The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-30
SUICIDE
FOLLOWS
MURDER
Thomas BeChtel Cuts His
Throat in Prison.
WAS STONE DEAD
WHEN DISCOVERED
Throng Of People Went to
Murdered Girls Funeral.
OFFICIALS TELL
STORY OF CRIME
Thomas BecnteI Struck Girl Heavy
Blow on Cheek and She Fell Against
Bureau-W When Picked Up She
Was Found to Be Dead.
The Family Agreed on
Story Told.
lBx Associated press.l

r iBy Associated ETeSs.)
ALLENTOWN, /. PA. Oct. 29.--Thomas S
Bechte. who was held awaiting invesu-
CATION OF the murder of his sister, Mabel
n I;echtel. at thor home fe; days
a.;". committed s,licid. this evening in
his cell in the Central Police Station.
The police consider this act as practical
Acknowledgement of Becltels guilt.
Bechte was In cell No. 2, on the light
side of the corridor. Sevora! relatives
and friends were admitted - see him
this afternoon. About o'clock he called
across the corridor to Alfred Eckstein.
Miss Bechtels afflanced lover. VINO IS
also held pending the coroner'E inquest:
Hello. al. are you there?
Yes" answered Eckstcin
Bechtcl responded: II wish you we'c
here with me now, that we might ole to-
sether."
These were the last words heard from
Bechtcl a short time later Eckstein
called Bechtel and got no answer, but nc
thought he heard an unusual gnrslc.
House Sergeant Frank G. Roth ,hao oeen
through the coils only a short time be-
fore.
Was Dead. n
AT a quarter past Q CLOCK ne ehtet
ed the corridor and called both men. Get
ting no answer from Bechtei he LOOKED
into Lis cell and was appalled, to see a
stream of blood running over the cell
floor. Bechtel had laid himself on the
bench In his cell and cut his throat tn
a knife. He was dead when found Tho
knife lay near him Oh the floor. HOW ne
got the knife Is not known.
Intense excitement prevailed at police
headquarters tonight Dense icro"oS
pressed against the windows and doors
and filled the street for half a DOCK
each way.
The funeral of the murdered girl took
mace this afternoon. tho services being
held at her late home a steady stream
Of people entered the house and filed past
the casket containing the body until the
services began at o'clock.
Gathered about the bier OF the mur-
dered girl was the aged mother. VINO IS
a physical wreck, and who is almost con-
stantly in Mysteries; the three daueh.ers ,e
and three of the four sons. The absent
one was Thomas. He had been refusen
ncrmission to attend the funeral on the
advice OF the district attorney When
Bechte; wa stold that he would not DC
permitted to take a parting farewell OF
Ills dead sister he raved. His fury was
intense The family also felt bitter.
Story of the Crime,
The suicide of Thomas Bechtel has been
followed by the police officials telling the
story of the murder of Miss Bechtel, as
gathered by them. IT starts vain last
Thursday, when Echstein accompanied
Miss Bechtcl to Philadelphia de left
here there aud returned home. Welseh-
burg met her in Philadelphia and accom-,
ranicd her to Allentown. They remained
together until midnight. Thomas l3echte
leard OF this and being strenuously op'
posed to Weisenberg, he upbra1ded hei
| in her room upon her return home. rye
| struck her a powerful blow on the cheek
causing her to fall heavily against a
bureau When picked up she was dead
| Members of the family held council anc
decided upon the story made public or
Tuesday, and upon the disposition OF thf
body and clothing as found. Charles
Bechtels slater's hatchet was used "
striking a blow OIL the head of the deac
cirl to give semblance of the assault
Eckstcin knew nothing of the murder
the police say.