New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-17
Lawyer Sure Inquiry
Has Shown Recan-
tatiOn False.
DETECTIVES FIND
NEW WITNESS
He Is Expected to Break
Alibi-Others Say They
Were Approached.
rrrom a star Correspondent Of The Tibune.I

rrrorn star Correspondent OF The TrhuneI
Albion, n. Y, Aug. 16.-Every move
ment of Erwin King has been checked
for days before and after the murder
of Charles B. Phelps and his house
keeper, Margaret Wolcott, in West
Shelby on March 21, 1915, and David A.
White announced tonight that he had
established beyond question the truth
of Kings confession, made last Thurs
day to Mrs. Grace Humiston.
Mr.. White, who is of counsel for
Charles f. Stielow, under sentence OF
death for the crime, completed to-day
minute investigation of every state
ment made by King. The murder was
committed on a Sunday night and the
lawyers detectives declared they had
ascertained Kings movements on Sun
day. Monday and Tuesday and had COW
cred the ground described in his con-
fession.
The investigation, it was said, left
no doubt that Kings original story
his confession-was a truthful docu-
ment and his recantation-procured
after he was given over to the custody
of the Orleans County officials-was
false.
Important Witnesses Discovered.
An important witness, who will tes-
tify that King did not stay at Knowles
Vile until the Tuesday after the muir
der, as his reputation states, was
found to-day. His name was not di-
vulged.
King, according TO the new witness,
came 10 the hotel about week before
the murder without money. and left
it on the following Saturday or Sun
day. This confirms Kings confession.
Squads of detectives under the direc-
ton of George W. Newton, who OBJ
tanned the so-called confession from
Stielow, were out in automobiles yes
terday and to-day trying to round up
albi witnesses for King.
John c. Knickerbocker, District At
torney of Orleans County, who has ex-
pressed his determination to send
Stielow to the chair, took part in the
examination of persons asked to sub
stantiate Kings reputation.
An Independent investigation to-day
resulted in an entire failure to find one
person who would confirm Kings story
that he was at the hotel in Knowlesville
the night of the murder. Nevertheless,
repeated efforts were made by county
officials and detectives to get persons
to swear they had seen King there.
Horn Doesn't Remember.
King, repudating his confession,
said he sat in the hotel the night of
the murder with Harry Horn and Frank
Stevens, boarders; Fred Montondo, the
proprietor of the hotel, and a third
boarder.
Horn to-day said: 81 don't remember
seeing King that night. 1t is impossible
to recall an event year and half
back. unless there is something in par
ticular TO impress 1t on ones memory.
"They-the District Attorney and
detectives are after me to make an
affidavit. They tried to make me think
did remember, and kept telling them
| didn't, and | wouldn't say ! did. They
were down here three or four times
trying to make me sign a paper.
couldn't say for the life of me whether
saw King that night or not"
Stevens tonight showed the leaf IN
Mrs. Stevens's diary which established
that he was not even at the hotel and
could not have sat with King. An entry
in the diary March 81, 1915, reads:
pleasant, rather cold; Frank came
down for dinner"
Sunday Visit Recorded.
This was made before Stevens was
married and recorded one of his Sun
dav visits TO Albion to see the pres
ent Mrs. Stevens. 1t was his custom
10 return to Knowlesville on the IL
o'clock car. He never left earlier than
the 10 o'clock car, he said positively to-
day. ,.n
he was sitting with Stevens and others
that evening until about 10 o'clock,
when all went to bed. Those who think
King guilty regard the diary as the bit
of documentary evidence which will
unayoidably indicate the falsity Of his
alibi.
"Tbe detectives wanted me 10 say |
had been with King that night at the
hotel" said Stevens, but ! told them
I wouldn't. for / didn't remember.
When went home ! talked with my
wife about il, and she said maybe she
could tell me for sure whether | was IN
Knowlesville or here. She turned to
the date, March 2l, and there it was.
When King says was sitting in the
hotel with him that night he is mis-
taken. couldn't have been there
Nontondo was examined by detec-
,ivas last night and again by the Dis
trict Attorney to-day in an effort to
refresh his memory. He still refused
70 recall today that King was there
that night. He told the District Attor-
ney, however, that wood was beng 56
.bo two days before the murder, and
that King and Stevens had piled 1t up
Montondo Not Sure.
The proprietor was not sure, put ne
had an impression they couid not nave
Coatinued on page ., column