The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-02
HE KILLED HIS WIFE
ALBERT BECKER, THE CHICAGO
BUTCHER SUSPECT, ACKNOWL-
EDGES HIS CRIME
HIS VICTIM WAS DROWNED
Lake Michigan-Claims to- Have
been Angered by Quarrel With
the Unfortunate WOman-Pris-
oner Could Not Withstand the
Persistent Questioning.

CHICAGO March 1.-Albert Becker,
the South side butcher who has been
in custodys forsR week on suspicion Of
having murdered his first wife, Teresa
Becker, broke down tonight under the
long continued cross-examination Of the
police and made a complete confession
Il killed her on Jan. 81" said Beck
err def1antly.- 1--WE were waiting on the
Randolph, street viaduct and began
quarreling. 1 became angry and threw
her into the lake Then I went home"
The love for another woman, which
prompted Becker to kill Teresa Becker,
was also apparently the cause of the
butchers confession. Since Becker's
arrest his second wife, seventeen-year-
ole Eda Suterlin, has been in custody
Becker inquired continually for her.
asking the police why she was not re-
leased. He was always given an eva
siye answer and apparently received the
Impression that Eda would in some way
be connected with the disappearance
OF his first wife. Becker, according to
the theory of the police, made the con-
fession to save her from any blame.
Since Becker's arrest he has been
under a constant fire Of questions. To-
day he was taken down town to the
pawn shop where he claimed he had
bought the rings and ear rings for Eda
docks. Several pawn shops were Wis
tied, in each one Of which the propri-
etors stated emphatically they had not
seen Becker before, and when brought
back to the station Becker was evident
ly very uneasy.
He was then taken into Capt. LAWNS
Office, and for several hours piled close
Iy with questions by Capt LAWN and
Inspector Hunt. Caught again and
again in misstatements, he finally
tossed his head. and, in broken En-
glish, told the whole story Of Teresa
Becker's death.
1--WE went down town on the after
neon of Jan 81" said Becker. 1--WE
visited some museums and a number Of
saloons, where I'VE drank liquor, and
finally went to- the postofice. From
there we went out on the Randolph
street viaduct. Then we began to
quarrel. My wife accused me Of in
fidelity, and told her she did not love
me. Finally I became so angry that
1 pushed her Off the viaduct. She fell
into one Of the Illinois Central Slips
The police will make a thorough
search Of the sslips tomorrow and en-
deavor to discover the body Of the I'M
fortunate woman.
Becker added that after throwing
his wife into the icy waters Of the lake
he remained on the pier a moment to
BILE him again. Then, after buying a
drink in a nearby saloon. Becker
boarded a street car and went home
to bed. The next morning he drove to
the saloon Of George Sutterly and said
he was free to marry Eda. Two
weeks afterward they were married.
After signing the confession. Becker
said: .s
'tPlease tell the newspaper men there
was no cutting, no hacking, no blood.
Some said that I did as Luettgert did,
but did noty',,
Becker will tomorrow be taken to the
scene Of the murder to show where
and how he killed his wife.
Beckers story Of the crime is looked
upon with suspicion by many of the
officers who have been working on the
case. AL the evidence gathered has
indicated a far more brutal method Of
murder than drowning, and the opinion
is expressed that Becker finding him
self cornered,s told a story that reflect
ed as lightly as possible on himself.