Milford chronicle., 1904-01-22
EVIDENCE AGAINST
+ MRS. .BECHTEL ENDS
The Prosecution Closes After Calling
Forty Witnesses
BLOOD EXPERTS ON THE STAND
S"REE

prove that Mrs. Catherine Bechtel was
guilty Of being an accessory after the
fact IN the murder Of her daughter
Mabel, last October, the commonwealth
closed its case.
The cases against John, Charles and
Myrtha Bechtel we're continued until
the April term of court. Their bail
was renewed.
DrJohn Lear, professor of biology at
Muhlenberg College, testified to finding
human blood on the ingram carpet,
holsters and sheets from Toms bed,
wash rag. two aprons, Mabels stock
ings, skirts. waist. undervest on the
grooYed head of the hatchet, Toms
oVeralls, wall paper and on five of the
cellar steps. Efforts, he said had been
made to wash the stains from the in
grain carpet and bolster. On cross-ex-
animation he said it was impossible to
tell the age of blood. DR.. Lear said he /
used three methods-the microscopical, |
chemical and biological or Bordot /
method. This is the first time, he said. |
that the biological or Bordet method |
NeAF@ WV b@0h kAAG4 IL a Alu4Q QEA EciSE
IN this country
Lawyer Schaadt for the defence,
tried to discredit the biological or
Sordet test of determining human
blood, but the cross examination failed
20 shake the direct testimony of the
witness.
DR.. John Eckert of this city,
who assisted Dr. Lear in his tests,
was called to the stand. The defense
objected to Dr. Eckert testifying as
an expert on the ground of youth and
tnexperience, but the court overruled
the objection, stating that inasmuch as
the test was new there could be no ex-
perience of long standing. Dr. Eckert
was on the stand over two hours, dur
ing which he corroborated DR.. Lear's I
statements and conclusions regarding
blood tests. and declared that all the :
stains in question were made by hui {
man blood. I
DR.. W. D. Penniman of Johns Hop t
kins University, an expert on blood. Il
who was in the city on private busi- G.
ness, was subpoenaed by the common e
wealth. He was taken in hand by Dis u
Lrict Attorney Lichtenwalner, and he h
declared that the biological or Bordet
sest to show the difference between e'
human and animal blood to be very re el
liable. The Bordet test, he said, is abso- st
ute in its conclusions, VI
DR.. W. w. Eshbach, of this citv who I'll
vas present when the blood tests were
made by DR.. Lear, confirmed the lat
er's conclusions that the stains on the
rticles exhibited were made by hui
IAN blood. and DR.. C. D. Schaeffer. HI
lrgeon-in-chief at the Allentown hos pu
ital, the last witness to testify re- at
aTded DR.. Lsar's test as reliable. Sc
Alois Eckstein, Mabel Bechtels vi,
ance. was called to the stand us
nd said that four years ago he de
picked up Mabel Bechtel on the sta
rect and went home with her, and dis
I'D been keeping company with her lea
Ter since. The attorney then led him vel
rectly to the Sunday night when Ma
i Bechtel is supposed to have been
lied. Eckstein said he had called Ne
the house and visited with Mabel
afternoon, and that they made taffy, I
en- at $50 they had supper, and Ma tie
went upstairs to dress. When she R.
me down she talked in a merry mood cha
tn Myrtha, who, she said, was wait ing
: for her beau, while she was going it'll
to meet her beau. When asked Bis
her mother who she meant. Mabel TAX
d she meant Weisenberger. at
1ckstein then told of the visit he Att
de to the Bechtel home on Monday Pre-
INT to get the answer that Mabel the
! promised him. He found at home voc
S. Bechtel Tom and Charles. T
How did they receive you?" that
Well, much cooler than ever be- min
O. noticed that Mrs. Bechtel look ed /
at me in peculiar way; in fact, II
all acted queer" hou'
How did they act?" ored
Well, l stepped into the kitchen to and
a drink of water, and then went him
into the back yard l didn't know
rlie was in the back yard, but l
him coming up the steps. and Burs
n | spoke to him he said grufly
he was sick and was going to bed. Bl
eemed as if they wanted to get Jan.
u me- Tom sat in the kitchen near droW
door reading a paper. He kept hous
hing every move l made. burs
IN Tuesday" continued Eckstein dred'
rent to the factory to work, and home
of the boys telephoned me that ter.
d better go to the Bechtel home. Cub
~ girl was dead. l hurried there Ha
found there Mrs. Bechtel, Myrtha. order
Brobst Mrs. Mitchell and John sessic
tel. tried to comfort Mrs. Bech- recei,
and then she told me the story messf
the dogs barking, about the men had 4
ing the bundle, and about the the d
es Of Mabel being found on the rectet
in the parlor. asked her where thorit
lotnes were, and she said she had jectio
I'd them upstairs. Directly after this n
John carried downstairs the other
II hat the tan coat and shoes and Il
ut them on the chair in the par glad