The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-06-01
ACCUSE EACH OTHER
Becker and Graham In ORA
matte Scene at Jail.
BOTH At ELNHURST MURDER.
Crowd at Flushing Fought with
Police In Fury 90 GET nj Graham
90 Lynch Him--Fsther At
tacks Him.

tacks Him.
NEW YORK. May 31.-There was a
dramatic scene In the corridor OF the
Queens county jail when Henry Beck.
or, who confessed 10 the murder OF
fourteen year-old Amelia Charlotte
SmiIeldt, was brought out TO confront
Leon Graham. the youth who attacked
Gyc-year-old Mamie Luck In Corona
and was arrested.
The moment Becker gllmpsed ut the
black haired, slouchlng young man he
sprang toward him and, shaking his
fist In his face, cried:
"You killed that Staffeldt girl, yon
pigl You jabbed the. knife In her
neck"
you're n llarr' screamed Graham.
"You did II yourself!' Then he spat at
Becker and attempted to kick him.
The men were then taken 10 sepa'
rate cells, and when Graham was In
formed that Becker had confessed the
murder he admitted having witnessed
II. lie said:
IL don't want 10 go 10 the electric
chair. did not kill that girl. saw
Becker knock her down. Then | hid
behind a tree while he stabbed her
with the knife. We went 10 a pump
and washed our hands. But never
killed that little girl. lie did II. After
we went 10 that pump We separated.
aud I did not see the fellow again un'
III n few minutes ago-here In the
jail"
The Queens county police are now
convinced that Becker aud Graham
are equally guilty Of the shocking Elm
hurst crime and that they are the two
men seen by Mrs. Carmina Slmonson
washing blood from their hands on the
afternoon the little girl was slain.
Graham has told several conflicting
stories OF his whereabouts ON that
Wednesday afternoon. First he sai'l
he was M HIS mothers home In Brook.
Ign on that day. This was found 10 b.
false. Then he said he was working
on "Wednesday nj the Standard OH
works In Long Island city.
He answers the description OF the
companion 81 Becker whom Mrs. 81
monson saw In her yard. aud she will
b. taken a. the Queens county jail a.
identify him. There has been n good
deal ~ friction between the Long H.
land police and Captain McCancriy's
men IN the investigation Of the Stat
feldt murder. The central Office dctec
tives assert that Becker alone was
guilty. whereas the Long Island City
police maintain that two men attacked
aud stabbed the farmers daughter "a
death. The facts IN the case seem "a
support the rural sleuths.
A crowd of 1000 bcslcged the Flush.
ING court when Graham was taken
there 10 b. arraigned and attempted
TO drag him from his police guards.
Hundreds of men fought 10 get near
the mlscreant. and the throng that
Jnmmed the courtyard shouted: Lynch
him, Lynch the nendr'
Captain Kelly 81 the Ncwtown sta
ton. Lieutenant Detective Michael
Graham and squad OF ten men had
10 threaten the ringleaders 81 the mol
with their -reyolvcrs before they dared
10 take their prisoner out Of the patrol
wagon.
The man was IN n swoonlng condi.
ton as he was whirled along between
the lane Of policemen and past the
threatening. howllng mob that strug
gled a. get nj him and clamorcd for
his life. Both the front and rear Por'
tails Of the town hall were barred when
he was received inside and led before
Magistrate Connorton.
Still shackicd 10 the detective and
policeman. he was led up 20 the har
Half n DOZEN feet from him was the
father OF his little victim. John Luck
lie Il n rugged farmer. over six feet
tall. with arms Of iron and fsts like q
catchers mitt
Graham was lettering and moaning
with fear as he faced the magistrate
Before any question could be put q
him be said.
Il plead guilty. your honor. oh.
plead guilty"
Then the question was asked whal
he did. and In his nervousness the
young man described how he had NJ
tempted 90 drug the little child from
the roadside lie had made only few
gestures when the giant farmer sprani
for him and struck nj his head will
all his might. Lieutenant Calvin
threw up his arm aud shuntcd th'
blow. whercupon three court attend
ants grabbed the frcnzicd parent ant
held him fast.
Il don't blame you n bit" said Mag
istrntc Connorton. II can apprciat,
your feelings exactly. This prisoner
represents type 81 man In who's
existence n II hard 60 believe. vii
hold the prisoner without hail for the
grand jury on n charge Of assault II
the first degree. For such n crime h,
can bc sent 10 prison for twenty
years"
Two KILLED In Trolley wreck.
ELYRIA, o.. May 3i.-Crowded Will