Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-06
SHOWS DEAD GIRL
IN CAR T0POL|CE,
SAYS He SLEW HER
Los Angeles Man Declares
Victim, Soon to Be Mother,
Refused Marriage.
HIS MOTHER CLAIMS HE
is SON OF SENATOR NEW
Says She Was Divorced, But In
diana Legislator Denies Her
/ Statement
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
Los ANGELES, July 5.-Coolly de-
claring to Detective Sergeant u. A
Davidson shortly after o'clock this
morning that he had killed a girl.
Harry S. New, jr., 322 East Bonita
avenue, and whose mother says he is
son of United States Senator Harry S
New. led the officer to sedan-tyre
automobile parked in front of police
headquarters.
Within the vehicle was found the
body of a beautiful young girl. hud-
died on one of the seats. The blood
stained face was concealed by a sod
den fur. She was identified as Frieda
]. Lesser. who lived with her mother.
at 44O9 Griffin avenue, and the auto
mobile was that of the slayer's
mother. Mrs. Lulu NJ. Burger. promi-
nent in Glendale social circles
Shocks Police With Story.
Before being placed in his cell New.
who is thirty years old. told a story
unequaled in local police annals. In
it's narration the man who may pay
the penalty for his act chose his
words deliberately and displayed a
nonchalance that shocked even the
police officers and newspaper men he
addressed, used as they were to the
sordid side of life.
Il was at the girls house. arriving at
O'Clock yesterday afternoon" he con-
fessed. Mrs. Putnam, a neighbor; Mrs
Lesser, Frieda and I went to Hermosa
Beach to see her aunt We remained
there about forty-five minutes and then
took the folks home, arriving there at
5 80. Then Frieda and I went for a
ride and went by the way of my home
then through the Dark Canyon road to a
town twenty-eight miles the other side
of Calabassas. We stopped at Calabas-
sas and had some refreshments and then
went back to Topanga canyon.
Refused, He Shoots Her.
About a quarter of a mile beyond
the summit we stopped and talked
about our engagement to be married
tomorrow night. She was soon to
become a mother. She refused to
marry me. She got mad and flew
off the handle and said she was
going to seek relief. I asked her
to go ahead with our plans. She re-
fused, 1 lost my head and shot her.
This statement is given freely and
voluntarily. with no promise of i'm
munity." he concluded.
New told the authorities he was
employed by big door company here
and that he had borrowed the pistol
with which he shot Miss Lesser from
friend. He seemed perfectly
rational.
News Mother Grief Stricken.
Special Dispatch TO The Star.
INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. July Mrs.
Lulu Burger. mother of Harry S New,
who murdered his sweetheart. Miss
Gertrude Lesser. in California. today
was overcome with grief when she
learned the details of the tragedy
at the Hotel Linden.
"Oh. my poor boy. Harry" she
moaned. he was a model son and
never gave me minute trouble III
his life. 1t is terrible, and ! know the
poor boy was not in his right mind.
or he never would have done such a,
thing"
When questioned concerning the
claim of the murderer to the effect
that he was the son of United
States Senator Harry S. New, she de-
clared that he had spoken the truth.
1--WE were married when we Were
mere children, I was only sixteen at
the time We lived happily together
for sixteen years. A woman came
between us when my boy was four
years old and we were divorced. Harry
is now thirty years of age. He was
never arrested before and neither
smokes, drinks or chews. He has no
bad habits.
my first marriage was to Senator
New and after our divorce, l was mar
ried a second time and have daugh-
ter. Edna Burger, twenty-five. by this
marriage. Mr.. Burger is dead"