The Detroit times., 1915-04-10
Sobs And Means As
Homicide Trial
Nears End
HER LAWYERS
PRESENT PLEAS
Jury Gets Case Satur-
day-Quick Verdict
Expected

The three attorneys retained In
the defense OF Mrs. Caroline z.
Becker, accused Of killing Miss Fran.
ces Bomholt, presented their argu.
ments to the jury. Friday morning.
In Judge Conolly's court.
Judge Connolly will deliver his
charge. Saturday, and those who
have watched the case since its in.
ception predict than an early YER
dict viii be returned.
Mrs. Becker was more moved by
the speeches OF her defenders than
she ever was by the testimony OF
the prosecutions witnesses. She
gave way to tears several times. and
moaned and sobbed quietly as she
rocked back and forth in her chair.
Attorney Thomas w. Thompson
opened the argument for the defense.
He said that the state. instead Of
fitting a theory 10 the facts In the
case. had tried to AZ the facts TO
the theory that Mrs. Becker killed
Miss Bomholt. He insisted that II
Miss Bomholt had been unable to
walk from the shed TO the house. as
Coroner Burgess testified. Mrs.
Becker could not have carried a
dead weight OF 100 pounds up the
steep steps leading to the house. As
he described how four detectives
went to her home TO question her.
irs. Becker began to moan and sob,
and controlled her emotion with diff
flculty.
Mr.. Thompson said that the mo-
tive alleged by the prosecution
that Mrs. Becker needed the SIS
which was taken from the table
drawer in Miss Bomholt's home
was inadequate, since the testimony
showed that Mrs. Becker had plenty
Of money for her simple needs.
Mr.. Thompson spoke for less than
haff-h0ur, and gave way to George
A. Kelly.
How was Miss Bomholt Killed."
asked Mr.. Kelly. .Dr. Burgess said
that the fracture Of the skull might
have caused death. gentlemen OF
DR.. Brandt says that IL 'conld' have
been caused by lump OF coal. Dr.
Clark says that lump OF coal could
have caused death. Gentlemen OF
the jury, are you going to put this
old woman behind the bars on a
could or a might? The theory of
the prosecution would be grand II
II were not so grimy II Is worthy
OF the imagination OF Edgar Allan
Poe. but II does not coincide with the
facts"
Mr.. Kelly said that Florenz Rup-
ing. the victims nephew, had a mar
row escape from being tried for
Miss Bomholt's death. being held by
the police under suspicion for three
days. until they found evidence that
seemed to lead to Mrs. Becker.
what evidence is there that Mrs.
Becker did this deed?" he asked.
"Only the finding of SIS In a shoe,
bills with blood on them. and the
fact that she went to Miss Bomholt's
home on the day OF her death and
later. fbbed about II.
Think OF that gallant array of
six detectives descending like Uhl.
ans on old lady Becker! They had
theory, and they were going to
fasten II on her."
Mr.. Kelly attacked County Chem.
ist Clark's testimony that the red
stains on the bills found in Mrs.
Becker's home were blood. He said
that one experiment conducted by
DR.. Clark in the presence OF news
paper man gave a negative test,
which did not satisfy the expert
menter.
Chemistry Is not an exact sci
nce." said Mr.. Kelly. 'and Dr. Clark
is just as likely to be mistaken to-
day as those doctors who examined