The daily gazette., 1883-04-25
MRS. BEACHAMP'STRIAL
A GOOD OPENING FOR THE
DEFENSE.
STRONG EVIDENCE EXCLUDED
A Crowded Court Room Attracted by
Caroline County's Famous Poisoning
Case-First Days Proceedings.

DENTON, Nd, April 24.-Almost by day.
light people began to arrive to attend the
trial of Mrs. Francis Belle Beachamp, for the
poisoning of her husband, Martin Beachamp.
The court house bell called the assemblage
together at 10 O'Clock. A little apartment
OF 40 by 30 in extent made very close pack
ing for those who could get inside and left a
numerous contingent to the hospitality of
pelting rain outside the door. His Honor
Judge Stump occupied the bench. During
the drawing of the jury Mrs. Beachamp sat
in the prisoners box. She was attired
in Widows weeds OF plainest material,
that fitted her lily. Her face could hardly
be seen through thick Grape veil Once,
when she lifted it to whisper to her counsel,
1t could be observed that her recent sick
ness was no shamming, but had left traces
indicating that any but a very determined
woman would still have been abed. After
the jury had been drawn and charged Mrs.
Beachamp was permitted TO sit close behind
her counsel. The only other females in the
courtroom were Mrs. William f. Linden,
the wife of Mrs. Beachamps only brother,
and Mrs. George Towers, Mrs. Beachanp's
sister.
THE JURY DRAWN AND SWORN.
Little time was wasted in getting a jury,
both sides manifesting purpose to accept
any person whose intelligence was equal to
and sworn Thomas +. Cochran, Matthew
Carey, John R. Griffin, John F. Fleetwood,
Joseph Douglass, Henry c. Culbreth,
Earnest Downes, William NJ. Mowbray,
Charles H. Whitby, Joseph B. Orwell, VIII
liam Massey and Richard T. Carter. Nine
of the members are farmers, two are mer-
chants and one plasterer. They look like
jury above the average intelligence.
After 10 minutes recess District Attor-
mt fnn tha 20 f,,
an hours address.
THE FIRST WITNESS.
Thomas Lewis was the first witness. He
is a man of middle age, and of the laboring
class. He testified that he lived within a
short half mile of Martin Beachamp's house.
He was summoned to Beachamp's house by
Homer Fleetwood, on December 81, about9 8
O'Clock in the morning He hurried there,
and found Mrs. Beachamp sitting crying
beside her husband, who lay on the bed,
Witness asked if he did not want a doctor.
He said no; he said his misery was in his
head. He would not have a pillow under
his head "These things come on by spells"
he said. He was kind of jerking and quiv-
ering in his shoulders. 81 want you TO
stay by me till / die" Beachamp said
afterward. Mrs. Beachamp said nothing
during this time. She was crying. He held
witness arms when he died ,notmore than five
minutes after witness arrived. Mrs. Beach
amp asked several times whether he was
dead, and at last witness told her that he
was
"Ohl what will do with these poor lit
tie children" she cried. She afterward
said that Martin had come home so cold
and chilly that she had to help him unhar-
ness the horse. He was sick all night and
she was sick too, so that they had no supper
and no breakfast. She said nothing about
poison until after the inquest. Mrs. Beach
amp said then that if he got poison she did
not know where he got it.
Lewis, by close questioning, was got to
admit that Mrs. Beachamp spoke about
poison the morning that Beachamp died,
and that she said further that If there was
any poison about the house she had never
seen it. The States Attorney questioned
the witness to show that James Ahearn was
the second person who visited the house
after Beachamp's death, that he began to
measure the corpse at once and went away
to get coffin before the body was cold.
This was supposed to establish the States
hypothesis of colluson and mutual guilty
knowledge of Mrs. Beachamp and Ahearn.
The defense objected that no conspiracy had
been charged, hence the State must prove
that Mrs. Beachamp had authorized, con-
sented to or was aware of such action on
Ahearn's part; otherwise the testimony
WOulu Dt lTTtlCNdub.
THE JUDGES RULING.
Judge Wickes, who had taken his place
on the bench during the discussion, ruled
that the objection of the defense was well
taken. District Attorney Bryant declared
that the whole bottom was out of the Com
monwealth's case unless they were permitted
to show the isolated facts which, taken to-
gether, formed the circumstantial chain of
evidence to mutual guilty knowledge. If
the defense had insisted, it is likely that a
speedy ending of the case would have been
reached.
Counsellor Charles H. Gibson, who is
assisting the prosecution, by happy
euphuism, suggested concerted action in
stead of conspiracy as the hypothesis of the
State, and argued ably that it would be ad
missible if hereafter they should prove
knowledge or guilty purpose on the priso-
ner's part. Counsellor Russum consented
to have the questions asked, provided the
Court ordered the answers stricken out II
they should prove irrelevant under the pre-
vious ruling.
The questions were accordingly asked,
but witness Lewis developed surprisingly
defective memory. He could not reeollect
anything said or done by Ahearn, Mrs
Beachamp or any of the neighbors whD
came in after the death. Mr.. Bryant was
still questioning him in the hopes of re-
freshing his memory when the hour Tor
evening recess came and the court arose.
The court will hold night sessions, and It
is the orpneral onininn that Mrs Raapha