The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-03-27
RED STAINS
NOT BLOOD,
DYE, CLAIM
Mrs. Becker's Attempt
to Explain Appear
ance Told
NEIGHBOR PROVES
STAR WITNESS
Woman Gives Impor-
tant Testimony For
Prosecution

III
trial on the charge Of killing Miss
Frances Bomholt. Dec. ls. before
Judge Connolly, accounted for the
red stains which four witnesses
said they saw on her forehead on
the day Of Miss Bomholt's death.
was told Friday morning. By Mrs.
Mabel Crist. Mrs. Becker's neishbor.
Mrs. Crist testified that Mrs.
Becker. on RE DAY after Miss Bonn
holt's death. dyed her red shawl
black. because, she said. the color
sometimes come out on her face and
hands. especially In damp weather.
Mrs. Becker told her. she said. that
on the preceding day she had found
some OF the red dye from her shawl
on her forehead.
She also testified that Mrs. Becker
had told her that she had not called
at the Bomhoit home on the day OF
the staying OF Miss Bomholt.
Mrs. Crtst was the most import
ant Of i've witnesses called by the
prosecution Friday morning. most OF
whom testified regarding Mrs Beck.
er's actions on the day Of Miss Bonn
hollis death and Immediately after
wards.
Mrs. Becker was stolid. rs usual.
and paid no attention TO the testi
mony, even when william LANCE. in
whose house she lived. was on the
stand.
The case was delayed until l1:15
by the fact that Juror Thomas ban
was testifying IN . white slave"
case In Judge Tuttle's court
John Bomholt. brother of the dead
woman. was the FIRST witness. He
was living with his sister 1t No. ~
Anstin-pl. at the time OF her death.
He testified that on the morning OF
Dec. IG he pat q $40 and . IS bill
in the drawer of the kitchen table.
and called her attention to the fact
The prosecution win try to show
that this was the money found In o
shoe in Mrs. Becker's home. Mr.
Bomholt produced his handbook and
that Of his sister. which were offered
In evidence. Attorney George A
Kelley for the defense. objected. and
they were excluded.
Mr.. Bomholt said that he looked
in the drawer after Coroner Burgess
said that his sister had been slain.
and that the money was gone.
william LANCE was the next wit
ness. He lives at No. IS Twentieth
St He said that he has known Mrs.
Becker for three years. and that IN
I'll her arrest, she kept house for
him.
Dec. rs, he said. he left home AZ
$40 in the morning. and Mrs. Beck
err was then In the kitchen. He re
turned shortly after D. m. and
fosnd Mrs. Becker there. He asked
her II she had heard the news and
she replied that the detectives had
been there. In the evening. they
talked about Miss Bomholrs death
and Mrs. Becker said that II was q
shame that such an old woman had
been killed. He said that he was
buying his home on a contract, and
that Mrs. Becker had been In the
habit OF making the payments, with
money he gave her.
Mr.. LANCE testified that detectives
who visited his home on Saturday
and Sunday following Miss Bonn
hollis death. showed him a 80 and
a IS bin with red spots on them.
Examined By Attorney Thompson.
Mr. LANCE said that he kept pigeons
and chickens: that he sold eggs and
dressed poultry. and that Mrs. Beck
er sometimes did the killing. Some
times there were roomers In the
house, but Mrs. Becker's son. WI
liam, was the only one there In De
cember. william did no work. Mr..
LANCE said.
Who supported him?" asked Mr..
Thompson.
Il did the witness replied.
Hos did Mrs. Becker act when
you came home on Dec. 1877"
Just ~ usual"
Was Mrs.. Becker a strong WON
am asked Mr.. Keidan.
she did the Homework and the
scrubbing." LANCE replied.
Mrs. Mabel crist. No. 40 Tventi-
ethst- next door neighbor OF Mrs.
Becker, said that the latter came TO
her house about o'clock on the
morning Of Dec. Is.
Mrs. Becker brought her a can OF
cherries. Mrs. Crist said, and asked
Tor some peroxide.
She said: 7 hurt my hand"
Mrs. Crfst testified. 4 took her
hand and looked at Il and said. on,
Mrs. Becker. however did you hurt
your hand like that! Her left hand
was swollen ant black and blue
WAS there any cut or ans
bloodf" asked Mr. Keidsn.
NO. SIR there was not"
1 Mrs. Crist said that she treatet
the injured hand with hot water snS