The Detroit times., 1909-03-27
RELATIVES STORY
T|GHTENS WEB
ABOUT B|ALK
sTEP-MoTHER AND SIS
TER TESTIFY AGAINST MURDER
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. CASE
is NEARLY FINISHED.

With his father, step-mother and
sister witnesses against him Frank
Bialk, charged with the murder OF
aged Mrs. Frances Richard-Sikora.
stands practically alone In the fight
he is making for his liberty In Judge
Phelan's court. The father, August
Bialk: the step-mother. MRS. Mary
Bialk. and the sister, Miss Mary Bialk.
all took the stand for the prosecution,
Saturday morning, and gave testimony
that materially strengthened the PEG
peoples case. All three gave their
statements without hesitation, and the
sister even gave way To laughter at
one point In her examination, when, In
fixing the time she reached home the
night OF the old woman's murder she
recalled that IL was o'clock because
her father scolded her for staying out
so late.
The web OF circumstantial evidence
Is fast Tightening about the defendant.
and the prosecution is building up "A
case that will require testimony Of
the strongest character 10 controvert.
Fourteen witnesses were examined
Saturday morning. and as they step
ped down, one after another. leaving
mistaken by the oross-examination OF
Bialk's counsel. the meshes In the WEB
grew smaller and smaller.
Great importance attaches to the
scratches Bialk had on his face at the
time OF his arrest. which the prosecu-
tion Is trying to connect with the
broken finger nails OF the aged muir
der victim. None OF the members OF
the Bialk family saw scratches on his
face Saturday evening. but the father
and the sister told OF seeing them the
next morning. Mrs. Bialk says she
did not take particular notice and
could not testify on this point.
To account for these scratches.
Bialk told various stories. To his
sister he said he received them in 4
fight on Hancock-ave., Saturday even
ing. lie told Stephen Slotowski that
he received them in fight on ST.
Aubin-ave. the same night Yet wit
nesses who saw him as late as IL
o clock. Saturday night, swear positive
ly that he had no scratches on his
face up to that time.
The father. August Bialk. testified
that Frank came home ON the Satur-
day Court adjourned at noon until
o'clock. sun time. The next morning
he found Frank sleeping on a couch
in the sitting room with some Of his
clothes on, and saw scratches on his
face. He did not ask how they came
there.
Mrs. Bialk corroborated her hus-
band In that Frank came home some
time after midnight. but was unable
TO fix the hour definitely.
While the prosecutions theory i,
that Bialk returned to the old woman's
house, afterlhe and his friend, Deering
had departed at 1880, for the pur-
pose OF abusing her. II Is also attempt
ing TO show that Bialk robbed her. To
this end Herbert We'll. treasurer OF
the San Telmo Cigar Co., by which
Mrs. Sikora was employed. testified to
paying the woman $274 on the night
of Saturday. Feb. 20. few hours be-
fore she was murdered. giving her two
one-dollar bills, half dollar. two
dimes and four pennies. When Mrs
Sikora appeared in the butcher shop
ut No. 525 Alexandrine-ave. east, later
ir the evening, she paid for her pur-
chases out of 81 bill and Anthony
Lovic, an employe, saw two more bills
In her purse. though, on the stand. he
was unable To give their denomination.
Joseph Lazarowicz testified that when
he and Bialk went into Bolan's saloon
on Superior-st.. Sunday morning, To
get n drink, Bialk paid for the drink
out of 81 bill and when he bought
a second time again offered 81 bill
In payment.
The prosecutions case is nearly all
A.. - al, dafapSa will nrOhahly begin
calling it's witnesses sometime Mon.
day. Count adjourned at noon until
Monday morning.