The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 4, 1898, Page 2

. Btrd rushed to them for protection ences with Bird, heard” his nmngel break into the awful vocal confession a | that he bought the polson and “did a ore a E ent of remedial | story, and finally stole unseen to % }',',,;({,.,.”"f?uiinfl",é’f brutal flend of | place where he could hear Murdnrer‘xvv’old Jrr'»f;rd G e Dl’x'-n naked through the world. | Belew and Bird discussing the crime : efl e. B e Constable Newby was detdNed to | in all its shocking details, slge the mpraldjaE Murdery DIME (0F earry out the carefully laid plans of | From a secret aperture he saw the | St. 'an}iird wdind Ui ek Distct Attorney Devlin, Sheriff Rush | murderer's face dull and heavy, not | flattere , saying, and Captain Curtin. He had confer- l'two feet away, and heard his lips ' ways been my friend and I'll help you some day.” P othing stranger than this iniquit- ous and soulless confession has ever characterized the dark story of human fiendlshness. In all its detalls it forms one of the most marvelous chapters in the history of the crimes of the world. The Belews were an old and respect- ed family In the rich agricultural re- glons adjacent to Dixon. The family orlginally consisted of Thomas Belew, a well-known rancher, his wife and five children, two of whom were the victims of this tragedy. Of the entire family all now left are three brothers— Thomas, Frank and Arthur. For reasons that suited them the par- ents chose to leave the bulk of thelr es- tate to Lewis and Busie, and to Arthur, & surviving brother. Thomas had been amply provided for before the old folks made their will, Tom Belew now lives upon and owns the old homestead ranch, a few milés from_ Dixon. Arthur Belew, who re- lives on a ranch near town. He was at first under suspicion, though few of those who knew him believed for a mo- celved about $2000 from his parents, | IE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1898. ment that it was he who had com- mitted the dark deed that shocked the entire country. The following strong intimation that Frank Belew committed the murder was printed in The Call the day after the funeral of the murdered brother and sister. It stands to-day as a truth- ful characterization of the murderer and his habits: Frank is a quiet man, who drinks very little. It is well known that he is in financial distress; that he has had do- mestic troubles, and that he bitterly op- °d the marringe of his sister, which was to have taken place to-morrow. Susie Belew went to Cashier J. H. Rice of the Dixon Bank two weeks ago and asked him to draw her will. .Speaking of the visit to-day Mr. Rice stated that t| young lady said she intended to cut of both Frank and Arthur without any in- heritance, as Arthur had spent his money, and for some reason she shared her par- ents' aversion to Frank. It Frank Belew disliked his dead brother and sister it is not known to many. If he knew his sister had cut him off In the roughly drawn will that was never executed ‘he did not complain to his friends, but kept his own counsel. If % JOHN W. BIRD, the Strange Brother-in-Law of Mur- derer Frank Belew, Who Has Kept the Dread- ful Secret for Months to Save His Wife From the Disgrace of Being Known as the Moral Monster’s Sister. . MURDERER BELEW CAGED. CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE. His hands were held out. Robinson snapped the iron cuffs about the extended brawn wrists. Frank was at last a prisoner. The beginning of the end was upon him. It was a moment which he must have dreamed of and dreaded. “ Where are you going to take me ?”” he asked, and, being told, he insisted upon changing his clothes for a better suit. At first there was demur. With handcuffs on Frank Belew is a person to te regarded with more equanimity than with them off. Yet he pleaded, and his captors yielded the point. He went back to the house, the dreary little room. He turned back the coverlid of his bed, showing where he had been at rest. and then donned a decent suit. Then he meekly held out his wrists for the cuffs again. In a few moments he had learned the lesson of submission. Then he sighed as he saw the officers rum- mage In the drawers of the rickety old bureau. tures, some of them old-fashioned and in the quaint cases of years ago. There were personal trinkets of no value, and yet the prisoner was grieved at the lib- erty the officers took with his trumpery. He was getting another lesson in servitude. Up to the time the party left the house the prisoner said hardly a word, beyond to protest his innocence, but he did say the handcuffs were toa tight. His brother, Arthur, looked on dumbly. The friend of the family looked on, but kept silent. Frank Belew is strong only in body. From the first moment he was aroused from sleep he showed signs of weakness. It was evident that ‘with difficulty he repressed a tendency to express violent emotion. He did not get over the tremor in his voice, but when it changed sometimes to a petulant dis- claimer 1t seemed to become more steady. “I suppose,” ventured the representative of The Call, “that you had antici- pated something of this kind ?” ““No, sir,”” was the reply. ‘I did not do this. You have the wrong man.’’ “‘Did you anticipate leaving the country before long?’’ ““No; | did not—but, well, if | did intend to go, that has nothing to do with this. innocent."”’ “Don’t you know that you have been talking about this case and made fatal admissions? '’ ““I never did, 1never thought of this happening. You have the wrong man.” “Do you not remember having a conversation with Mr. Bird January 212" “‘No; 1 don’t.”” x “Tr;' to recall, Mr. Belew. It was the conversation in which you admitted your guilt."” *“1 do not know what you are driving at,’’ the prisoner said, writhing in his seat. “‘Perhaps you can remember the conversation of January 302" “1 don’t know what you are talking about. | have had no such conversations. the wrong man, | tell you.” ““Mr. Belew, you might as well know that these conversations were overheard; that they were taken down and sworn to. Now, do you recall the subject?” The moon beat into the man’s face, showing the pallor which swept over ‘and settled there. . “] will answer no more questions.” His jaws closed tight, and only opened when he had to lick his lips, which would go dry, or to reiterate to the officers that they had the wrong man. All the way to Suisun he retained this attitude, partly defiant, partly despairing. The officers did not try to question him. They have no care what his answers may be, for it has been borne in upon them th at they know the truth. There was nothing in the nature of a farewell between the brothers. Arthur had hardly spoken, and the most he said at last was that he would go straightway to Dixon. And if any along the road by the side of which sleep Susie and Lewis Belew heard this night the sound of horses’ hoofs, mayhap it was made as Arthur clattered into Dixon with the news that the law had ?;id hold upon one of his blood. . lam I'm They brought out letters, pic=/ 0000000000000 000000000000000C00C000000000000000000 200000000000000000000C00C0CCOV000000000000000000000000 00000000000C0C00000000000CO00000CO000000 Otrip Frank had taken to Winters 0000000000000 0000D00000000000000000 HEARD HIM CONFESS. Constable Newby of Dixon Tells What Belew Said in Bird’s Photo- i graph Gallery, The evidence that Constable B. F. Newby of Dixon has gathered against the poisoner is corroborative of the state- ment made by John W. Bird, Frank Belew’s brother-in- law. This tircless and rclentless official arranged to over- hear a conversation between Bird and Belew at the for- mer’s branch photograph gallery in Dixon and incidentally' the revolting confession. Newby gives the following account of the events of that fateful Sabbath—January 30, 1898—to Sheriff Rush, Detec- tive Curtin and District Attorney Devlin : I went to Sacramento on Friday, January 2, 1898, to see J. W. Bird, to arrange for the meeting of Sunday, January 30, and perfected arrange- ments with Bird for the meeting at the Dixon gallery at 10:30 a. m. Sun- day, January 30. I returned to Dixon on the afternoon of the 2Sth. On Bunday. the 30th, Mr. Bird came to Dixon about 9 a. m. Frank Belew did not get to town until 11:30 a. m.. After notifying Bird of his arrival T went to my place In the engine house and waited for him to go to the gallery, which he did at 11:50 a. m. When he entered the gallery I Immediately went to my place of concealment on the side of the gallery, looked through the peep-hole and saw Frank Belew sitting about two feet from me, I also saw Mr. Bird sitting at a table opposite Frank. They were talking about Alaska. After a while Mr. Bird asked Frank what he was doing down to Fairfield during the week. Frank said: “Tom and I went down to see our lawyer about the estate.” He said he had made everything over to Arthur, that he had fixed things so that Steve Little could get nothing. Said Little wasn’t so damned smart after all. He sald Charles Newman had first put him on how to fix things so Little couldn’t get anything; that several of those who didn’'t like Little were anxlous to see him beat Little and asked him quite often how things were coming out. Bird asked him what the Grand Jury was going to do about his case, if he had heard anything. He sald he had not, but thought they would not, as they couldn’t get anything new. Bird asked him if he saw the District Attorney. He sald “Yes,” and that he was as good as ple. He sald, “There is another election coming on this year, and Devlin wants votes, and thinks he wants my help, and won't bother me any more; but I won't be here at election. I will be in Alaska. If everything goes well I want to go as soon as I get settled up, which T think can't be done before the middle of April.” Bird said: “Well, Frank, you fooled them all in grand shape in this poisoning case, not to get caught.” Frank said: ™¥es.” Bird said: “Frank, that was a terrible thing; but you would not have poisoned Louis and Susie if they had treated you right with the estate before, would you?” Frank said: “No.” Bird said: “They were after you pretty hot for a while. You must have been pretty slick in getting the poison so they could not find out where they got it, for they hunted every drug store in Sacramento and all around.” Frank said: "Yes, lnd‘ they went to you, didn't they?” Bird said: “Yes.' Frank said: “Who?* Bird said: *“The reporters. All of them—The Call, Examiner and Chronicle—they were all after me, and also wanted your picture. I would not tell them anything or give them the photo. I have been a friend o you, says Frank, “and If I can ever do anything for you, Bird, I will do it™ Said Bird: “Yes, Frank, after you told me beforehand that you were going to poison Louis and Susie, and then it happened as you said, it worried me so I couldn’t hardly eat or sleep until after I had a talk with you about it. Then I felt better and haven’t thought so much about it since.” Frank said: “Bird, you have been a friend to me and when I go to the Klondike I want to take you with me.” Then Frank said: “Ellen don’t know anything about it, does she?” Bird said: “No, she don’t know you did the poisoning.” Frank says: “Don’t tell her. I don’t want any one to know I did it, but you and L.” Bird says: No, if I should tell her, she might tell some friend, and then some other friend, and it would get out, so it's best for only us to know it." i Frank says: “No, I don’t think she would tell it; she is a good friend to me, but it would woiry her if she knew it and it’s best to keep it from her.” “It's enough for you and I to know you poisoned them,” says Bird. Frank says: shown me, and I would do anything for you. alone and I hope you will go with me."” . At this time some girls came in and the conversation was turned to a with an insurance man by the name of Frank said Lancaster had hired him to take him over to Win- wyes, and T am grateful to you for the friendship you have I won't go to Alaska Lancaster. ters. When the girls had gone out Frank sald: “Newby thought he was raising hell for a while, but he has let up now. Gue_u he was out for the money there was in it.” - Bird says Does he talk to you about the case any more? Frank say “No, but he patronizes the stable and sends business there. Guess he is all right now.” g Frank :hen I:oké about taking some insurance out for the benefit of his boys (spoke of Foresters, Home Forum and other societies), in case anything should happen him; also spoke of Tom's wedding, which he saild would take place next week. Also spoke of business affairs with the es- tate; said Louls had $10 in bank and Susie $110; wanted to collect to meet bills and not touch that. Tom passed by and Frank went to the door and hailed him, and then came back and paid Bird some money. Frank said: “Tennie wanted to go to the Klondike, but did not know how she would get there, as she had no money; he sald he told her she could get a divorce from him if she want- ed, but he would not give her the money. Said it cost him $113 to get a divorce for her when he married her, so that the next fellow could do as he did. Bird said: “Arthur ought to be good to you for doing this job and get- ting a division of the property and glving him another stake.” Frank sald: *Yes, but I don't believe he will take care of it. He got a letter from Littlefield the other day, and I told him not to answer it as Littlefleld had heard he had another stake, and Littlefield's wife would get away with it. Arthur says, ‘Littlefleld owes me money now,’ but he wered the letter.” mm,d sald: “Frank, you were not as big a fool -s that fellow Clark, of Napa County. You were sharp enough to come out of yours all right; but that fellow Clark was a fool.” “Yes, sald Frank, “that was a badly mixed-up family affair. Her hus- band should have left her long ago, after she had children by another man.” After this the conversation ‘changed, as a Mr. Coleman came In to have some pictures taken, and after a few minutes Frank sald: *“I must go back to the ranch.” ° It was then 1:30 p. m. I left my place of concealment and Frank soon went out also and left for the ranch. 000000‘00900000000”0000000000000005 he felt bitter over "his portion at life's (] 0000000000000 000000C0C0CCO000000000000000000000000I0CC000000000000000000C00000C000CC00C0000Q000000000000000000000000000000000 - - < o (] © (4] © o [ © [ © [ o (] (] © © o © ° ° | CONSTABLE B. F. NEWBY of Dix- on Who Heard the Damning Confession of the Poisoner. i i) feast he did not complain to those around | him. If there were any rows it is cer- tain that they did not result in such acri- mony as to break family relations., This appears from the fact that Frank Belew was a guest at his sister’s table at the last supper she ever ate. The breakfadt following the supper at which Frank was a guest and Louls the host contained the fatal poison—or it was in the water of which the tea was made. | Within two days after the murder | the finger of suspicion was directed to the man who is now behind the bars. Belief was general that death resulted from a cunning murderer’s plan and that he was the man. Though his | brothers stood by him and made a bold | defense, the belief in his guilt has never | wavered. The poison of suspicion filled | the very air, piercing the minds of the friends of the dead, and assuming | shape and diregtion. | The funeral was the seen in Dixon. Shortly after noon on November 10 the solemn ringing of an | old-fashioned church bell summoned | the people of the town and country for miles around to the First Baptist Church to the funeral of the unfortu- | nate brother and sister who were pois- oned on the eve of their wedding. There yere no more popular young | people in the village. As they had been the pride of their parents, who left them the bulk of their estate a few | years ago, so they were esteemed by their fellow-men. “The afternoon was one of the most beautiful of all the halcyon days of autumn, and the long cortege filed sol- 2090000000‘00@0@00@0 Frank Belew’'s Threat to Murder His Brother and Sister. The following threat was made to John W. Bird, the murderer’'s brother-in-law, the day before he poisoned his brother and sister: “I have just been down to see Susic. She showed me her wedding clothes. They are going to Nevada for a tour. She and Lewis have not treated me right in re- gard to the estate, but I'll have some of it yet. They’ll not live to enjoy it. I'm go- ing to commit a. terrible crime to-morrow. I'm going to commit a tragedv that will shock the whole com- munity.” 20000000000 0000000000060666 4 000000600000 0000006000600006600 |200000000000000000¢ emnly through the quiet streets, past the places the dead had known, over the leaf-strewn roads to the Odd Fel- lows’ Cemetery. The funeral ciosed all | places of business, the schools were shut for the day, and not even a sa- loon was open from neon until the min- | ister had said the last word. | But there was another agonizing plec- ture, which was a part of the dread- ful mystery, that now becomes the well proved crime of Frank Belew. It was the picture of the sole survivor of the househdld writhing in pain, hover- ing near death. | On a humble cot in the livery stable that was owned by the murdered man lay Bruno Klein, the faithful hired man, who ate at the Belew home, whodrankof the waters of death at the Belew well. | He was the sole survivor of all who tion. Just as the bodies of the dead were being returned to elemental dust a rumor spread throughout that Klein was dying. ' Then there was great excitement, and it would not have required much evidence to cause the | Iynching of Frank Belew. So it has come at last that the cloud that caused a pall over the sunshine and the flowers and marred the golden beauty of a halcyon November day in Dixon is no longer a vague mystery, but a reality that has materialized into as dark and terrible a murder as was ever woven into the warp and woof of crime in the whole of America. The skill with which the criminal at first covered his tracks has been over- come by the acumen of those who have been relentless in pursuit. The man whose mind was fatally bent on mis- chief has been trapped by his own words. Crime has left its shadow, 'its footprints, its blighting evidence so boldly written that the world may read. Beneath the sunshine and the stars the detectives have worked with lmblfln: zeal, spurred by a sense of duty and sustained and directed in largest ever | dwelt happily in the hause of desola- | the city | part by The Call, which to-day gives the only complete story of a murder that will puzzle scientists to the end of time. —rliea BIRD WANTS TIME. Declines to Talk Now, but He Makes Some Prom- ises. SACRAMENTO, Feb. 3.—J. W. Bird, brother-in-law of Frank Belew, was in- terviewed here shortly after midnight in regard to the poisoner's arrest, “Is that so!” was the surprised ex- clamation that burst involuntarily from his lips, “where was he arrested?” ‘When he was told of the circum- stances, Bird's face grew. very solemn and his jaw gradually set very firmly. “Well,” he sald. “I have absolutely nothing to say;.if he has made a con- fession that is his business, but I care to say nothing.” Bird was pressed to make some state- ment as regards his knowledge of the affair. 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