The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1904-01-27
MRS. BECHIEL' S TALE
Aged Mother of Murdered Girl
Testifes in Her Own
Defense.
her EVIDENCE is UNSHAKEN
Relates minuteIy All That Took Place
the Day Mabel Went Away Never
to Return Alive-stalns on Pillow
Gases Are Explained.


Allentown, Pa, Jan. 22-Mrs Kath-
crime Bechtel, whose trial on the
charge ef~being an accessory after the
fact to the murder of her daughter
Mabel, has been in progress here since
last week, took the witness stand in
her own defense. She was on the
stand for four and half hours AMI
proved a good witness. She told a
plain, straightforward story in a low.
plaintive voice, which frequently
broke as she related the incidents and
conversations that wrpg her heart.
Mrs. Bechtel is a Pennsylvania Ger
man and the entire proceedings were
carried on in the Pennsylvania Ger
man dialect. which was understood
not only by the judge jury and attor-
neys. but by most of the spectators in
the crowded court room. 1t is proba-
BILE that night sessions will be held i'll
order to hasten the end of the trial.
Mrs. Bechtel stated that she was in
her Goth year and the mother of IL
children. In answer to questions by
Attorney Schaadt, Mrs. Bechtel said
she had warned her daughter Mabel
against associating with Weisenberg,
but that the girl only laughed at her.
She declared she had heard Weisen-
berg say that for IS he could have
both Mabel and Alois Eckstein Drained
did Mabel ever stay away from
home all night?"
Eyes, often on Saturday she would
go away and not come home until
Sunday"
Did you demonstrate with herr"
II begged her not to stay out all
night but to come home at proper
hour like other respectable girls"
Did Mabel and Tom get along well
together"
They never interfered with each
other"
did they quarrel"
"Only like brother and sister
sometimes would"
did he ever strike Mabel?"
"No."
Mrs. Bechtel said that Tom was In
the habit of chewing tobacco while in
bacco juice would run out of his
mouth over the PILLOW case and sheets.
Mr.. Schaadt at this juncture pro-
duced the stained bolster and pillow
cases and sheets taken from Toms
bed, which she identified.
ut is charged" said Mr.. Schaadt,
that on that Sunday night Tom
struck Mabel in anger and killed her.
Now, you are an old woman and have
not much longer to live, as you must
some time answer to your Creator, so
tell us, now, did anything like that oc.
cur in your homer"
The tears welled in the gray-haired
as if In prayer before her breast, and
with her head towards heaven she
fervently replied:
II swear by my God that Mabel was
not killed or struck by Tom in my
home"
An impressive silence followed and
then her attorney led her up to the
movements of the family on Monday
morning. Tom left the house to go to
work at 6 o'clock Mabel came down:
stairs at 1880 and helped herself to
breakfast The sobbing mother then
said:
"She came out in the kitchen and
said she was going out driving.
asked her with whom, Weisenberg"
and when she answered yes exclaim-
ed, oh, Mabel, in rebuking tone
Mabel put her hands over her eyes
and began to cry. l asked her why
she cried end she answered. am cry
ing now; maybe you'll cry later"
what happened next?"
After awhile she went upstairs, re
dressed herself and then left the
house. That was the last time saw
her alive. 1t was about 0 o'clock, pos
sibly little later"
Then Mrs. Bechtel told of hearing
the dogs barking in the yard at mid
night on Monday. Tom was asleep
she said, and had one dog with him in
his bedroom. Another dog was in the
cellar. Arising, she went to the rear
window and saw cab in the alley.
She saw two men carry something
into Miller's yard next door. The wit.
ness did not awaken Myrtha. She
heard Tom snoring. The witness told
ST finding Mabel's body Tuesday morn
ing in the areaway under the house
when she went to get washing ma
chine. Two aprons placed in evidence
belonged to the witness, who account
ed for the bloodstains by saying tina.
in handling meats she wiped her
hands on the aprons.
Replying to another question as to
whether she knew how Mabel had
come to her death, Mrs. Bechtel said:
God knows that I don't. If l did
know it would not be here now. /
would have said it long ago. II 1t
was from the youngest to the Oldest
of my children would not save one
of them and | would not be saved my.
self. ! have often prayed that it might
be revealed before die AS it is now,
many people stare at us innocent pei
pie SO that / don't care to go on the
street"
SEQ Cases of Fever at Leadville.
Leadville, Col, Jan. 22.-There are
So0 rocoe - tx,,xl i f1.x~-