The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-30
ONE MAN USDER RAL AND
TWO BEHIND PRISON BARS
Police Believe the Story of Mabel BechtePs
Mother an Invention, Think Mabel
Was Killed at Home
(By the Associated Press

Allentown, Pa, Oct 28.-With David
Weisenberg, under five hundred dollars
BAIL supplied by Congressman Kline, and
with Thomas Bechtel. her brother, and
Alfred Eckstein. her accredited lover,
locked UP in a police station, the Allen
town police are resting in their work on
the Mabel H. Bechtel murder case OF
yesterday morning. until Coroner Schiel-
cr's jury meets tomorrow evening.
The mystery is still practically unsolved,
except that indications po.nt to family
row in which Eckstein may have figured
as he admits he was at Miss Bechtefs
home on Monday evening for an ncur and
half Because Mrs. Bechtel had said
ner daughter left for IA drive on Mot
day at a. m. efforts were made to trace
the girls movements away from home.
Rumors that she was at q road house
near this city were found to be ground
less. and the police do not believe the
girl was away from home at all on Mon
day. Her brothers. Thomas, john and
Charles, say they aid not see her on that
day and so also says her sister Martha.
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 today on thorough
search found blood stains on the carpet
and on the wall paper. and it looked IS
ii vigorous efforts had been made to wipe
them out. Thomas bloody overals were
found this afternoon in neighbours yard.
In a drawer of a closet in the third
story was found a part of Charles
Nhatchet. such as skaters use. slate roofing
being his trade. The remainder of the
handle was found in another drawer some
distance away The break IN the handle
looks new and fresh.
The police this afternoon put the en-
tire Bechtel family, except the mother,
under thorough examination. All deny
any knowledge of how Mabel came to
her death or who placed her body in the
area way under the home on Tuesday
morning The mother was not called be-
cause Of her historical condition.
Ecksten was Miss Bechtels accepted
lover. though she also received attentions
from Weisenberg Eckstein and the girl
were TO have been married November 20.
but the date was recently postponed I'M
til Christmas. They had frequent quar-
rels over Weisenberg's attentions. Eek
stem being jealous of him. He had ex-
pressed threats to several persons that
ne NOuiu XII DOlH. II is Sdlu ne OCCd
sionally beat Miss Bechtel severely.
The Bechtel family sided with Eckstein.
Weisenberg was not allowed to enter the
Bechtel home.
Police Sergeant Knauss returned TO
Allentown from New York today with
Wcisenberg The latter gave a detailed
statement Of his movements since Sun
day which are corroborated fully. He
had not seen the girl since Sunday even
ing; then he met her by appointment on
one street corner when she had just left
Eckstein at the next corner.
The police incline to the belief that the
girl was not away from home on Monday;
that a family row occurred over the girls
supposed duplcity to Eekstein and her
attachment for WciSenbehg; that a blow
was struck in anger when may have
been more severe than was intended, and
that the mothers story IS an invention.