LAWYER CHARGED WITH MURDER

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 31 October 1912, Page 8

LAWYER CHARGED WITH MURDER

STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE OF

WEALTHY CLIENTS

Tho mysterious disappearance of a lawyer's clients, the death of others, and tho allegation that tho lawyer hm* in each caso benefited, is exciting New York.

The accused lawyer, who strongly protests that the allegations against him are totally without foundation, is Mr. Burton W. Gibson, who was arrested charged with the murder of the Austrian Countess Szabo last May. There were many suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of the Countess, whoso executor.Mr. Gibson was, and the Austrian Consul-General recently asked iho police to investigate tho matter. Mr. Gibson stated that while ho and tli.;. Countess wero boating on Greenwood Lake, ,New Jersey, tho boat capsized, and tho lady was drowned, but that ho succeeded in saving his life by clinging to the upturned boat and getting ashore. Ho afterwards produced a will, regularly drawn up and signed by the Countess, under which he benefited to tho amount of £2000.

The Austrian Consul-Geneml, however, alleges that tho signature 'of one 'if tho witnesses to tho" will, that of Frau Menschik, the mother of the dead lady, cannot bo genuine, as she- died moro than a year before tho will was nmde.

Tho body of the Countess was esburned, and after <i thorough exam in ai:on tho doctors desk-red that she had hoov. strangled.

Tho lawyer was watcher! hv dcteftives, hufc ho made no attempt whatever to elude them, and went about, h;s' hsjsinesß a-, usual, aborting his in-mcr-nco. Tho otJ'er morniric. on start- ; in.?: from his homo for hiV office Ik- ' r-nrmxl. tl>afc a warrant for hh nrro^t <.:'>.'] beou i.tc,,. f . f ] yr o , irofMlo ,i e ,j f. } j.j lfl ! offir-o of tho cipputv-shofifF. but. not fiivl- ! Hit-: limi, went to his o-.vn law chambers ' nnd waited there until bo was j;rr.\*t■••<!' ,' '■>n beiriK taken into cn=tr;dv ho trie ' nhonwl to ] t i«i wife, telling her not to v-orrv, am! that ho wp.4 certain of pro.- | in': In: innocL-nr^e.

Thc-ro arc allegations against Mr «»!i)von in connection , v ;th tno ,i;-, annPa ,. ;7°" n/ f V" ral pf '"'s o';ont«. Otin «r tht*£ .-« bcn.fr mvcstJqat-Pil by tlir» Pnh- i >•" I rosormtor. at tho ins+anen of ib- ' •i '!"& (Jonisul!'-r Offi^- It, is stitor] ' r ''V '"T ">I-'opto:l £1000 fof Mr. I K. () .Noill. who has mvßtoriouslv ' • Jisr.pnparml. Mr. Ril>-on «-V«hres thn* '■ »'-• 2; 'k] *ho ip.onoy to tho Trislimnn, and th«t ho has goSn noihinjr of him sinro I hero is a, third cnse of a Mrs Alio« ~' n,' ia' nJ fiO h' clipnt of thp Ia "'cr. who rliofl Tinder suspicious circumstances \\' [ t"°, "oliee aro sc-okine: to connort him with th© fffmr. Tfc is alJe^d tV.nt. . n f-rery coM.Mr. Hih^n has b^n-irtc-1 by th« death of h;s cl'ents.