New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-31
MURDERER NOT NAMED.
BECHTEL INQUEST ENDS.
Girls Relatives and LoUer arrested
as accessories.

Allentown, PENN Oct. 30.-The coroner's m
quest in the case Of Mabel Bechtel whose pouy
was found in an areaway outside her nome On
Tuesday morning last, ended tonight with d
verdict by the fury that the young womans
death was due TO a fractured skull from blow
inflicted at her home by some person unknown
TO the jury.
Mrs Bechtel and the members Of her fannlly
and Alois Eckstein. the girls lover. were called
before the jury, but on the advice OF their at
torneys they declined to answer questions on
the ground that they might incriminate them-
selves. The text of the verdict is as follows:
We believe that Mabel Bechtel came to her
death at No. 627 Cedar-st cher home), between
Sunday, October % and Tuesday OCTOBER -;
and that death was due to fractured Skull
from a blow inflicted by some person III the
house unknown to the jury We believe that
the inmates of the house, Mrs. Catherine Bech-
tel Myrtha Bechtel, John Bechtel, Charles seen
tel and Alois Eckstein. are accessories after the
fact Of the crime
Warrants of arrest were served on Mrs Bech-
tel and the members of her family and Eckstein
this evening They were taken before Mayor
Lewis who accepted bail for Mrs. Bechtel In
81 600. Myrtha Bechtel in S400, and Eckstein
in $500. John and Charles Bechtel were com
nnitted to jail. Application for writ OF naneas
corpus will be madc tomorrow.
with the examination of a few other wit
nesses the Inquest was concluded, and the jury.
after brief elaboration. returned the verdict
given above.
The Inquest was resumed at o'clock this
afternoon when the Coroner called Fire Chief
Cohn and Policeman E c. Jacoby and Will
tam Hickey, who testified to finding blood
spots on the carpets and wall These were the
first officers TO enter the house after the body
was found They saw Mrs. BechteI, her daugh-
ter Afyrtha, and one of her married daughters
They said that the family did not hesitate. but
willingly showed the way. They gave their
movements in detail as they went through the
house but nothing new was learned.
Police Chief Eastman testified to finding the
body Of Miss Bechtel and procuring the blood
stained articles in the Bechtel house. Thomas
Bechtel accompanied him on his first tour OF the
premises, when he looked for footprints in the
yard and tracks OF the supposed team in the al
ley The chief saw a pair of overalls in the
Miller ward, next door to the Bechtel home
which Thomas said were his The chief told
how he followed UP the clews which finally
centred in the Bechtel home. He showed the
carpets taken from the two bedrooms in the
Bechtel house, in which were blood spots He
spread the rag carpet in the courtroom and
showed that several spots were directly under
the place on the wall where the blood had spread
over the wall paper. There were traces of blood
also On the dashboard and on the floor directly
under the spots in the carpet He told Of a visit
70 Thomass room. Here also were spots on the
CARPET that he believed were blood stains, but
which Thomas said were tobacco stains
Thomas, he said. hoped the guilty one would be
found He next showed five boards taken from
the steps leading from the kitchen to the base
ment on these steps he said there were blood
spots He told of the arrest of Thomas Bechtel
and Eckstein. He said to Thomas:
"I'n have to arrest Eckstein."
Thomas flushed and hurriedly exclaimed;
Don't do that. He is innocent"
Mrs. Bechtel Miss Bechtel. Mrs Brobst a
married daughter: John and Charles Bechtel
and Eckstein were called before the jury. They
refused to answer any questions, stating that
they might say something which would tend
10 incriniinate themselves. \ runlOr current
early to-day that Mrs. Bechtel, mother of the
murdered girl, had attempted suicide shortly
before midnight by swallowing poison. AT the
time she was alleged to have made the attempt
on her life she at police headquarters She
went home at midnight.
While Mrs. Bechte1 in the courtroom she
learned that Thomas was dead. Her attorney
asked Chief Eastman:
Where is Thomas now2'
The chief hestated and said;
4 guess at the Morgue. He committed sui
eide in his cell yesterday
Mrs. Bechtei broke down and wept violently.
She was led from the room In a state of col
lapse.
DR.. John Lear. biologist of Muhenberg Col
lege testified that the stains on the Ratchet the
wall paper, the bedclothes and the overaIls were
blood.