The Detroit times., 1914-12-30

TTdCllCally the same answers were
given. Nearly so per cent OF the an
swers We're emphatic negatives, and
not a series of affirmations. Mr. Jas
nowski eontended that that shows the
, woman was alert and mentally keer
/ at the time.
| Again. at the end OF the long docu-
ment, the queries as to reward, coer-
cion, threats or bad treatment were
repeated, and the woman again stated
that no promises had been made, nc
threats made, that she had been treat.
ed well. and that the confession was
voluntary.
County Physician Brandt's testi
mony was OF the utmost Importance
Coal" was not specifically referred
! 10. as his testimony was introduced
ahead OF the confession. But he de-
scribed In detail the wounds on the
dead woman's head. and the cuts on
her wrist, the latter having been adj
vanced as arguments that knife or
cleaver must have been used.
Asked by the prosecutor what sort
or instrument caused the wounds, he
replied, Some heavy instrument"
Attorney Thomas Mahor then cross
examined him sharply.
Those cuts on the wrist" he de-
manded, "were clean cuts?"
Or. Brandt said they were. but we're
little more than abrasions just
through the skin.
What sort of heavy instrument
was used, blunt or sharp" was asked.
Either one" said DR.. Brandt.
Gould heavy, blunt instrument
have made any wound on that wo-
mans body?" was demanded and DR..
Brandt replied. Yes"
Then Attorney Mahon demanded
to know whether any foreign sub
stance, or particles, were found in
any of the wounds. DR.. Brandt said
none was found.
"You searched carefully for any"
demanded Mahon.
The witness said he did. Mahon
let the matter rest there.
did those wounds bleed profuse-
ly2" asked Assistant Prosecutor JAS
nowski, Significantly
They did" said DR.. Brandt. Very
profusely."
That's ALL" said Mr. Jasnowski,
quietly.
Before consenting TO the reading OF
the elleged confession, Attorney Ma
hon insisted that police officers had
talked 10 Mrs Becker just prior 10
the taking OF the statement, and he
wanted chance TO show the condi-
tons then. He was told that one OF
the officers would be summoned by
the prosecution. and he could cross
examine the officer
Detective John r. Smith was the
officer He said Inspector Downey,
Detectives Martin. Wilson, Lannan
and himself had questioned the wo-
man. He denied that any threats or
promises were made. He said that
most OF the questions dealt with the
accusation that the woman had been
seen coming from the Bomholt place,
with blood on her face, and that a
young man was ready TO swear to
that
He said the only way the officers
urged her TO confess was by saying.
"Tell the whole truth, Mrs. Becker.
1t will ease your conscience"
Attorney Mahon's sledge hammer
efforts to draw out some evidence OF
roughness or unkind treatment of the
y.
Mr.. Mahon brought out, effectively,
the fact that Mrs. Becker had rag
tied around her. head. and occasion
ally dipped II In water brought by one
OF the detectives. He also repeatedly
referred to The fact that the woman
was under the care of City Physician
Melody. Time after time he inject
ed, when questioning Stenographer
Connolly and Detective Smith, And
was DR.. Melody there at this time?"
Each time they replied that they
didn't see the doctor.
But DR.. Mellody's name was brought
forward time and again. as an evil
dence OF the woman's illness.
After the session, Detective Reid
was asked. when did DR.. Melody
attend Mrs. Becker?
mot until the following morning"
was the answer.
Charles Bomholt, the slain woman's
brother swayed in his chair. groaned
and almost collapsed as he reached
the point In his story where he en-
tered his sisters bedroom and saw
her kneeling at the side of the bed. a
great clot of blood on the bed cloth
ing under her head. He wept bitterly
for few moments, his big frame
shaken by sobs.
Mrs. Becker sat calmly through the
recital Her face was strained and
set as Bomholt told Of his grueyome
discovery, and again. when County
Physician Brandt coldly but graphi-
cally described the wounds on the
battered body, Mrs. Becker's face
showed the battle to maintain a calm
demeanor.
The court room was packed with
spectators. many being women drawn
by a morbid curiosity that buoyed
them UP through the grim recital or