The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-29
David WeisenberE. One of the Vic
Tins Lovers, Probably Innocent.
but Held Under Bond.
EVIDENCE FOUND IN HOUSE
BLOOD STAINS on WALL PAPER AND
DARK SPOTS ON ovERALLs.
Eckstein Under Suspicion, Because lie
Was Jealous and Had Threatened
TO XIII His Rival.

ALLENTOWN. Pa. Oct. 2S-With David
Weisenburg one of the lovers OF Mabel H.
Bechtel. under $500 bail. supplied by Con-
gresham Kline, and with Thomas Bechtel.
her brother. and Alfred Eckstein, her ac-
credited lover. locked up in a police station
cell. the Allentown police are resting in
their work on the murder case OF yesterday
morning until Coroner Scheirer's jury meets
tomorrow evening.
The murder mystery is san practically
unsolved. except that indications point TO
family row in which Eckstein may have
figured, as he admits he was at Miss Bech-
tells home on Monday evening for an hour
and half. Because Mrs. Bechtel had said
her daughter left for n drive on Monday
at a. m. efforts were made to trace the
girls movements away from home. Rumors
that she was at roadhouse near this city
were found to be groundless and the police
do not believe the girl was away from home
at all on Monday. Her brothers Thomas.
John and Charles say they did not see her
on that day and so also says her sister
Martha.
BLOOD STAINS FOUND
Martha usually slept with her widowed
mother in the second floor rear room
Thomas occupied the middle room and John
and Charles the front room. In the latter
the police to-day on thorough search found
blood stains on the carpet and on the wall
paper and il looked IL a vigorous effort
had been made 10 wipe them out. There
were no blood stains in Thomass room.
His bloody overalls were found this after
noon in neighbor's yard. He acknows-
edged that they are his. In drawer OF a
closet in the third story was found part OF
CharleSS hatchet. such skaters use.
slate roofing being his trade The blade and
small part of the handle were found there
with marks on the blade which Coroner
Scheirer says are bloodstains The re-
mainder of the handle was found in another
drawer some distance away. The break in
the handle looks new and fresh
a bloody apron was also found in the
house. The police have removed section
of the wall with bloodstains to have an
analysis made of the stains. Thomas says
the alleged blood spots on his overalls were
tobacco -stains. The coroner thinks other
wise and will have analysis made in the
belief that they are blood stains.
The police this afternoon put the entire
Bechtel family, except the mother. under
thorough examination. All deny any
knowledge of how Mabel came to her death
9nder the home ere oo1 IN sne
Martha, John and Charles were discharged
after they had been examined. Thomas
was held "A witness before the coroner-s
| jury because OF supposed blood stains found
on his overalls and in his room. Eckstein
was similarly held; Neither could get the
not called because or her hysterical condi-
/ tion.
! Eckstein was Miss Bechters accepted
! lover though she also received attentions
from Weisenburg. Eckstein and the girl
were 10 have been married Nov. %. but the
date was recently postponed until Christ
mas. They had frequent quarrels over
Weisenberg's attention. EcksteIn being
! jealous of him. He had expressed threats
to several persons that he would kill both.
1t is said ne occasionally beat Miss Bech-
! tel severely and as recently as last Thurs
! day evening. when they went 10 Philadei-
| phia together, Eckstein was seen 10 pum-
mel her on one of the principal street cor
ners. whence trolley cars leave for Phiia-
/ delphia. Because of this and because Eek
stein was at the Bechtel home on Monday
| evening, he is being held as stated. The
/ Bechtel family sided with Eckstein. pre-
/ ferring him TO Weisenberg as a prospective
4 member OF their family. Weisenberg WAS
| not allowed TO enter the Bechtel home. and
( in the year and half that he courted the
+ girl he never did so I'm her home. They met
/ on the street and went 10 public places to-
gether.
Police Sergeant Knauss returned to Allen
i town from New York to-day with Weisen-
/ OF his movements since Sunday, which are
| corroboratcd fully. He had not seen the
girl since Sunday evening. then he met her
] by appointment on one street corner. She
/ had just left Eckstesn at the next corner.
/ The police do not credit Mrs. Bechtels
story that she saw team drive up 20 the
rear OF the home at ! a. m. on Tuesday and
| two men carried a dark object into an
adjoining yard, nor her story that the girl
/ left for a drive with weisenberg on Monday
morning. They incline 10 the belief that
the girl was not away from home on Mon
day. and that "A family row occurred over
the girls supposed duplicity 10 Ecksteip
and her attachment for Weisenberc: that
/ the blow was struck IN anger, which may
/ have been more severe than was intended.
( and the girls mui der was accomplished and
/ the body disposed OF. the story being con-
cocted by the mother. Who struck the
/ fatal blows is only conjecture and may
! develop at the inquest tomorrow evening
varrrnc vrryrrn rua-~