The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-05-10
BEILsTEIN TRAGEDY.
Bertha Bcilstcin. the Destroyer of Her
Mother, Tostiilcs In Her Own Be-

Bertha Bcilstcin, the Destroyer of Her
Mother, Tostiics In Her Own Be-
half.
PITTSBURGH, Pa, May 9-The COM
monweaith rested Its case to-day In the
Bertha Beilstein murder trial, after
having produced number of witnesses.
principally relatives of the prisoner.
who detailed conversations had with
Bertha after the murder. To all OF these
witnesses Bertha said she had killed her
mother because she (Bertha) was tired
of living and did not want her mother
to bear the disgrace OF her suicide.
District Attorney Haymaker made
two OF the witnesses. Miss Marie Bell
stein "a cousin) Of Youngstown, Ohio,
Mrs. Emma Beistein. q sister -n-law.
tell of Bcrthus visit to Chicago last
July. when she Is said TO have had i'm
proper relations with her cousin. VIII
Beilsteln. the result OF which. Mrs. Bell
stein testified, was one of the causes for
Bertha taking her mothers life.
Mrs. Emma Bellstein said she was
present at meeting between Mrs. Ellz-
4JtII5ktII, ol#.. w III
Bellstein's mother, who came here from
that city; Mrs Voegtly and Miss Ber-
tina. At this meeting Mrs Elizabeth
BeIlstein asked the prisoner why she
had not told her OF the Chicago uffair
while she was there, when marriage
might have been arranged. Miss Der-
tha replied that she did not want the
young man.
The defense opened It's case at 2:3O this
| afternoon by Attorney BurleiQh. who
said the defense in the case would be
Insanity. the direct result OF shock slis-
tanned at the time the prisoners father
dropped dead at the breakfns, table,
some months previous to the murder.
Miss Bertha Beilsteir was the first Wit
ness called In her own defense. She
told Of the great affection existing be-
tween her father and herself and OF the
effect his sudden death had on her.
She said: 'lt was an exceedingly
great shock, one from which I hnvt.
never recovered and never will. lost
interest In everything. I lost sleep. I
fell of In weight many pounds" She
felt. "Oh. so melancholy" che said.
Witness said her mother and herself
were firm believers In s2Irtualism. IT
believe" she said, that persons In this
world can communicate with persons, In
the other" While In Chicago last year
she visited two mediums. THE first, q
Mrs. Cowan, told me that my father wns
lonely and would not be happy until my
mother and 1 were with him. Nothing
entered my mind then about taking my
mothers life
The witness next said she visited a
male medium. TIc told her similar
story about her fnther being lonely. 1t
then became fixed In her mind that he
was lonely. Miss Beilsteln said she re-
malned In Chicago about week after
that. She was In q very bad condition,
physically. She thought about what the
mediums told her. Her mind seemed to
be unbalanced on that one subject. still
she did not think of destroying her own
or her mothers life. She cut her visit
short md returned home expecting to
get better. She could not sleep. She
said, II did not sleep at all until the
night OF the Killing" and told Attorney
Burlelyh she wanted the Jury to under
stand It literally.
On Saturday afternoon, the day before
the shootng,sh went to Pittsburgh and
bought an ounce OF laudanum She went
home Immediately. getting there about
6 p. m. She ate light supper with her
mother. They spent the evening at
home. The witness went. to her room
about $3.50 O'Clock. her mother retiring n
few minutes later. The relations be-
tween the witness and her mother had
always been very afrectionate and
there had been no misunderstanding
whatever.
Mr.. Burlelgh asked the witness H.
during her visit to Chicago, In July last,
there had been anything Improper be-
tween her cousin, ''W.lW BcllsteIn and
herself.
mo. sir: therc was not" was the re-
ply.
HAD there ever been anything I'm
proper between him and ypurself?"
No: there had not"
On the night before the shooting. she
laid out her clothing. Intending to kill
herself. She tossed about all night and
walked the floor. 81 Ind bought the
landanum with the intention of takIng
my own life instead of that of my
mother" she said.
When / heard the clock strike G,
arose. and. getting the bottle OF lauda-
mum, started to pour II Into the Glnss.
Before had finished this the bottle
dropped from nv hand My arms be-
cnmc like steel. and I knew mus. take
my mothers life. I wen, TO the bureau.
took the revolver, and. going into
mothers room. discharged IT,"
Mr.. Burleigl-"Do You remember OF
dischargIng the weapon more than
once?"
NO"
DO You remember about shooting
yourself?"
"I remember of shooting myself
once"
Miss BeIlstcn gave her testimony
throughout in clear tone OF voice.