The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-14
WILKINS SUSPECTED
IN MURDER, He SAYS
Husband of Slain. Woman,
Made Penniless by Death,
Welcomes Scrutiny.
EVIDENCE FAILS POLICE
No Justification for New Ar
rest, Is Report-Hint Of
Poison Hunt.

Following the elimination OF the body
OF Mrs. Julia wilkins. who was muir
dered on the evening of February 81
at Long Beach, L. l., and the intimation
by District Attorney Weeks OF Nassau
county that an important arrest might
follow the report OF the physicians who
performed an autopsy on her body, DR..
Walter X. wilkins, her husband, made
the statement yesterday that he knew
he was under suspicion OF knowing more
about her death that he has told. but
that the suspicion is unfounded.
District Attorney Weekss half prom
Use that there might be an arrest was
not fulfilled yesterday and detectives
who had been working on the case for
the last ten days reported to him last
night that they had obtained no evidence
which would justify their taking any one
into custody. Mr.. Weekss staff of three
detectives and the police of Long Beach
are all at work on the case and are
assisted by William ]. Burns, the private
detective, who has been specially re-
tained by Mr.. Weeks in the hope that
he may unearth evidence which might
elude the local men.
Burns was retained after various civic
bodies OK Nassau county had put forci-
bly, before the county authorities that
the county was gaining an unenviablo
reputation as locality where crime
was beginning to flourish unpublished.
Burns has been on the case about a
week, and II was on a report which he
made to Mr.. Weeks on Wednesday night
that Mr.. Weeks based shis statement of
the likelihood of an arrest yesterday.
Long Talk with SIeuths.
Burns, with two of his operatives de-
voted all of yesterday afternoon 10 q
talk with DR.. wilkins at the Long Beach
house where Mrs Wilkins was killed,
and 1t was at the end OF the interview
that Or. wilkins made the statement
that he knew suspicion was directed
against him.
Or. wilkins. who is 60 years old. had
been married twice before he became the
husband of Mrs. Wilkins in 1906. She
also had been married twice before.
DR.. Wilkins began his statement by
saying that It will develop that he could
not have been in any way responsible
for his wifes death. that their married
life had been perfectly harmonious and
that. above all. her death will leave
him penniless and with the prospect OF
Z lCT EIflScii 1T EiS advanced age.
After recountipg the story he told i'm
mediately after her murder; that ne and
she arrived at the Long Beach house in
the dark, that he entered IL alone was
was struck down by burglars and that
while he lay helpless she was killed
! out on the porch after she had raised
an cutlery, he said:
II know that l am under police sus-
picion in connection with my wife $ death.
l know 1t because the police have taken
my finger prints. | was glad TO allow
them to take the prints because l have
nothing to hide from them or any one
There was blood on my coat and cravat
when they came Immediately after the
murder. but I explained then, as | dc
now, that the stains came through my
trying to do what l could for my wife
after / found her lying insensible.
IF there Is any belief that a motive
fact that | am to inherit her property
that belief falls TO the ground through
the provisions Of her WILL in which /
am not mentioned at all. Her estate
valued at about $4,000 win go to q
hospital II the will is established.
share only in her personal estate amount
to about $1,000"
Or, wilkins said the will had beer
found by him and his lawyer Lewis G
/ Fress, on last Tuesday after a search
/ in which they had had to ransack the
| Long Beach house from top to bottom
| 1t was drawn in 1903 just after sh,