The Kabakik Killing

Headline from March 13, 1922 "Trenton Evening Times."

This is the tale of a 1920s-era murder in the historic West Windsor community of Princeton Junction.

Historical Overview

In the early morning of March 18, 1922, a man was stabbed to death in Princeton Junction. Stephen Kabakik, 38 years old, died in in Trenton's St. Francies Hospital as the result of a stab wound over the heart.[1],[2] Stephen, a Hungarian immigrant, left behind a wife, Anna (also from Hungary), and their children: Stephen Jr., Anna Jr., and Michael.[3] He also left behind his mother.[4]

The culprit? A man named Mike Bekade, who was boarding in Stephen's house.[5] The same day as the stabbing, Mike was arrested after Anna told police her husband had sought to quiet him after complaints had been made by other occupants of the house that his singing and general noisiness was keeping them up. She also claimed that Mike had been drinking and was "in a fighting mood."[6]

On the day of the stabbing, the Trenton Evening Times reported: "Resenting the entrance of [Stephen] into his room, [Mike] ... made a threatening gesture with a penknife ... with the evident intent of disarming the man, [Stephen] advanced toward him and received the full force of the weapon's thrust into his breast. John McKellen, an employee of the Pennsylvania Railroad, who lives in the house adjoining the home of the dead man, was aroused from his slumber by his wife, who had heard the angry words and a scuffle next door. A short time later [Anna] rushed to the home of her neighbors with the information that her husband had been stabbed and was dying. McKellen rushed from the house to investigate. He was joined a few minutes later by Raymond Kocher of Woodland Street, Trenton, a railroad signalman ... Arrangements were at once made for the removal of the wounded man to [Trenton] and the authorities were notified. McKellen and Kocher placed the victim on a train ... [In Trenton] Reserve Officer Kennedy and Chauffer Cantwell were ready with the ... ambulance to rush Kabakik to the hospital, but he was pronounced dead when the [train pulled into Trenton] ... County Detective Stevenson, Lieut. Ennis, Sergts Kennedy and Smith ... and members of the State constabulary ... are said to have found the alleged slayer asleep ... in a befuddled condition due to drink.[7]

Princeton Junction train station in 1910. This is also how it looked at the time of Kabakik's death.

For his part, Mike was jailed without bail and indicted on a murder charge by a grand jury.[8] However, he pleaded self-defense.[9]  Besides Anna, another important witness was Joseph Yelenak, who shared the room with Mike and was present during the murder.[10]

About three weeks after the killing, an exhaustive process selected a jury of twelve. One of those not selected for the jury was John J. Bergen of Trenton, who, according to one newspaper, declared "that he would not like to have any part in the sending of a man to the electric chair. He ... had served on three battle fronts during the World War and felt reluctant to assume any further responsibility for death."[11]

Although nine women were called as potential jurors out of a pool of 48, all women were dismissed "because of the probability that such (murder trial juries) would have to be kept intact for several days." This was a new policy announced by Supreme Court Justice Trenchard at the opening of Mike's trial.[12]

At the trial, Mike told a much-different story. He alleged that "he and Yelenak were in their room when Stephen suddenly entered and, with an oath, seized him by the throat ... a struggle ensued during which he was choked almost senseless and ... only as a last resort did he seize a knife and defend himself."[13]

However, Anna told a much different tale. According to her, Mike and Stephen otherwise had a cordial relationship. On the night of the killing, "[Mike] and Telenak were dancing and singing in their room ... and refused to desist when asked by Kabakik, who finally arose from his bed to reason with them ... her husband ... had advanced a step or two [into their room] when he received the knife thrust and fell into their arms ... supporting her husband with one arm, the wife ... sought to wrest the weapon from [Mike and] received a fash across her hand."[14]

Interpretive AI drawing.

Another witness was Anna Jr. According to the Trenton Evening Times, the 11-year-old told the courtroom that "She had followed her parents ... and the horror of what had happened there appears to have left an indelible imprint," further saying that "there had been no preliminary struggle and denied that her father had seized [Mike] by the throat." The newspaper also noted the "total absence of any manifest ill-feeling on the part of [Anna] and [Anna Jr.] toward the man accused of the slaying. Both alluded to him as 'Mike,' speaking the name without rancor or hatred, at times with a softness of tone which almost conveyed an impression of pity."[15]

Prosecutor Oliphant asked for a conviction of murder in the first degree.​[16] After three hours of deliberation on April 6, 1922, the jury gave it to him.[17] However, Mike immediately appealed. A secondary hearing on April 22 found inconsistencies in Anna and Anna Jr.'s testimony compared to what they had told other people.[18]

Yet, it was not enough to convince the court, for Mike had admitted to the killing. Time was racing for he was set to be executed by electric chair on May 22.[19] On April 15, he was placed on death row.[20]

However, on May 2, Mike's counsel, emphasizing an otherwise good relationship between him and Stephen, was successful was successful in making a plea for mercy. His sentence was instead changed to life imprisonment.[21] Nothing further is known about his life, and it's presumed he died in prison.

Interpretive AI drawing.

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Bibliography

1. "Drunken Boarder Held for Murder." Trenton Evening Times. March 18, 1922.
2. "Man Fatally Stabbed by Boarder in Home." New York Evening Journal. March 18, 1922.
3. United States Census, 1920 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1920.
4. "Drunken Boarder Held for Murder." Trenton Evening Times. March 18, 1922.
5. "Dies of Stab Wounds." Perth Amboy Evening News. March 18, 1922.
6. "Drunken Boarder Held for Murder." Trenton Evening Times. March 18, 1922.
7. "Two Indicted on Murder Charges." Trenton Evening Times. March 24, 1922.
8. "Trial May Last Several Days." Trenton Evening Times. April 4, 1922.
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid.
11. Ibid.
12. "No Woman Jurors in Mercer County Murders." New York Evening Journal. April 5, 1922.
13. "Self-Defense is Plea of Slayer." Trenton Evening Times. April 5, 1922.
14. Ibid.
15. Ibid.
16. "Kabakik Murder in Jury's Hands." Trenton Evening Times. April 6, 1922.
17. "Convict Bacskay in First Degree." Trenton Evening Times. April 6, 1922.
18. "Hears Appeal for Convicted Slayer." Trenton Evening Times. April 12, 1922.
19. "Bacskay's Appeal to Pardons Board." Trenton Evening Times. April 13, 1922.
20. "Bacskay is Placed in Prison Death Row." Trenton Evening Times. April 15, 1922.
21. "Pardons Court Commutes Death Sentence." Trenton Evening Times. May 2, 1922.