The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-30
WAS SUSPECTED OF THE CRIME
BLOOD WAS FOUND ON OvERALLS
WORN BY THE SUICIDE.
Newsboy Supposed to Have Given Him
the Knife with Which He
Slashed Himself.

CoHlmltteO SUICIDE this evening In his cell IN
the central police station. The police con-
slider this act as a practical acknowledge
ment of Bechters guilt. Bechtel was in cell
No. 2, on the right side of the corridor.
Several relatives and friends were ad-
mitted to see him this afternoon. About /:
o'clock he called across the corridor to AL
fred Eckstein. Miss Bechters affianced
lover, who is also held pending the coro-
ner's inquest:
Hello. Al, are you there
Yes" answered Eckstein.
Bechtel responded: 81 wish you were here
with me now, that we might die together
These were the last words heard from
Bechtel. A short time later Eckstein called
Bechtel but got no answer, but he thought
he heard an unusual gurgle House Ser
geant Frank G. Roth had been through the
cells only short time before. AT quarter
past o'clock he entered the corridor and
called both men. Getting no answer from
Bechtel he looked into his cell and was APP
palled to see stream of blood running over
the cell floor. Bechtel had laid himself on
the bench in his cell and cut his throat with
a knife. He was dead when found. The
knife lay near him on the floor How he
got the knife is not known. He was oare-
fully searched when placed in the cell and
no weapon was found. There Is a rumor TO
the effect that a newsboy passed the knife
to him in the cell.
Bechtel was a single man and thirty
years Of age. He was a laborer. doing odd
jobs about the town and in the country He
was a hard drinker and when intoxicated
was easily angered and prone to fight. He
great courage. During Mayor Schaadt's
administration 1899 to 1902. Bechtel was an
applicant for appointment TO the police
force but failed to get the position. Later
he was q substitute and an extra policeman
at various times for regulars who were sick
or on vacation. Intense excitement pre-
i ia cit bnnI rx,tow ofv-u .s<l~A
Dense crowds pressed against the windows
and doors and filled the street for half
block each way.
The police deny that a newsboy spirited
| the knife into Bechtel's cell. and also that
| relatives and friends had been in the cell
| with him. They cannot account for Thorn
| ass possession OF the knife.
FUNERAL OF THE GIRL.
The funeral OF the murdered girl took
place this afternoon. the services being held
| at her late home. 1t was the family's in
tention to have the services and interment
| private. but when the undertaken took the
remains from his morguc to the Bechtel
| residence this morning many neighbors,
| relatives. silk mill associates and other
| friends called at the home and a steady
stream OF people entered the house and
| filed past the casket containing the body
until the services began at clock.
| As the girl lay in the casket her appear
ance told its own story. Both eyes were
badly discolored as though they had been
| struck by q clenched fist. There was big
| bruise on the nose and several smaller ones
! on the cheeks and ear. The worst wound.
that tina, on n the sd forehead. w. was hidden by the
! given her by Alfred Eckstein.
| Gathered about the bier of the murdered
| girl We're the aged mother, who is a phys
ical wreck and who Is almost constantly
in Mysteries the three daughters and three
of the four sons. The absent one. was
TO attend the funeral, on the advice of tho
district attorney. When Bechtel was told
that he would not be permitted to leave
his cell to take parting farewell of his
dead sister. he raved. His fury was in
tense. The family also felt bitter The
services were conducted by the Rev. Joseph
clergyman Interment was made in the
Bechtel family lot in West End Cemetery
where the bodies of the girls brother
| Robert, her sister Lizzie, who committed
suicide by drowning i'm the Lehigh river
in 1886. and her father, George Bechtel, who
died in 1902 Only the relatives followed
surrounded the house during the services.
and another crowd was at the cemetery
to witness the interment
The suicide of Thomas Bechtel has been
followed by the police officials telling the
story OF the murder OF Miss Bechtel a:
by them starts with last
Miss Bechtel to Philadelphia. He left her
there and returned home. Weisenberg met
to Allentown, leaving there Sunday at
d. m. and reaching here four hours later.
They went to a certain place together.
where they remained until midnight Thorn
as Bechtel heard of this, and, being stren-
uously opposed to Weisenberg, he upbraid-
ed her in her room upon her return home.
He struck her a powerful blow on the
cheek. causing her to fall heavily against
q bureau. dead.
Members Of the family held council
and decided upon the story made public
I diSDOSitiOu
the body and clothing found. Charles
Bechters skaters Ratchet was used in strik-
TO give semblance of the assault. This hap
pened Immediately after midnight. The
body was concealed in the home until Mon
day night. when it was placed in the area
way where il was found Tuesday morning
Eckstein knew nothing of the murder, the
police say.
THE INQUEST.
The inquest on Mabel Bechtel's death be.
gan in the mayors courtroom at O'Clock
, this evening. The entire Bechtel family
was present at the opening Of the inquest
They did not know Of Toms suicide. Eek
STEMS brother George. who is bartender
in West Philadelphia. arrived to-day anc
engaged ex-State Senator Harry G. Stiles as
associate counsel with ex-District Attorney
| G. A Grogan for his brother. Congressman
Kline appeared at the inquest as attorney
for Weisenberg. The questioning of wit
e. u
) Lichtenwalner. The first witness called wa:
! DR.. W. w. Ashbach. who assisted at the
: post-morten examination of Miss Bechtel
He described the wounds and how the cir
] was dressed
David Wesenberg was called, and, wher
. questioned, his attorney, Mr.. Kline, objected
because his answers might become merlin
mating, and asked that the witness be per
United To exercise his privilege. Weisen
J berg. however. testified that he was Will
Mabel Sunday evening from S to L
! o'clock. and then left her at the door of he
own home: did not see her after that an,
e made no attempt to do so. He sent a not.
TO her home by messenger at o'clock Mon
; day morning. The note read: If you ar
at home / would like TO see you" The DO,
returned with the answer that Mabel wa
: not at home. The witness never spoke q
I Eckstein. The latter stopped Miss Bechte
| twice on the street when witness was will
. her and wanted TO speak to her, but sh
. refused each time. Eckstein walked ava,
without saying anything. Witness neve
. promised Mabel 50 and never heard Ecksteil
. make threats. Witness was then excuse,
y ! until next Wednesday at | D. m. and ol
I the bond of Mr.. Kline, for 500. was re
4 ! leased.
5 Information charging murder has bee
o lodged against the entire Bechtel family
4 and constables were at the mayors offic
: ready to servo the warrants. Because o
!. this fact the Hon. James l. Schaadt, attor