The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-27
CONFESSION BRINGS
BAKSA CASE TANGLE
Convict's Admission Of Muir
der Leaves Many Points
Unexplained.
COURT OFFICIALS SILENT
Trial Is Adjourned While
Story of Sing Sing Man Is
Being Investigated.

The best case OF ,dovetailing cir
cumstantial evidence seen In New
York's courts in many years collapsed
about the ears OF the District Attor-
ney's star yesterday, when runty.
pallid convict, James Regan. with
criminal record OF ten years, con-
fessed to, the murder of Mrs. Helen
Hamel, for which nineteen-year-old
Elizabeth Baksa has been on trial.
No less amazing than the confession
was the effect 1t han upon the at
torneys on both sides and the girl
herself. District Attorney Swami, his
assistant and the prosecutor in the
trial, Alfred ]. Talley, would hardly
admit that a confession had taken
place. much less tell any of the de-
tails. The lawyers for the defence
smiled contentedly and took refuge
behind an injunction of Judge
Rosalsky not to discuss the matter, and
Judge Rosalsky referred busy inquir-
ers to District Attorney Swami. AS
for Judge Swami II was found that
for the first time in weeks he had
left the building without seeing re-
porters.
Accused Girl Calm.
Miss Baksa? eHer broad, rather at
tractive face of the Hungarian peas
ant type, hardly changed a shade. 1t
. required a moment for the significance
OF the news to penetrate her mind
and then with a total lack Of emotion
she said to Samuel S. Koenig, her at
torney:
81 told you I had nothing TO do
with it."
The day Of the murder the Baksa
girl disappeared. She went to a place
on Sixteenth street for a day and q
half and in that time bought herself
two dresses, a hat, shoes and a coat
Then she went back to Freemansburg,
stayed few days and came back to
New York. She looked up a chauffeur
who had boarded IN the Hamel house.
and while waiting for him went back to
cit on the Hamel steps and the first
thing che asked him was:
"Is Mrs. Hamel dead?"
After she was arrested the police
found that she had gone to the movies
the afternoon Of the murder, that
when she bought the dresses the sales
girl noticed there were scratches on
her arm. There were the marks Of
teeth apparently there also and when
the prosecutor opened his case he said
he would prove they had been made
by the teeth OF Mrs. Hamel and that
teeth marks on Mrs. Hamers arm
could be proved to be the marks Of
the Baksa girls teeth.
Believe Poverty Motive.
The deed was attributed to desper-
ate need OF money and clothes. Mrs
Hsmel had been attacked with an in
strument like a meat cleaver. hit sew
oral times as if the person welding II
had not strength for finishing blow,
and then q towel had been wound
tightly around the neck and knotted
The towel was what caused death.
And a Immediately afterward Miss
Baksa bought clothes, left the city in
hurry and with as curious haste
returned to sit on the steps of the
place where the woman had beer
killed.
When the girl came to tell her story
to the police other interesting things
came out. Her story has never APP
peared so far, except through the lips
of detectives who questioned her Even
10 her lawyers, they say, she has
never told connected story. She has
the mind OF child. and on the oc-
casion when she cried before her ques-
toners, she cheered up and laughed
in moment when some one gave her
o box OF candy.
"a. Tells of Men Calling.
She knew nothing of the murder,
she told them first. And then after
hours OF questioning she told OF two
men coming 10 the door. Mrs. Hame
had just given her $50 to buy some
pickles and bread at the corner deli
catessen and had warned her to come
back with the change. AS she left the
house two men met her at the door
and as she went away. leaving Mrs.
Hamel talking to them, she heard
them ask for money. When she re-
turned, she told the detectives, she
found Mrs. Hamel lying on the kitchen
floor with one OF the men bending over
her.
The other took her by the arm and
locked her in a back room where the
Dogs were, and IL was there she said
SHe got inc IHdTKS Oh teeth. louL tfrb
dogs made so much noise and she
screamed so that the men let her out.
She bandaged Mrs. Hamel's head, and
wanted to take the towel off, but the
men told her Mrs. Hamel would bleed
TO death II she did. She wanted to go
for a doctor but they told her not to,
that II she did it would be known that
she was the last person in the house
and she would be accused of the crime
They gave her $40. which with the
change she had made nearly $40, and
-::Sld her to go. With the single thought
that she might be accused OF the MUIR
der she went out
So with this case the District At
torney went 10 trial and not a flaw
appeared on the surface. Last Friday
Judge Rosalsky received a letter from
Regain saying he was in Sing Sing
and could tell something which would
clear the Baksa girl. The Judge, while
refusing yesterday TO comment on the
case in any way and placing a ban Of
silence on both sides, said he did not
see why this letter should not be ma de
public, but Judge Swami left the
building before any one could ask
him for II.
Quis Lasts Ton Hours.
The letter so impressed Judge Ro-
salsky that he issued an order for
Regain to be produced. and Monday