The New York herald., 1922-12-08
BECKER TO Be TRIED
QUICKLY AS SLAYER
Murder Case Will Start II
Days After Finding of
Wife's Body.
N0RKIN COMES NEXT
Women Throng the Court
Room for .ArraionmentS
in Pit Tragedy.
FUNERAL TO BE SUNDAY
Twins Said to Have Been Left
by Father Will Pray at
Mothers Bier.
FUNERAL TO BE SUNDAY

Charged With knocking his wife
Jennie unconscious with an iron bar
and burying her alive in an abandoned
boiler pit lear Southern Boulevard in
The Bronx last April Abraham
Becker will be tried Monday. the date
set by Judge Louis p Gibbs when he
was arraigned in Bronx County Court
yesterday. A week later, December
IS, Reuben Norkin. indicted for first
degree murder as an accomplice in the
crime. will be arraigned. Both men
entered pleas of not guilty yesterday.
Despite efforts of Becker's counsel,
Charles V. HALEY and Alexander May
per, to delay proceedings for appoint
,nent of commission to test the de-
fendant's sanity. Judge Gibbs ruled
'in the interests of justice and of your
client that the trials should start
within a week.
Only stteen minutes were required
to arraign the prisoners. hear their
pleas and set dates for their trials.
Becker will be tried for murder of his
wife twelve days after the body was
found and less than three weeks from
the day Assistant District Attorney AL
bort Cohn began an investigation.
Crowd Gathers EARLY.
As early as s o'clock yesterday morn
Ing a crowd gathered at the Bronx
=.
raignment. Before the pleas had been
heard the court room held hundreds of
persons. large percentage of them
women. The prisoners Were brought in
under heavy guard. Throughout the
proceedings Becker was nervous and i'll
at ease, but Norlxin was quite the re-
verse. even smiling occasionally at the.
crowd
Attorney Mayper charged that the
haste which has characterized the case
was little short Of hailroading. He en-
phasized the possibility of insanity, but
Judge Gibbs denied his plea for alien
lists. Norkin was represented by James
Sheridan, former State Senator
I'VE do not want to appear TO be
pushing the case unduly," said Attor-
ney Cohn. THE prosecution has had
only week to gather its evidence and
the defense, since the lawyers were ap-
pointed last Monday night, will have a
week to prepare for trial. II the men
are innocent we want them indicated.
II they are guilty they should be pun
tshed at once"
Attorney Cohn stated last night that
the investigation into the mysterious
disappearance OF Fanny Bloom from
the home OF Norlsln's mother in 1915
a hn tot tC
fastening the girls disappearance upon
Norkin. however. and no evidence had
been obtained TO show the man ever
went out In her company. The missing
girl was half-witted and is said to have
had habit of disappearing.
Ask Pay for Twins Hoard.
A claim Of $40 for boarding Heckers
three-year-old twins was made public
yesterday In letter written by Fred
Beisiegei of 1853 Intervale avenue. The
Bronx. to the directors of the Israel
Orphan Asylum. The letter. written
last August. alleges Becker placed the
twins in Beisiegels care and then de-
serted them entirely about three months
after his wife's death, according TO
Beisiegeis signed statement.
BeisieEel claims Becker left the chill
dren at his home and promised to pay
$40 a week. Having received no pay
at the end OF seven weeks he made an
agreement with the asylum whereby the
organization paid him $50 of the amount
due him and tools charge Of the chill
dren.
The funeral of Mrs. Becker viii be
held Sunday morning at 10 o'clock
Rabbi Leib Rosen OF the Congregation
of Brezenaner. lis Stanton street. will
conduct religious rites over the body at
the former home of Mrs. Becker. Sl9
East 150th street. The twins. Sarah
and Celia, will offer a prayer for their
mother. and the boys. Harry and Alex.
will attend. Mrs. Jennie Linder. Mrs.
Rebecca Baldwin and other neighbors
OF Mrs. Becker are assisting with the
funeral ARRANGEMENTS. which are in
charge of the Anglo-Ameriean Benevo-
lent Association Burial will he IN
Riverside Cemetery. Hackensack. y. J.