She had undoubtedly been so horrified that she had thereupon insisted upon dissolving her engagement to marry him, and had threatened to inform her father of the horrible plot.

She had never really wished to marry Van Torp, but had accepted him in deference to her father's wishes.

He was known to be devoting himself at that very time to a well-known primadonna engaged at the Metropolitan Opera, and Miss Bamberger probably had some suspicion of this.

Witness said the motive seemed sufficient, considering that the accused had already twice taken human life.

His choice lay between killing her and falling into the power of his partner.