The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-01-30
BECHTELS
HIT BACK
File Charges Against States
Attorney.
OF GROSS MISCONDUCT
IntoxiCation, WilIfuI Negligence
and Improper Proposals
are Alleged.
OF GROSS MISCONDUCT

ALLENTOWN, Pa, Jan. 30.-Pro-
Judge TreXler by William j. Jones, a
lawyer who assisted Captain James L..
Schaadt in the defense of Mrs Bechtel,
against District Attorney Edwin J..
Llchtenwalner to oust him from office
upon charges of gross misconduct. The
petition to have the district attorney
removed is supported by the afiidavits
of Mrs. Bechtel and her daughter Myr-
tina as well as by n number Of other
people. The nominal complainant is
Allison X. Brobst, son-in-law of Mrs
Becntel Judge Trexler took the papers
and will issue rule calling on the dis
trict attorney to file an answer to the
charge.
Attached to the complaint of Brobst
are a number of ailidavits in support Of
his allegations. The first on the list is
that of Mrs. Catherine Bechtel, the
mother Of the murdered girl, in which
she affirms that when on oct. 27 the
district attorney called at her home he
was in a state Of intoXication. She as
serts that she was i'll and nervous and
was barely conscious Of what was 60
ing on.
81 remember" she states, "that the
district attorney staggered, and l was
really afraid of him He seated him
self on the couch beside me and all
nounced that he had come to get evil
dence 20 hang David Weisenberger. lie
embraced me and repeatedly kissed me.
| made attempts to repulse him. but in
my weakened condition | was unable
TO do so. I.was so overcome with grief
and emotions and so frightened and in
suited at the mans actions that | be
came partly unconscious and don't re-
member clearly what happened save
that he thrust money in my hand.
asked my family to get some one to
put the man Lichtenwalner out and
would not have tolerated his actions
but for the fact that he had announced
himself to be the district attorney. and
| thought he could not be interfercd
with willie there in his official capacity
Il resented the manner in which the
said Lichtenwalner acted toward my
daughters. saw him embrace and try
to kiss my daughter Myrtha ! next
recalled that tie police entered TO take
LichjcAWaner from the house"
Mrs. Bechtel AYERS that prior to that
late she had no acquaintance with
Lichtenwalner
Mrs. Harry d. Newhard in an aflida-
vlt AYERS that "Lichtenwalncr was in
sOltng, and his apparel was in disor-
der" Mrs. Ncwhard alleges that Lich-
tenwamer made improper proposals to
other women in the house and that to
Mrs. Brobst, sister of the murdered
girl, he offered ring.
Mrs. Brubst makes similar charges
against Lichtenwalner in her affidavit.
She alleges that he took her mother
around the neck, kissed her repeatedly
and hugged her roughly. Then Lich-
tcnwalner sat beside my mother while
| lying on the couch and presented her
with his endearments. Then Lichten-
| NulutI Oihtltu udlll anu NSEo anu ul ihh
and cigars to be brought, us though in
| Il saloon, and wanted a cab to be
brought to carry my mother home, not
knowing that she was then home. lie
persisted in his assaults and indecent
and immoral behavior and was forced
TO have an officer called"
NIyrtha Bechtel, also a sister Of the
murdered girl corroboratcS the testi.
mony of her mother and Mrs. Brobst.