New-York tribune., 1919-03-18
Telephones From Railway
Station to His Lawyer,
Then All Trace Is Lost;
Police Be gin Search
Prosecutor Now
Develops Motive
Has New Will Made by
Victim Which Makes
Husband the Main Heir
to Her $4,000 Estate

Staff Correspondence
LONG BEACH, Long Island, March
17.-Justice of the Peace Cassius Cole
man tonight, at the request of District
Attorney Weeks issued a warrant
charging Dr. Walter K. Wilkins with
the murder of his wife The physician
is fugitive, and a general alarm was
sent out to every police officer in the
East tonight to arrest him on sight.
Mrs Wilkins was killed on the night
OF February 81, when her skull was
crushed by blows with a hammer out
side her home here
The physician has been suspected Of
the crime for the last week by the
authorities When the net of evidence
drew closer on Saturday, and he real
lied after a long Interrogation by Mr.
Weeks that he was about to be taken
into custody, he fed He WAS Inst heard
from on Sunday, when he telephpned
his attorney, Lewis G. Friess. This
call came from the Long Island Rail
road station in Brooklyn, and after
that all trace of his whereabouts has
been lost
Vanishes After Telephoning
Dr. wilkins promised Mr. Triess in
the telephone conversation that he
would meet County Detective Plant at
Lynbrook and go with him to the home
of Mr. Weeks, in Port Washington
The object of this visit was to turn
~ 4
By Mrs Wilkins in 1915 The attorney
appeared at the home of Mr. Weeks
and gave him the instrument, by which
part of the murdered woman's property
was given to the doctor
This peculiar instrument, which may
supersede the will found IN the Wilkins
home, which was drawn in 1903, was not
signed by witnessed Mr. Friess in a
statement to Mr. Weeks denied that he
had drawn it, and said that it was
given to him by the doctor last Tues
dag. The win bequeathes the house
owned by Mrs wilkins at 1s4 West
Sixty-ffth Street to her husband and
also her share in their Long Beach
home
In answer to the prosecutpr'o in
quiry as to why the viii had not been
prodpced on Saturday when it was
sought by the authorities Nh. Friess
explained that he did not consider it a
valid will He also asserted, accord
ing TO Mr. Weeks, that the physicians
papers had noS been asked for, and
therefore ne withheld the document
The authorities aYe now Investigating
TO learn who Witnessed the signing of
the will and what prompted Mrs.
wilkins to make it
Immediately after the discovery of
this will Mr. Weeks directed the detec-
htiyes working on the case TO arrest
Dr. Wilkins on a charge Of murder.
Mir Weeks had sought motive for
the murder of Mrs. Wilkins continually
during his investigation The story
told By the physician of the assault
On himself and the murder of his wife
by robbers was not believed by the
prosecutor
When Mr. Weeks was notified by
operatives of the Burns Detective
Agency this afternoon that they were
unable 70 locate the physician, he is
sued the following statement:
Since the murder Of Mrs. Julia Will
ksns at Long Beach on February 81,
1919, this office has Investigated and
caused 70 be Investigated the various
ciews presented by the physical facts
IN the case. We have also examined
or caused TO be examined all the wit
nesses who could furnish any evidence
upon the killing. IL was not until yes
leroay, March Is, 1919, that we felt
9estiIied BY the evidence at hand in
oIaering the arrest of any one. At
nat ma, time the arrest Of DR.. Walter X.
wilkins for the murder Of his wife was
pfactcal!y decided upon. We were
unable TO locate DIR. Wilkins on Sun
aay, march 10, or to-day. A general
atarm mas been sent out for his ar
description Of the Fugitive
f,.i. ane Following description Of the
49,. iaS...,se nss been sent out: Five feet
arsa tsh; weight about 1870 pounds;
x.ag mar and buShy gray beard: bald
nsad; full face with Aorfd complex
UT IN, large hands and feet; steel blue
s syss with slight cast IN the right
ys. The doctor lis described az hay.
snx powerful shoulders and always
@Iing derby hat
a. wilkins was taken from the dr.
ss o. District Attorney Weeks on
.s.'a .ess.ufday afternoon by County De4ec-
Ms ~ rant After having dinner ~
das.nps a. rants home. accompanied by the
srass.,s. csays an ana anothsr operative Of the
fems fnasehsosn hs,s once, he returned 10 his
~ mere. IL Was understood after
ifne IgnE Interrogation AZ M,msn,s ",ssa ,has
II M N1iklns was looked on a. = snsnees r.s@
- ~ you'd neyes be out Of the gieht
sunday morning about o.cfasb