Albuquerque morning journal., 1920-11-17
RELATIVES HELD
AF TER PROBE Of
DEATH Of CHECK
Topeka, kanS., Man Died
From Brutal and lnhu-
man Treatment" Is Ver-
dict of COroner'S Jury.

! Phoenix, AriZ., Nov. l6,-Thomas
~, Check, aged II, of Topeka,
Wansas, who died here last Satur-
| day night, came to his Ceath from
brutal and inhuman treatment
at the hands Of Victor Check. his
son, and Belle Check, his daugh-
ter-in-law according to the verdict
of a corOners jury late today. Vic
| tor Check, who had been under
arrest under tentative charge OF
aggravated assault, was being held
tonight under a coroner's warrant
No bond had been set, pending
preliminary hearing. Mrs. Check
was at liberty under 5000 bond.
Dead Man Was Wealthy.
The elder Check, said by officials
who had investigated to be worth
between 100000 and 100000,
died in an automobile while the
Checks were returning to their
apartments from visiting at the
home of a friend, Officials said
neighhors had previously informed
the authorities regarding the al
legged treatment of Check by his
son and daughter-i law and an
III NtpNiS a AlNll lltlNl itCll oNtlttttt 'eN
before much could be accomplished
the aged man died.
Testimony of residents in the
apartment house where the Checks
live occupied most of the day at to-
days inquest. Mrs. Elizabeth Tell
who said she owned the apartment
house, said the Check family came
to her house September q, last,
saying they had just arrived from
Topeka for the benefit of the elder
Checks health.
Thomas Il. Nichols testified to
hearing blows struck in the Check
apartment at frequent intervals on
various occasions. Mrs. Nichols,
his wife, testified to hearing Victor
Check 'trying to get his father to
sign some paper" several days be-
fore Checks death. She said the
younger Check continued his ef-
fort more than three hours and she
heard hard blows administered fire.
.quently. She said she heard the
old man plead for mercy and ask
his son why he beat him so.
Mrs Nichols added that she
heard young Check read the docu-
ment but all she could distinguish
was "for and in consideration Of
| hereby appoint you"
Mrs. Lillian Warner testified she
had heard the sound of blows quite
often in the Check apartment and
had heard the voice of the older
man begging for mercy. She said
Victor Check and his wife sought
to prevent the old man from talk
ing with any of the neighbors.
once, said Mrs. Warner. the old
man came to her and begged her
to report his situation to the au-
thorities. While he was speaking,
she said Mrs. Check came and took
him into their apartment ..
Several witnesses testified that
on the night Check died they heard
blows administered in the Check
apartments and, three or four
times, the thud as OF falling body,
followed by feeble groans. Soon
afterward, they said. the Checks
motored away from the apartment
house.
DR.. w. o. Sweek. who conducted
the autopsy, gave to the jury what
he described as a preliminary
statement" explaining the autopsy
was unfinished, The statement was
to the effect that the autopsy had
disclosed various head contusions,
which were described; that the
lungs showed tuberculosis; that the
general condition Of the body show
ed poor nourishment and condition.
The bruises, he said. might have
come a few hours before death or
several days.