Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-05-23


II met the Schneider girl across the
street from the postofhce about quarter to
10 o'clock Saturday night. sho was trav-
Cling east and west. she spoke to mo
and ! spoke. Then we turned around and
met half way.
"She started talking to me and talked
to her and told her my name and asked
her name. ! asked her how she came to
speak TO strange fellow, because didn't
take her to DO that kind Of a girl
"She did not make much OF an answer,
but seemed discouraged over something
and told her not to feel that way. We
walked down Saginaw street and crossed
the railroad track. We stopped in store
and had some Ice cream and then walked
back until we came to the vacant house.
I'VE stopped on tho sidewalk in front
OF the house and she threw both arms
around my neck and kissed mo and we
stood there and talked awhile. She wanted
to go and ait down on the porch, so we
did. We sat there with both arms around
ono another's necks, talking and laughing.
She was discouraged over something. but
she would not cay what 1t was.
Finally she asked me to kill her.
Il told her 1t was no use feeling that
way.
"She said she did not care and wanted
to die. She said she was only in tho way
on earth.
She asked mo II had n handkerchief
or something. for she wanted mo to choke
her to death. So told her ]. had one, and
she asked mo where 1t was and I told her
hn haI In
pocket and pulled it out herself
"She tied the two OF them together and
laid them on the floor OF the porch and
laid back on them. She wanted me to pull
the knots in tho handkerchief up around
her neck but told her would not kept
refusing and finally she asked me to again
and took the handkerchiefs up and tied
them In knot around her neck.
II did not choke her then. told her
che did not want to die and she said she
did and she wanted me to kill her. She
threw both arms around my neck, kissed
me and said goodbye So took hold of
the handkerchfefs and pulled them tight
After that went across from the edge OF
the porch and down to the creek and
washed my hands,"
In another and later interview the DO.
lice allege that he made q statement to
the effect that the girl had died fighting
for her honor. In this statement Best Is
alleged to have declared he made several
Intellectual attempts at assault. and finally
hit the girl with his fist on the temple
While she was unconscious from the blow
according to tho officers. Best confessed
he first choked and then strangled the girl
to death with the handkerchiefs.
Justice moved swiftly. Best was placed
on trial within week Of his arrest. He
repudiated all confessions saying that they
had been forced from him by third de-
gree methods" Of the police, but the jury,
after five hours OF elaboration, found him
guilty and he was sentenced by Judge X.
+. Rockwell to life imprisonment.
In the trial the work Of the blood
hounds was an important factor. Their
supposedly unerring instinct was dwelt
upon and the unseen trail they had fol-
lowed to the little river outlined.
When sentenced Best arose dramatically
and exclaimed:
Before God I am not guilty of this
crime. II the Almighty were standing in
this court room would still say, 4 am
not guilty! ! am an innocent mani"
That number are convinced that he
>.ctually Is innocent is evidenced by the
1act that more than a thousand dollars
have been pledged by sympathizers to
gain him new trial.