The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-07-18
New WeepS
as Mother
Visits Him
Public Excitement In Los
Angeles Grows as Officials
Prepare for Hearing
FIND LETTERS TO GIRL

Los ANGELES. July is-Yisrry
=. New. jr., alleged slayer of his
sweetheart. Freida Lesser. In a lonely
canyon near this city. sits moodlly in
his cell. while public excitement and
legal machinery In preparing the
scenes for what, IL In said, will be the
greatest love murder trial OF recent
years
New. following tho alleged murder.
appeared at tho police station in an
automobile. with the body of his dead
sweetheart wrapped up in a Iaprobs
In the rear seat. 1t IL said that he
confessed to tho killing at that time,
but later claimed no did not rcmem,
her the tragedy,
Mother Comforts Him
New. who says no is the son of
Senator Harry q. New, OF Indiana,
sobbed his story to his mother, Mrs.
Lulu Burger. His mother, small,
Eray-haired and adoring. held his
hands.
we had talked for a long time"
he said. land she repeated that she
was 10 ne mother.
II got into the front seat, moved
the cushions over no that she could
sit beside me. l wanted to convince
her that she should marry me.
I'VE didn't think. did we mother,
when you bought that car that the
person loved best next to you,
would be murdered in 1T Motherl
Motherl Why did | do lit
did I do It. mother7 II doesn't
seem that ! did II. and yet
And ! was waiting for her to
move up and she didn't. IL she had
l am sure she would be living now.
And then the gun was in my
hand, the shot had sounded; she was
lying back as tho asleep. As looked
at her she slipped; her head fell for
ward and she seemed to lay in the
back seat Her left hand fen and
rested on the floor, All could think
OF then was to get her to a hospital.
So ] drove down the canyon road
and at the last turn I stopped, i
looked back at her, And she was
dead.
Mother. it's 10 long ago since I
was little boy. DO you remember"
And he broke and cried. Soon he
had controlled himself and began to
talk OF things of the long ago.
Prepare for Trial
In the meantime. the stage is being
set for the trial. Sheriff John C.
Cline has already assigned additional
deputies to the task of assisting the
court in maintaining order.
New will probably have to defend
his life before Superior Judge Frank
II. Willis. who is known to look with
suspicion upon the theories Of alien.
lists.
The state authorities working on
the New murder case. said that Miss
Lesser had sweetheart living in
Birmingham. Ala. This gave grounds
to new theory. that the dead girl
did not love New. and when she re-
fused to marry him. was killed. A
number Of letters from the man in
the South are in the hands OF the
prosecution. and will be read in
court.
An investigation Is being made of
News past life to ascertain whether
or not he ever had another sweet
heart. and to determine his attitude
towards his past acquaintances.
IL Is believed News past acquaint-
anceship with women will play an i'm
portant part in the states case.
The funeral of Miss Lesser drew
hundreds OF curious people. They
were turned away, however. follow
ing the directions of the family.
While New was in his cell. await
ing the arrival of his mother, the
body of his fiancee. in a pink silk
gown lone she had worn on numer-
Gus occasions while attending parties
with New, lay in white brocaded
casket.