New-York tribune., 1919-03-16
Is
.Lodger at Home
Of DIR. Wilkins
Accompanies Husband of
Slain Woman With Orders
to Remain There All Night
Sensational Turn in Case
Story of Tragedy Is Told
Over Again to Officials
With No Show of Emotion

Staff Correspondence
LONG BEACH, l.. l., March 15,--The
inquiry to ascertain the identify OF
the murderer of Mrs. Julia Wilkins
who was killed at her home here or
the night of February 81, took ar
amazing turn yesterday. DR.. Walter
Wilkins, the victims husband, was
called before the county authorities
and interrogated for more than three
hours. Later he returned to his home
accompanied by County Detective Car
man Plant, who remained with him all
night. Plant is acting under instruc-
tions from District Attorney Weeks.
DR.. wilkins was called before the
authorities to tell in detail Of the mur-
der of his wife. He was accompanied d
by his attorney, Lewis G. Friess, who
has been his constant companion since
the tragedy. Present at the examina-
ton were District Attorney Weeks, AS
sistant District Attorney Charles T.
Wood, Sheriff Phineas A. Seaman, JUS
tice of the Peace Edward Neu, of Lyn-
brook, County Detective Carman Plant
and Detective William j. Burns, called
IN by the county authorities.
Asked to Retell Story
DR.. wilkins was asked to retell his
story of the assault on himself and
the murder of his wife. He repeated
the story he first told the officials of
what transpred between the time he
and his wife left the railroad station
at 9:06 p. m. on the night of the mu,'-
der until the police were notified. He
displayed not the slightest emotion dur
ing the recital.
While Mr.. Weeks refused to discuss
the examination, it was learned that
the elderly physician was questioned
about the will of his wife, which did
not not leave him. any of her property.
This will was found in a trunk in the
upper floor of the house by the de-
tectives after DR.. Wilkins had denied
that he knew anything of the instru-
ment. There were four trunks in this
room, and when the investigators in
sisted on searching for a will the doc
tor led them to the unlocked trunk,
where the will was found.
AS the aged physician told of the
struggle he had with the men in his
home on the night of the murder, a
detective was called upon to act the
part of the intruder. DR.. Wilkins
grabbed the detective and strugeled d
about the Office to show the question
ers how he fought against the robbers
lie then lay out on the floor to show
the position he was in when the in
truder struck him on the head and
dazed him. Then he played, successive
ly, the roles of the three robbers.
When called on to show the position
of Mrs. Wilkins when he found her on
the walk outside the house with her
head crushed in by the blows of blunt
instrument, the physician placed him
self on the floor to illustrate. While
the rative continued the physician
He was asked about the hammer
with which Mrs. wilkins is believed to
have been killed The hammer was
handed to the doctor and he was asked
whether it was his property He an
swered that he had tool that looked
like it once, but was not sure that it
was the same one
Then he was called upon to identify
q roll Of picture wire that was found
in his home. He did this. The ques-
TONERS pointed out that a piece of the
same wire had been used to splice the
hammer, and asked him if the hammer
he had was wire bound. He said he
thought it was.
Next he was asked if he could &C
count for the paper that was found
wrapped about the handle of the ham
mer, piece of the Lynbrook EZRA" of
January 80. The other part of the
paper was found in the physician's
room in two parts. One part, which
was blood marked, was found under
the bed, and the other was pushed
under the seat Of chair. The doc
tors answer to these inquiries could
not be ascertained.
Detective Plant asked him to ex-
plain the green paint marks on the
hammer and when he failed to answer
produced screw driver which he
asked the doctor to identify. DR.
wilkins said the screw driver was his
and his attention was called to the
green paint marks on it which were
of a similar shade to those on the
hammer
Battered and Stained Hat
The battered hat the 0octor wore on
the night of the murder was then pro-
duced, and he was asked to explain
the blood marks on the brim. The
doctor repeated his previous story that
when he first bent over his stricken
wife she waved her bleeding hands
and the blood spattercd on his hat.
The examination WAS abruptly halted
at this point, and DR.. wilkins was
asked to sit in the rear room while
his counsel conferred with the officials
He was asked by the reporters whether
ne would make any comment on the
action Of the District Attorney in call
ing him for examination. He said he
had nothing to say and was afraid the
newspapers would not print the truth
about the matter anyway. He denied
that ne had ever told any one that
he was suspected Of the murder Of his
wife.
Chic: Of Police Tracey, of Long
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