The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-31
BOY SAYS HE KILLED
TEACHER IN REVENGE
Gianini Admits He Slew Miss
Beecher Because She Had
Him Expelled.

RsRxIMER ~. 2. March 3o-Jean
Gianini. II years old. the schoolboy I'M
der arrest for the murder OF Miss Ida
L. Beecher. his school teacher. has con-
fessed. The Rev. William A. Beecher,
father OF the murdered girl. visited the
boys cell this morning and IN the course
OF Il long sympathetic talk obtained the
fun details Of the crime.
Gianni said that he killed Miss
Beecher for revenge. She had caused his
expulsion from the Poland High School,
OF which he was a pupil and where she
taught. and he blamed her for Inducing
his father TO have him sen: to St Vim
cents Industrial School at Utica last Au-
gust.
Did you sleep we'll the night Of the
crime District Attorney Farrell asked
the boy.
sure did. Wasn't I revensedr' said
the boy. without emotion.
Mr.. Beecher brought his daughters
body 10 Herk!mer this morning and then
went 10 the Jail to see Gianini. He asked
the boy how he had induced Miss Beecher
TO accompany him to such lonely spot
Il met her on the street and asked her
to 10 TO my house and see my father
about my coming back to school," said
the boy. she said she would and we
walked to the end OF the village. She
said We were going away from my home
but l said that my father had just built
new house outside. and at last she
agreed to go with me.
when We got as far as she would Co."
said the boy. In his confession" she go.
frightened and said that she would write
TO my father She wouldn't go any fur
Their so stepped behind her. took an iron
wrench out of my pocket and hit her on
the head with It. She screamed and fell
and then cut her with the knife
The autopsy has shown that Miss
Beecher was hit thirteen times on the
back OF the head and that her body was
cut many times
Gisnini said that when ne was sure
that the teacher was dead he dragged
the body 200 feet to the swamp. hid the
wrench. washed his knife and went home,
He put the knife back in the cupboard.
The wrench has been found In the spot
indicated by the boy.
The authorities believe that Miss
Be,chers efforts 10 reform the boy may
have been the Indirect cause OF the murder
Miss Beecher was deeply religious and
she had planned to quit school at the end
Of the present term and become a mis-
sionary. She became interested in the
boy and frequently tried to induce him
to mend his ways. This. according to
some Of the boys friends. annoyed o.
amin.
Funeral services over the murdered
teacher were held to-day In an under
takers shop in Poland. and the body
was taken to Mr. Beecher's home In Sem
nett. More than 800 persons gathered
al the services and many Of them wept
while the Rev A. A. Cox eulogised the
murdered girl.
With Mr.. Beecher were his son, Willis
K. Beecher. chief yeoman OF the battle
ship Tennessee. and Miss Ethel Clark,
roommate of Miss Beecher and the iancee
OF Willis Beecher.
Gianini Is only afraid he will no cleo
trocuted he says he would Just as soon
stay in Jail as not. His only other worry
Is for cigarettes. He sleeps well and eats
well. His defence will be that he is men,
tally Irresponsible
Ex- Assistant District Attorney John r,
Mcintyre of New York city will defend
Gianini at the latter's trial. according to
Charles Il. Hane. attorney for the boy.
Mr.. Hane has retained DIR. A. w. Suffer,
a brain specialist OF Herkimer, to examine
Gianini. DIR. Suffer attended the autopsy
on the body Of the murdered girl.