The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1903-11-05

Slayer of His Sister Cuts Ills Own
Throst In the Jail

Allentown. Pa, Special.-Thomas
Bechtel. who sEas held awaiting inves-
tigation Of the murder OF his sister.
Mabel ii. Beehtel, at then home few
days ago. committed suicide Thursday
evening In his cell at the central police
station The police consider this act
as a practical acknowledgement OF
Bechtels guilt Bechtel was In cell
No. 2, on the right side of the corridor.
Several relatives and friends were ad-
mitted to him during the afternoon.
About 1 o'clock he called across the
corridor to Alfred Ecstein, Miss Bech-
tets affianced lover. who is also held
pending the ooroner's inquest: Hello.
Al. are you there [
"Yes", answered Eckstein.
Bechtel responded: 81 wish you
were here with me now, that we might
| Gle together
These were the last words heard
| from Bechtel A short time later Eek
stein called Rechtel and got no answer,
but he thought he heard an unusual
gurgle House Sergeant Frank G..
Roth had been through the cells only
Q short time before.
4 quarter past O'Clock he entered
tho corridor and called both men. Get
1 ting no answer from Bechtel he looked
into his cell and was appalled, to see
stream of blood running over the cell
foo" Bechtel had laid himself on the
bench in his cell and cut his throat
with knife He was dead when found
The knife lay near him on the floor.
How he got the knife is not known.
Intense excitement prevailed at police
headquarters. Dense crowds pressed
against the windows and doors and
filled the street for half block each
way. The funeral of the murdered girI
took place Thursday afternoon, the
services being held at her late home. A
, steady stream Of people entered the
house and filed past the casket contain
. ing the body until the services begar
, at 2 o'clock
The suicide of Thomas Bechtel ha!
been followed by the police Officials
, telling the story OF the murder of Mis
, Bechtel as gathered by them. 1t start
with last Thursday. when Eckstein &C
. companied Miss Bechtel to Philadei
p phia. He left her there and returne
home. WeisenbeGg met her in Phila
! dClphfa and accompanied her to Alien
town. They went to a certain place to
gether, where they remained until mid
night Thomas Bechtel heard Of thi:
a and being strenuousiy opposed t
a Wcisenberg he upbraided her in he
= room upon her return home. II
" struck her a powerful blow on tn
= cheek, causing her TO fall heavil
h against 4 bureau. dead. Members {
n the family held council and decide
r upon the story made public on Tuesda
q and uDon the disnosition Of the bod
, and clothing as found. Charles Beer
4 tells sisters hatchet was used in stril
4 ing the blow on the head Of the dea
~ girl to give semblance of the assault.
Eckstein knew nothing of the mu
"a der, the police say.
~ Information, charging murder. HI
% been lodged against the entire Becl
~ tel family. John and Charles Becht
and Eckstein were committed to j.
- in default of $500 bail each as WI
~ nesses. Mrs. Bechtel and daughte
,s were allowed to go, no bail being r
70 quired At the inquest several W
= nesses were heard, but counsel for t
nc Bechtels refused to allow them to tes
70 fly on account of the charge Of murd
r. against them.