The Portland daily press., 1888-04-13
FOR NUMBERING HIS FATHER.
Young Charles BeaI Firmly Pleads
Not Guilty to the Charge,
In the Crowded Court Room at Au.
gusta Yesterday.
circumstances Connected with the
Mysterious Death Recalled.
lspecial to the Press.l


father, c. c. Beal, ON the 18th day Of last
February, opened in the Superior Court at
10 a. m. today. The circumstances surround
ing the crime are of peculiarly mysterious
character. On the day in question, at about
245 p. M. Mr.. Beal proceeded to the cellar
of his store and drank from q bottle of
liquor, which was secreted in glass fruit
can, and had been taken from barrel con-
tanning some thirty-three other bottles. He
remained in his store about twenty minutes,
and then started for his ice house, about GO
rods distant 1t is supposed that he was
then feeling i'll, for, after giving some direc-
tions, he met a neighbor and told him he was
very sick. The neighDor took Mr.. Beal into
the sleigh. and they drove by the latter's
house, into another neighbor's door yard.
turned about and came back, the sick man
thinking that he might feel better But he
did not, and when he arrived at his own
home he was unable to leave the sleigh with
out assistance. He was taken into the
house, and in little over half an hour died,
undoubtedly from strychnine poisoning. The
son, George, who also drank from the bottle,
was very sick, and his life was saved only
after great exertion by DR.. Tash. Enough
strychnine was found in the bottle from
which they drank to kill hundred men, and
strychnine was also found in the stomach of
the deceased Charles Beal, the oldest son,
was arrested for the crime. He is defended
by Judge w. q. Hall and Warren Philbrook,
ESQ.,, of Waterville. Attorney General .. ID.
Baker and County Attorney l.. L. Carleton
represent the government.
There was good sized crowd OF specta-
tors present, although there was no such
jam as at the Stain trial The prisoner was
brought in at 1920 a. M, and walked to the
dock with q firm step. He is almost boy,
being but IA years OF age. and his face IS
beardless and somewhat flushed. His hair
and eyes are dark. In stature he is about
the average height, and wears dark checked
coat and brown pants today. while light
brown felt hat covered his head. Mrs. Beal,
the prisoners mother, and his brother George
were in the court room, occupying seats out
was was also ss wit With her. Young Beal, on Being
arraigned, answered, in firm voice. to the
clerk interrogatory, 'Not guilty, SIR
The empanelling of the jury was proceed
ed with, and the following gentlemen accept
ed L. serve as Jurors; ". d. Bruce, Augns-
Chelsea; Charles 7. Fuller, Hallowell; VIM.
7. Searle, Chelsea; E. L. Trafton, Gardiner;
Charles o. Edgecomb, Hallowell; Orrln E.
Towle, West Gardiner; David G. Sopher,
Pittston; William b. Neal, Gardiner; Mar
tin A. Gilman, Hallowell. At the noon ad-
journment. the array had been exhausted,
and eleven jurors secured. Venires were
sent out for four more men from which TO
complete the panel.
Afternoon Session.
The completion of the panel was proceed
ed with, and William A. Carlin of Augusta
secured as the twelfth man. There were
seventeen challenges in all, of which five
were made by the government Eight men
were excused for various reasons.
County Attorney Carleton opened the case
for the government, making statement of
facts to show that Mr.. Beal was murdered
by strychnine placed in the bottle of liquor
from which Christopher C. Beal drank, by
his son Charles. The proof that Charles
was the murderer would be almost wholly
Mr.. Beal and his son had
more or less trouble, and about two weeks
before the murder there was difficulty be-
tween them, and the father discharged him.
But he continued to live at his fathers house
and we shall show that repeatedly he watch
I'd the store, and when his father departed
entered it. We shall also show that Charles
asked Mr.. Wood Dixon, clerk in the store. Ii
business. Mr.. Dixon will also testify that
Charles was in the habit of calling his
father hard names and they had frequent
that once when Mr., Beal passed
through the store he said, There goes the
= old fool, and III put stop. to him be-
brother, will testify that one day ne saw
Charles sweetening liquor in the cellar with
nolasses that the brother frequently dis |
,Issed what they would do if their father |
was taken away; that when he had been
thinking on the afternoon of the fatal day |
sem. twice Charles, who was carrying him |
nome, asked him anxiouSly il he had drank |
from the bottle in the cellar.
1t would be proved that Charles ceased |
drinking the liquor in the cellar after the |
tow with his father, and that he once said |
she old man would die before he drank |
Ill there was in the barrel; that the liquor |
IN the fatal bottle had been sweetened; |
witnesses would be introduced to show |
Charles's related how he had once got bot |
hat he threw it down the scuttle of "Cush' |
Browns stable where it was afterwards |
found and the contents, gray sediment. on |
being analyZed ascertained to be strychnine; |
also to show that Charles denied being in |
Waterville more than once during the win
nine there; while he really was in the city
several time, and once not long before his |
fathers death entered Mr.. McManus's drug
store and wanted to purchase strychnine but |
could not obtain it; that he asked the drug |
yist how much strychnine it would take to
kill man, and the reply was not more
Than dose of epson Salts" that Charles |
then said, 81 guess when the old man gets |
hat it will surprise him." that l.. ID. Carver,
Esq, of Waterville, was in the store and |
heard the conversation.
Seventeen witnesses were sworn. by the
and the first one called was a
surveyor, Ira 4. Getchell, of Vassalboro, who |
rad made plans of the Brown stable, the
Beal premises, and the McManus drug store
n Waterville, which he presented to the jury
md made explanations.
Joseph L. Rolfe of Clinton testified: On
he day of the tragedy was exercising my
horse in the street. | met Mr.. Beal opposite
Billings's blacksmith shop and he said he
lad started to take a walk to his ice house,
iot feeling we'll. He asked me take him into
ain him. The witness described how
le took Mr.. Beal to the house
md he and another man carried him
INDOORS, as he was unable to walk. Mr..
3eal said once, pull off my boots. and turn
ne over" He died in fifteen minutes. At
er he was brought in / saw him have sew
,ral convulsions and his legs and arms felt
,igid. Charles passed through the room
where his father was in his death throes but
lid not stop.
JUlu . LtWlo VI OllubOu was CdilCu.
i've about twenty rods from Mr., Beale's.
Was in his house the day he was brought
nto the house in convulsions, but did not
stay until he died. Was there when George
was brought in sick. At the time | went
directly to the cellar and obtained the bottle
If liquor from which Mr.. Beal is said to have
frank, finding it by the side of a glass jar.
Mr.. Dixon discovered it, handed it to me and
took it home and finally gave it to DR.. Tash
think when / went into the room he said
1t is in my leg several of us rubbed him."
Francis p. Furber a resident of Clinton,
estifed: 81 was at the house or the day Of
Mr.. Beaps death. 1t was AS D: m. when l
vent in and 500 when he died. rubbed one
Il his hands and he was in violent convul-
ions. He did not say much but once be-
ween commissions / heard him mutter.
Damn critters, pizen, pizen, pizen. just
s he was breathing his last when l thought
le was dead he whispered boys"
Cross examination-"Therew was no connec,,
ion between the words "pizen' and critters
Charles took hold of his fathers hand once,
md heard the latter say, take care Oh MI.
dorse." . "a,
Ethelbert C. Wood, lof Clinton, said Il
Helped carry Mr. Beal into the house from
Mr.. Rolfe's sleigh, and staid by him until ne
lied; was present when George was DrougnI
n, and Charles helped carry him. Heard
Mr.. Beal say, rub my legs pull on my
ooots;' those damn critters has poisoned
D not PesSRsa Peooset of sesag 3 dSaTs take
ather's band or rub him. Was in the store