Evening journal., 1903-10-30

the head Of the dead girl to give sem
blance OF the assault.
This happened Immediately after
midnight. The body was concealed
in the home until Monday night. when
it was placed in the areaway. where it
was found Tuesday morning. Eek
stein knew nothing Of the murder. the
police say.
The coroner's Inquest.
The inquest on Mabel Bechters
death began in the mayors court room
last evening. Coroner Schierer's jury
comprised e. j. Grader, c. NJ Bealer.
V. M. Frey. w. A. Nunsicker, Charles
Kramer and w. w. Riedy. The en-
tire Bechtel family was present. Az
the opening of the inquest they did not
know of Toms suicide. The first wit
ness called was Dr.. w. w. Ashbach
who assisted at the post-mortem ex-
animation Of Miss Bechtel. He ascribed
the cause OF death to the fractured
skull and htmorrhage the result there
/ from.
Dr. w. r. Wnileholn presented a re-
port of tho chemical analysis OF the
contents Of Miss Bechtel's stomach. The
analysis. he said. failed to detect poi
SON. There was no odor Of alcohol.
Another test win be made TO determine
whether the stomach held choral.
Tilghman Helfrich. a farmer resid-
ing near Allentown, testified that
Thomas Beohtel cut corn for him all
day Monday after 6.30 a. m. He also
ate dinner and supper at Helfrich's
home. He came again Tuesday morn
ing and worked until called home be-
tween S and o'clock by the report Of
the murder Bcchtel, he said, showed
no excitement all this time
Mrs Lizzie Wieand. the next-door
peishbor. stated that she last saw
Mabel alive on Sunday at 1890 a. m
She heard their dogs barking Tuesday
, at 1915 q. N. and heard Bechtel's front
door squeak twice upon opening The
witness was awake upstairs. She heard
no cries or other noises. Mrs. Bechte
usually washed on Monday, but did not
last Monday. She was about the house
and yard as usual
Miss Ella Heiser testified that Eek
: stein had tried to strike Miss Bechtel
with a caster one evening at the Hotel
Allen because he was annoyed over her
being in company with another man
One night last winter after attending
church together Eckstein beat Miss
- Bechtel during a quarrel. Miss Bech-
tel complained Of her mothers bad
\ treatment Of her at home. She wanted
to come TO my place TO live because oi
her love for Weisenberg. Both Mabe
Rechtel and Eckstoin told witness that
they were TO have been married Octo.
Der 26. and Mabel said that Ecksteir
had told her that she would never
marry any man but him.
weisenbers's story.
David Weisenberg was called, ant
when questioned, his attorney, Mr.
Kline objected. because his answer.
might become discriminating and aske,
that the witness be permitted 70 exer
t else his privilege. Weisenberg testified
that he was with Mabel on Sunda,
n evening from to IL o'clock and theI
4 left her at the door Of her own home;
did not see her after that, and made nc
4 attemp- to do so. He sent a note to hel
by messenger at 8 o'clock Monday
4 morning. The note read: IF you ar
at home would like to see you" TIL.
y boy returned with the answer tha
Mabel was not at home. The subse
Quent movements of the witness unit
his arrival here Wednesday Afternoon
from New York were detailed as hay0
already been published. The witness
never spoke to Eckstein. The latte
( stopped Miss Bechtel twice on ~
{ street when witness was with her az
! wanted 70 speak TO her, but she re
fused each time: Eckstein walked ava,
without saving anything; witness neve
4 promised Mabel So. Never heard Eek
. stein make threats.
Information charging murder ha.
, been lodged against the entire Bechte
family, ard constables were at thr
mayors Office ready to serve the war.
rants. Because of this fact. Hon
James /. Schaadt. attorney for ths
Bechtels, refused to permit any OF a..
clients to testify.
After a BRIEF conference between
Coroner Schierer and District Attor.
ney Lichtenwalner the hearing wa,
continued. Eckstein was committed tc
prison as a witness In default Of $500
bail.
John and Charles Bechtel were COM
mitted to jail in default of $500 bail
) each TO appear as witnesses at the in