The Washington times., 1910-04-22
SwearS He Never Harmed
Ruth Wheeler, and Tes-
titles to Abb.
NOT AT HOME DAY
SHE CALLED, HE SAYS
Woman Neighbor Backs Up His
Testimony That He Was Alb
sent on Fatal Date.

NEW YORK, April Positively
denying that he .1ad ever harmed Ruth
Amos Wheeler, the young stenogFapher
whose body was found on a FIRE escape
outside OF the room he had occupied,
Albert W WOiter took the stand in
I his own defense today.
While plainly realizing his condition,
il was apparent that WOlter had nerved
himself for the ordeal and, as he told
the story Of his alleged wanderi-gs On
the day the missing girl Is known TO
have gone TO his house, he looked
straight at the jury and his answers
were given firmly
Skillfully guided by his counsel, he
recired the alibi ne hopes VIII give him
freedom
WoIJer declared he was born in Ger
many and had been in this country but
Two years. He lived with his parents
while employed by a local piano. firm.
He met Ratehen Mueller at a 5ance. he
said and went TO live with her. His
parents objected. but he deciIend 10
separate from the girl and they ordered
him from their home
He declared that during the time he
and the Mueller girl lived together he
was out OF work. although he tried 10
ind employment The expenses. he ad-
mitted, were paid from money the girl
earned while working in a bakery
Girl Neighbor Helps WoIter-
Before WoIter was placed on the
stand Attorney Scott called Efttie Gil
lie, a woman VINO iived in the fat ad-
joining the one occupied By Noltcr and
katrHen, Mueller prior 20 March .. the
day Of the murder She, IN common
with Woiter, used the kitchen near the
tire-escspe on which was found the bag
containing the girls body
On March "a she said, II heard :
WClter leave his room and 80 out This
was about 8 clock. possibly $50 Short
y afterWard I heard the Wolter door I
oeI EnE- No one came IN About 10 /
O'Clock I went INTO the kitchen and did I
my washing was there until noon I
and no one came into the rat. I hung !
my clothes ca line running from the 4
hre-eScape and there was no bag on it.
The next day 7 was in the kitchen 4
ironing, but did not look out on TIE IRE 4
escape Neither Woiter nor the Mueller /
woman were about that dav-
on SstUrisy-the day the body was 1
fOIJnd-the Janitor told me I could have
the rear rooms as the WOlters had left. I
] went in there and cleaned Up 7 was .
on the dre-escape, but saw no bundle 4
there"
Saw Bag on Friday.
The witness syvore that the bag in 4
which the body vas found was one in \
which she used to keep wood in She 1
recoUected seeing it in the public haH as
late as Friday. the date following Ruth
fNHeeleTS disappearance.
Under merCileSs CrOSs-eEa nina
ton by Assistant District Attorney
Moss she stuck closely to her story
Asked If she had not told q police
man and Pearl Wheeler when they
came 20 her fat seeking Ruth. that &
she had been away from her home all
day Thursday she sWore positively she
had not She said she had met a po-
llceman on Saturday, after the body
was found, but denied that she asked
If Wolter had been arrested and eX-i
pressed the hope that he had
The policemen and Pearl Wheeler were
pointed OUT 10 her and Moss said they
would contradict her story when called
10 testify in reburtaL