The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-19
DAMAGING TESTIMONY
AGAINST MRS. BECHTEl
Or. Lear and Mabers Lover Eek
stein Cave Evidence the De
Tense Tried to Keep Out.


ALLENTOWN. Pa, Jan. 1S.-The COM
monwealth depends largely on the testi-
mony OF Alois Eckstein TO prove its case
against Mrs. Catherine Bachtel, on trial
as an accessory after the fact 10 the
murder OF her daughter Mabel. Eckstein
testified that he visited the Bechtel home
on Monday night Oct. o. Mabers body
found the next mornings On that
night, he stated, the demeanor of the entire
Bechtel family toward him had changed
When he asked for Mabel they were at
first at loss to answer him and finally
replied that she had gone out driving. Mrs.
Bechtel usually kind and gentle. was cross
and dsagreeable. This change had taken
place In less than twenty-four hours. To-
day Attorney Schaads, counsel for Mrs.
Bechtel subjected Eckstein TO a rigid cross
examination. After the witness had told
of presenting Mabel with an engagement
ring, Attorney Lutz, assistant prosecutor,
continued the direct examination. Reply
ing TO questions. Eckstein said he spent
the evening and night of Oct. II at the
Bechtel home. Mabel was there also.
Under crOss-examinatiOn Eckstein said
that he loved Mabel and he thought she
cared for him. He understood it was
agreed that he should marry her. Mabel,
however. always put him off when he men
toned the subject. He admitted having
struck the girl.
Il heard that Mabel had been out with
a well-known man In town." said Eek
stein, land that her mother told her TO
get all she could out of him. L upbraided
Mabel about it and told her that if she
kept on acting like that I'd never have
anything to do with her. i told her that
II she should get into trouble nobody would
have her and she would be cast-off. Then
she ran into the kitchen and got knife.
When she came back at me l struck her
to defend myself"
Witness told of other quarrels he had
with Mabel and of Weisenberg's appear
ance the scene and of the manner in
which Mabel transferred her affections 10
him. Eckstein then detailed his visit TO
the Bechtel home Monday evening imme-
diately preceding Mabel's death when he
was told she had gone driving. He knew
she was not at home, he said, because he
had seen her on a trolley car. The wit
ness then testified as TO his whereabouts
on the Sunday night preceding. The
mainder of Eckstein's cross-examinatiOn
brought out little of Importance. He said
he was not jealous of Weisenberg. asserted
that Tom Bechtel did not want to at
tend his sisters funeral and denied that
he (Eckstein) was in the district attorneys
office on the night previous to his acquit-
tai.
Dr. John Lear, the biological expert of
stains on the various articles found in the
Bechtel home, was next called to the
stand.
After a number of objections had been
made by the attorneys for the defense 10
the admission of the testimony of DR..
Lear expert, Judge Trexler over
ruled all the objections and the expert
gave his testimony.
DIR. Lear testified that he examined the
ingram and the rag carpet and the satchel
found in the Bechtel home. The micro
scopic chemical tests, witness said showed
the spots to be blood stains, but ne
unable 10 determine whether it was human
blood until he had made the biological
tests.
THE result of your tests was what?'
queried the district attorney.
Il found the stains to be human blood"
answered the witness.
The coverings OF Tom Bechtels bed and
Mabel Bechtel's wedding apparel were
/ shown to DR.. Lear and he said the stains
on them were human blood. On the bed
sheets he also found tobacco stains.
The wooden steps leading from the
kitchen TO the cellar were shown to the
witness and without qualification he stated
/ that the spots the boards were human
blood stains. BY this the commonwealth
/ will endeavor to prove that the body of
the murdered girl had been carried down
/ those steps and placed in the alleyway,
/ where it was later found. Court then ad-
/ journed until tomorrow morning.