer On the 9th of last
November the little town of Dixon was
thrown into IA condition of extraordi-
nary excitement by the deaths, from
poisoning, of Louis Belew and his sis
ter. Susie. who lived in the same house.
Bruno Klein, an employe of Louis Bel
lew, was also poisoned, but recovered
after a severe illness. Louis and Miss
Bellew were each engaged TO be mar
ried, and suspicion of having placed in
the water kettle the poison which
caused their deaths at first fell upon
IA rejected suitor of Miss Bellew. This
man was not arrested, however, the
officers being satisfied of his innocence.
Detectives worked secretly on the case
and were soon convinced that Frank
Belew had murdered his brother and
sister because he had been disinher-
tied and coveted their property. The
authorities were aided by Franks
brothcr-i law. John w. Bird. who al
legged that Frank had confessed his
guilt to him Frank Bellew was ar
rested on Thursday night and at first
protested his innocence, denounctng
Bird as a deliberate falsifier
The officers predicted that Bellew
would weaken in Jail and before he had
DtPn III HIS tPil Is IpuIS ne ildu ttlu
the story of the poisoning twice to re-
porters In the presence of two different
Jail officials. At first Relew said he
did not know why he had committed
the crime. but afterwards said; L
guess ! killed them for revenge. They
had slandered my wife.
The officers are unwilling to admit
that Bellows motive attained the dig
nifty Of revenge. insisting that he COM
mitted the murder through cupditS
and for the sole purpose of securing the
$6. 900 or $1,000 possessed by his brother
and sister After telling how he had
managed to slip the poison into the
kettle. Belcw admitted that he went
home and slept soundly, no pangs of
conscience disturbing his slumbers.
Bellew 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 struggle. Then
only. and only for a moment, did he
feel pang Of pity
when | saw Susie dying ] was filled
with remorse. | wished ] had not done
it," said he, and again the tears flowed.
Il met Louis Sunday. Nov. T. said
Frank in the course of his confession.
lie said my wife had run away with
another man. | told him IL was a lie.
He never did like my wife. He never
had a good word for her. | said no
more to Louis then. ] was very mad
a him. Then ] went down To see Susie.
She asked me to come down to supper.
] was mad at Louis and Susie. ! sud-
denly remembered ! had some rat poi
son at home. | went and got IL, but
when | returned ! was backing out
from my first intention wran Susie
jumped on my wife again and cctei-
mined to put an end tn ;h"m both
II 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 .hlt was in the
paper. | did it, / feel pretty tou%ti
about 1t.
Il do not know what will become II
me. | guess | Will laNs io Ftrctcn for
II. but | guess | will max the best Of
it. | expect tc he puntah II Tor IT,
II knew that Susie had abou. S. 600
] did not know what Louis had. as he
was in debt. l did not think ne fau q }
much as Susie. ] had no feeling that
/ was going to get any portion of this
money by their deaths. | did not kill
them for money. but because they had
s1audered my wife,