Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-08
DR.. WALTER K. WILKINS
WILL FACE JURY SOON
New York Society Man Charged With
Brutal Murder OF His Wife
In February.
SAYS 1T WAS BURGLARS WORK

He Declares He Was Struck Down
While Defending His Home, His
Life Having Been Saved by Re-.
sisting Power OF StlT Hat.
same courtroom here in which beau
ufmi Blanca he Saulles was tried and
acquitted for Staying her husband.
Jack DE Saulles. and in which. more
recently Mrs. jacques Lebaudy was
acquitted OF fire, degree murder after
having shot and killed her eccentric
husband. Or. walter Keenc wilkins.
New York society man and physician to
many wealthy families. is TO face
jury this month He IL charged with
having beaten TO death his wife. Julia
wilkins. AT their country home at Long
Beach the night Of February -.
pr. wilkins. portly, dieniRed look
ing man OF over threescore years. is
"nmeshed In An intricate maze Of cir
cumstani!al evidence according to Dis
tr!ct Attorney Charles K. Weeks. But
the physician stou;ly maintains that
ne ~a- !nnocen, of tho hideous crime
charged against him. and that, so far
from his having struck The fatal blows
which ended his wifc's life, ne was
h:itlirg Win the men whom :hey dis
covered had invaded their premises
when the murder Was committed.
Displnys Brokcn Hat
To prove his assertion that he Was
struck down. ne displayed a badly bat
tered derby hat whose crown had been
broken. Two Of the men tackled him,
declared at his preliminary hearing
while the third whom he had not seen.
silcnced h's wifc's cries for help by
crushing her skull with the hammer
later found near the body
one OF the star Witnesses for the
prosecution viii he New York po-
iiceman. according to William IL
Burns. the detective who said that
patroiman had informed him Of heiny
questioned more than year ago by
pr iikins regarding a murder exc
and cloth Or. Wilkins according to
the policeman. expressed the opinion
tina: hnrer prints would not show on
paper, and that the Sp.ashins Of blood
would be largely overcome by the use
OF cloth.
Points In tho Cn.-.
Points which District Attorney
Weeks IS expected to bring out in
prosecuting Dr watkins. who viii
probably be tried before supreme Cour,
Justice Lazansky. follow.
!. Detective Burns states the muir
der WAS "one-man' job. No evi-
dsnce Of burglars. says Mr.. Burns. was
found in the house. The home was no,
rAnsacked a pocke,novk on the side
board, from which Or. wilkins said
three wine glasses had been taken 10
the brakfast-room had not been taken.
although II was rlied with coins.
l nc estate OF Mrs. Wilkins. eStt-
mated between $4,000 TO 100000 is
accepted as possible motive which
might have actuated one VINO hoped 10
Inherit 1t to clay the PHYSICIANS wife.
8 Mss. wilkins, according 10 ex-
aiming physicians al the autopsy.
had received approximately seventeen
blows. all above the line Of the brows.
with the exception OF one on the left
hand. il IS the contention Of the Dis
trIct Attorney and other officials that
burglar would have needed one or
two blows only 10 have finished the
job whereas an old or comparatively
weak man would need 10 strike many
blows before causing certain death to
victim.
g. Bloodstains were found on DR..
wilkins hat. Inside his pockets and on
mis- clothing.
No Furniture Broken.
. In the struggle pictured in the
small reception hall by Dr Wilkins
between himself and assaiiants. il is
regarded impo ibie that no furniture
such as III. easel. was overturned
s. II Is taken TOR probability that
Dr.. Wilkins will he asked 10 explain
why he disappeared on March II. 60
ing 10 Baltimore. the day after he
had been questioned hy District At
torney Weeks in manner that sug-
Eested Dr. Wilkins was under suspi-
cion He also shaved his beard and
registered under an assumed name a,
a Baltimore hotel. according TO opera
yves or the Burns agency.
No Hero, IL Claim.
Z. The fact tina; DR.. wilkins. a man
Of advanced years and more or less i'm !.
paired strength, would seek as he
said 10 enter "A house where he had
found evidences OF burglars bein.
therein. !s scofed at by officials
S. The only hnscrprints said by e1-
perts TO he recognizable were pro-
claimed to have been those OF DR..
wilkins.
2. The hammer said to have been used
In the murder OF Mrs. Wilkins had
strands wrapped about the handle thar
seemed TO be OF wire taken from a
coil found in close, OF the physicians
bedroom.
10. The hat and gloves which Mrs.
ing or shopping were found in the
house. Neither disclosed any signs
OF having figured in death strIcgIe
The theory OF the prosecution is thar
Mrs. wilkins entered the house and
then went out again 20 feed her dogs
before the attack. DR. Wilkins SAYS
ne remained outside while he wenI
into the house to cope with the bur
glars.
BIoodstnincd Suit
H. Dr. wilkins, according 10 the
manager OF cleaning and dyeing es-
Establishment and three employees OF tn.
tailor. state that Dr. wilkins '.pepper-
And-salt" suit stained with blood was
sent 10 the Tailoring SHOP for clean
ing. Or. wilkins denies the existence
of such a suit
SO far as limitations and stat.-
ments issued TO date by DR.. wilkins
and his attorney, l.oIis G. Freiss the
defense will rest mainly on lack Of
motive" Among the points antici-
pated ty the prosecution to he dwell
upon by DIR. wilkins defense are the
following:
L. Under the two Wills found. DR..
Wilkins will not benefit. The first,
drawn by Mr.. Friess in 1903. before
Mrs. wilkins was married to the physi-
clan, the latter is not mentioned I'm
der the terms Of the will drawn In
1915 there is no attestatiop clause.
although DR.. wilkins IL mentioned ss
n beneficiary Their, fore. this Will ls
held unbindnS.
9 DR.. wilkins states that his rcla-
lions with his wife never savored Of
1uarrels or alterations. He Is said
to have declared Mrs wilkins had :.
violent temper" but that he always