The New York herald., 1922-12-22
Defendant, Tries to Shift
Murder to Man Indicted
as Accomplice.
ADMITS HIS ELOPEMENTi
Denies Telling Friends Stories
They Quoted After Wife
Disappeared.

Abraham Becker, on the witness
stand in the Bronx pit murder trial
yesterday, swore that Reuben Norkin,
who is being held as an accomplice in
the murder of Mrs. Jennie Becker last
April, quarreled with Mrs. Becker four
days before she disappeared and left
the house, declaring '1ll fix you for
that!"
Becker said his wife had argued with
Norkin several times when Norkin
tried to get the use of the Becker
automobile. Some time in February
Norkin came again to get the car and
Mrs. Becker cut him short by threat
.ening to tell Norkin's wife that he
"went out with his sister-in-law and
other women" Becker testified. In
April Norkin walked in one night and
said, "You did tell on me-" according
to the witness A heated argument
followed and Becker said he told Nor
kin TO get out, but Norkin made the
threat as he went.
Haggard and pallid after nearly
months imprisonment, Becker took the
stand at $40 yesterday. His voice was
almost inaudible.
The opinion that the case VIII go 10
the Jury tonight was confirmed at the
end of yesterdays session, when Judge
Louis D. Gibbs warned the jurors TO De
prepared for a night session He SAID
the fury would sit from IL o'clock until
1. from 2 o'clock until and from :3o
o'clock on II 1t were necessary
Becker denied all the testimony Of
fered by witnesses for the prosecution
regarding remarks they said he made
about his wife's disappearance. He told
the story Of his life. beginning with his
youth in Russia. mentioned his three
wears in South Africa and told OF his
marriage in England before coming TO
New York. He told unhesitatingly OF
running away to Cleveland and living
there with Anna Elias for about three
months. He admitted going to the
rabbits with the intent to marry BEFORE
they ran away.
Two years ago he quarreled with his
wife in a grocery store then on l5otn
street and operated by Louis Solomon
He said his wife came In and asked
him to promise to keep away from
Anna Elias Solomon advised her to
get q divorce. Becker said. and then
Mrs Becker cried:
II won't divorce him. I'll kill him
frst!"
'.She was excited and scratched me-"
Becker added. Later we fixed things
up and went home. The next day she
said she was sorry and we would i've
together happy again."
Becker testified that he and his wife
visited Mrs. Jennie Linder the night OF
April s, but said they left there be-
tween IL and IL o'clock. rather than at
1880 in the morning. He said his wife
went upstairs and he went to put the
car in the garage five blocks away. The
next morning he took a load of sawdust
TO Hunts Point dump and came home
at noon TO discover his wife missing.
Becker said.
The witness asserted he fed the chill
dren rolls and milk. returned to work
until o'clock and took the children for
a ride in his car. After that he gave
them supper and prepared them for bed.
He said he stayed In all evening.
"I waited for her to come back.
thought she might come" he added.
Referring TO his relations with Miss
Elias after Mrs. Becker disappeared,
Becker said he saw her at the movies
Saturday afternoon. He testified that
she told him she had a man who knew
everything about her and was willing to
marry her and was a rich fellow" A
few weeks later he said she told him she
didn't care for that fellow and they
lived together at 137th street for two
months; then for two months more at
Coney Island. Becker said he paid $40
q week for the board of the twins, SIS
n week for the older boys and IS q
week to Anna for helping him.
Rnclxar will rontfnuo his testfp1opv
this morning at IL o'clock.