Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-10-30
Clarence Woodwork Faces Jury
on Criminal Assault Charge.
ALLEGED VICTIM ON THE STAND
Mrs. Foretich Makes Positive State
ment. Accusing the Prisoner-cours
Room Cleared Of Spectators Should
Go 10 Jury Today.

After the entire morning had hcc,
spent i'll diSpnsing OF :: motion for (:
continuance ana In getting seven in
rcrS, the panel was completed ycstcr
day afternoon and the trial of Clar
cncc Woodwork. accused OF crim,na,
~ assau!ting Mrs. Rosa Eorctich. be
gan in the Cooperation Court. Five
Witnesses for the Commonwealth. In
Guiding Mrs. Forctich. were examined
ana the Commonwealth would hav
closed It's case had IL been possible Ia
get the last witness, Il man who is
said Ia have seen the prisoner fleeing
irom Il crowd that was searching Tor
him on the morning IF the assault.
Should Finish Today.
There will be only one or two wit
hesscs Tor the defense and IL Is OK
pected that the case will 10 To The
jury This morning or early in the al.
ternoon. = Jhs 4
commemorative Attorney C. w
Robinson is being assisted in the
prosecution by Mr.. Allan ID. Jones,
retained by the family of the alleged
victim. MIR. T.. S. Robinson. appain,.
ed by the court, is defending the
prisoner a brother-in.law OF the ac,
cuseu, Clayton lIotbeckeI of Whining
ton, Del. reached here yesterday and
was in the court room all day. MIR.
Hatbecker is a conductor on the Penn.
sylvania Railroad.
Motion For Continuance.
MI Robinson moved that the case
be continued until the nuyt torn of
court. on the ground that his client
had not had time To communicate ant
confer with his relatives. After hear.
ing the argument, the Judge over.
ruled the motion. stating that he was
of the opinion that public policy de
manded that such cases be hisnoscd
of as speedily as possible. provided
there was no undue excitement In tho
community to prevent the court in
securing n proper jury.
The principal witness was Mrs
Foretich. The court room was cleared
of spectators while she was on the
stand Sobb!ng at intervals and. an.
parently, Oh the verge of Mysteries.
the witness told her story.
Mrs. Foretich's Statement.
In effect she made the following
statement: About o'clock on the
morning of October 81, when she wa.
sleeping in room ut her home. 32(
Forty-second street, with her fonl
children in the room. two OF them be
ing in bed with her. some one got
into bed with her until she was MS
saulted she thought ii was her hus
band. Becoming thoroughly awake ANA
recognizing WOodworth one of her
boardcrs, she began to scream ant
threw the man off. She ran to the
door, meeting her husband. who ha,
been sleeping in small room ad
joining. She held the door until her
husband brought light and entered
the room. Then, after Il scuiile Wool
wort broke away from or husband
and fled from the house, leaving hi.
coat in the room.
Other Witnesses.
Frank Foretch, husband of the al
legged victim, testified that he wa:
awakened by his wife's screams ant
then made a statement corroboratin
his wife's evidence. Mrs. Joseph Ha
gan testified that she had been sittin,
up with sick friend and that as sh,
was crossing the street on her wa,
nome about 1880 o'clock she saw
Woodwork going into Mrs. Fore
tich's house. Joseph Hagan. brothc
of Mrs. Foretich, told of hearing hi!
sisters screams from his house sey
eral doors away.
a young man who boards in Mrs
Foretichs house testified that he vas
awakened by the sceams and ran out
in the, hall to find Mrs. Foretich hold
ing the door of her room. She woul,
do nothing but scream and he did no
! know what was the matter until the
door had been opened AMI Woodwork
made his escape.
The court adjourned late IN the Of
ternoon after waiting for some tim
for the missing witness. The tria
will be resumed this morning at II
o'clock.
1t Is understood that the accuse,
will plead that he was drunk and die