Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-04
THIRD DEGREE" FAILS
Newark Police Confront Mrs.
Wilhelm With Corpse.
ON HER KNEES AT M0RGUE
Frantically Declares Her Love for
Dead Husband.
PATHETIC MIDNIGHT VISIT
Extreme Resort Brings on Hysteria
and Only Incoherent Replies
to Her Inquisitors.

NEWARK. y. J.. February AIRS.
Mary J. Wilhelm. the widow of Frank
Wilhelm. who was murdered in his home
last Monday night. is in condition of
complete nervous collapse today, after an
unusually severe application of the third
degree, including a midnight visit to the
morgue. where she was suddenly con-
fronted by the body of her husband.
The police had evidently expected to
obtain some kind of statement from
her, but they we're unsuccessful. for when
the sheet which covered her husbands
body was suddenly removed she became
hysterical. fell to her knees and franti-
cally declared her love for her husband
AS her hysteria increased Mrs. Wilhelm
became incoherent and the detectives,
who were watching her and listening,
could make nothing of what she said.
When she was taken back to the police
station again she was in a state of utter
collapse.
The midnight visit to the morgue was
planned complete surprise to Mrs.
Wilhelm. She was attempting to go to
sleep in her cell, but was aroused shortly
be .ore midnight and was told she should
accompany two detectives who were wait
ing.
Air of Mystery.
What do you want with me?" she
asked
No answer was made.
What am / wanted for now demand
ed Mrs. Wilhelm, in some alarm.
Again there was no reply.
She was taken to a carriage by the de-
tectives and driven to the morgue, where
she was shown the body of the murdered
then rushed forward. crying out: ooh.
Frank, If you could only speak and tell
them who did this.
Then her nerves gave way altogether
and she dropped to her knees and de-
clared she had always loved her husband.
The detectives questioned her for more
than an hour. but her condition was such
that her answers We're incoherent.
Tried Strategy on Another.
An hour SO later the detectives en-
deavored to make use of similar strategy
to obtain statement from Nicholas Sicca.
who has been in the custody of the police
since the murder. Sica was taken from
the police station to the Wilhelm resi-
dence, and in the basement, where the
body of Wilhelm was found. was ques-
toned by the detectives
Before Sicca reached the Wilhelm
house the body of the murdered man
had been conveyed there from the morgue
and placed in the position in the ba Sc
ment where it was found after the muir
der. Sicca was first led through the
| rooms on the first floor, the detectives
disarming his suspicion by attracting his
attention to various objects.
Sicca was cheerful and was showing the
detectives about the house, when sudden
ly one of them from the basement called
the others TO come down and join him in
lunch.
The other detectives with Sicca ran
down stairs and at the foot of them. in
the dark hallway. light was suddenly
flashed up and there before him S!cca
saw the murdered body of Wilhelm.
For long moment the prisoner gazed
down at the body of the dead man. In
voluntarily his knees wabbled his hands
stiffened, his eyes became CLASSY and
white.
Also Sinks to the Floor.
"Sicca. what do you know about that?'
asked one of the detectives. Sicca made
no response Losing control of his legs
he was sinking to the floor when the Off
GERS caught him and carried him from the
house and into the carriage. When he
reached his cell he was in a condition of
nervous collapse, and for that reason the
arrangement of him and Mrs. Wilhelm
was postponed today. He was not fit to
leave his cell.
The funeral of Frank Wilhelm was held
this afternoon from the Wilhelm house
The prosecutor gave Mrs. Wilhelm per-
mission to attend it.
Chief of Police Covbett said today that
he had received a letter from woman
who signed herself Mrs Frank Wilhelm,
.27 East SD street. Manhattan. saying
that she married Wilhelm in Heidelberg
Germany, twenty years ago, and that he
deserted her twelve years ago Mrs. Will
helm under detention here. said that she
had never heard of the New. York woman
Wilhelm came from Heidelberg she said
and he married her in Boston ten years
ago.