Evening star., 1924-08-13
GIRL SEES LOVER
STRANGLE RIVAL
Tells of Helping Fiance Hide
Other SWeetheart's Body
After Her Last Plea.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BENTON HARBOR, Mich, August
13.-F'lorence Mckinney, 19-year- old
sweetheart of Emil Zupke, confessed
murderer of Cora May Raber. has
confessed that she witnessed the
killing of her rival for Zupke's af-
fections, and helped hide, the body,
according to Sheriff George Bridge
man. Zupke and the girl occupied ad-
joining cells in the county Jail to-
day.
Zupke. the sheriff said, broke down
Tuesday night and confessed that he
choked Miss Raber. his former sweet
heart, when she refused to release
him from promise to marry her. He
told the sheriff that he lured her into
Benton Harbor on promise to marry
her, but instead drove her into the
country and choked her to death.
Girl Tells Story.
About an hour after he had con-
fessed, the sheriff stated, Miss Nc
Kinney came into his office and vol
UNFAIRLY admitted that she was with
Zupke when the crime was com
mitted. She said that Zupke came to
her house with Miss Raber in his
car last Wednesday evening, and that
the three of them drove TO the desc
late spot where the slain woman's
body was found last Sunday.
After Zupke had chok ed Miss Raber
for some time and it was discovered
that she was dead, Miss Mckinney
said, she helped him hide the body.
The murdered woman was soon to
have become a mother. She blamed
Zupke for her condition, and recently
sWore out warrant against him.
asking that officers withhold it's
service until she could make a final
effort to compel Zupke to marry her.
Tie combined confessions reveal that
he promised to marry her the
Wednesday evening she was killed.
Instead. he demanded that she release
him. When Zupke told her that he
would not marry her, his confession
quotes her saying, We'll, then, do
something to get me out of this"
He started to choke her then, ac-
cording to his confession, and con-
tinued for about d mile the car
moved along.
Tells OF Choking.
Zupke, in his confession said that
after driving into the country he told
Miss Raber he thought too much of
his ether sweetheart to marry her.
she spoke up and said II you don't
marry me. do something to get me out
OF this the confession goes on. Il
put my right arm underneath her
chin and against her throat and held
it there for sometime. When thoght
she was dead drove to the Pumpkin
Vine crossing. L carried her about
10 feet into the weeds and brush
Then I laid her down and knelt be-
side her, lit a match, felt of her pulse
and put my ear to her heart to see If
she was dead. Then l drove to my
girls house and stayed until 3 o'clock
in the morning.
Kept Awake Nights.
The crime weighed heavily upon his
conscience. Zupke declared, and kept
him awake nights. He felt an ir-
resistible urge to return to the spot
where he had secreted the body, he
said. and went last Sunday. Whep he
saw men peering into the bushes he
knew that the body had been dis
covered. He had planned to marry
Miss Mckinney the day the body was
found, he said, but trouble with his
family prevented.
The girl his alleged companion
while the crime was committed de-
clared in her confession that while
tHeN were uTlNtnS EInlI started TO
choke Miss Raber.
Il asked him what he was doing"
the confession reads. He answered.
1t is all right Later / told him he
had killed her, and he answered. i
couldn't help it, honey; l had to-"
Constructed Alibi.
The girl stated that she tried to get
Zupke to take the woman to doctor.
but he replied, It's no use, she's
gone" He then asked her to give
him lift while he concealed the body
in the bushes, she said. Zupke, the
confession continues, then arranged
an alibi. 1t was agreed, she stated
that both would maintain they were
at her house the entire evening.
The pretty farmer girl, attractively
Clad related her story with no show
of emotion. Asked why she had vol
untered her confession when no sus-
picion attached to her, she said Be
cause Zupke was held" She added
that she had not confessed before he
was arrested Because she was
afraid"