Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-24
CHARGE IS MURDER
Deliberate Deed Alleged
AGAINST A. H. Willard.
KILLING OF IRVING w. BECK
Assistant District Attorney Turner
Opens for Government.
DEFENSE MAKES STATEMENT
Evidence Submitted at the Trial of
Man for Causing Death of
Daughters Husband.
DEFENSE MAKES STATEMENT


before Justice Gould. But one possible
eXtenuation suggested by the as
sstant prosecutor, that Willard became
angered at the refusal of Beck to dis
close the whereabouts OF the child-wife,
Dorothy Willard Beck. He broke the
force of this suggestion, however, with
the statement that the father had no
solicitude for the child, but desired mere
ly to end the opportunities of his wife,
who. moved by maternal instincts, was
anxious to learn where her child, from
whom she had not expected the maria sc
ceremony to separate her, could be SEEM
Mr.. Turner declared the evidence would
show that Willard in conversation with
Beck had told the husband that since he
had married the girl she belonged to him
and he could ''cut her throat for all l
care" The men had quarreled over
| money matter, he said, and Willard 60
ing away had threatened his son-in-law.
On the day of the homicide, Mr.. Tur-
ner told the jury, the prisoner visited
two secondhand stores in quest of a pis-
tol and took several drinks to nerve him.
self for the ordeal.
At 1870 o'clock Attorney Taylor for
the defense announced his satisfaction
with the jury as empanelled, after the
defense had exercised sixteen challenges
and the government ten. The accepted
are 1SOTSc I1dtfitiGT, +" lilldHl
B. Murray, John w. Osborne, Harry T.
Wilder, Edward c. Davis, John F. Wal
lace, John E. Fort, James Z. Mulcare,
Giles Pitt, John A. Keppel, James NJ.
Jackson and Gilbert L. Joy. All but one
Of the jurors married and two are
colored
In outlining the governments case to
the jury, Assistant United States Attor-
ney Turner said:
THE defendant stands indicted for the
Toll 70 or II It'll nf
Irving W. Beck by shooting him On the
9Th of May last 1t would appear from
the evidence that on the 10Th day Of APRIL,
before this killing, Beck married a daugh-
ter of Willard, who was at that time
about fourteen or fifteen years of age.
This marriage was with Wizards con-
sent. Willard himself obtaining the Ii
cense. After the marriage Beck lived. as
he had previously done, with his mother.
and Mrs. Beck had her home with her
father.
Father Makes Demand.
1T will further appear that some two
or three days before the killing Willard
came to Beck's store and demanded that
he remove the child from his (Wilard's)
home, and Beck agreed to do this. At
this interview it will be shown that Viii
lard demanded money Of Beck. and
abused and threatened him.
1T will also appear that OH the day
that Willard demanded that Beck should
Beck did take his wife to a house on In
diana. avenue In this city, and that after
this interview Willard was net acquainted
with the whereabouts of Mrs. Beck.
'On the night before the shooting Will
lard again appeared 1t the store and en-
deavored to learn where Mrs. Beck was
located, saying at the time he did not
care personally anything about it: that so
far as he was concerned the girl belonged
to Beck, he having married her, and that
for all he cared Beck might cut her
throat. but that his wife was anxious to
know Of her whereabouts.
Shooting Takes Place.
Beck replied that he would talk to his
wife, and that if she was willing he would
let the Willards know where she was liv-
ing. The next day, about noon, Willard
came into the store, inquired what Dor
othy (aIrs. Beck had said. and was tod
by Beck that she was unwilling to let her
parents know where she was living
whereupon Willard drew a revolver and
shot Beck three times
Synopsis of Evidence.
the Casualty Hospital, had described the
condition of Beck when brought to the
hospital and told of his death, Deputy
Coroner Glazebrook testified to the au-
topsy performed by him, which disclosed
death from gunshot wounds.
Frederick p. Zuschmitt, a brother in
law of the deceased, was the next wit
ness He testified that Willard came
into the store and said
Beck, what is she going to dor
Beck answered: She does not want to
come home and did not want you to
know where she is. -
The defendant, witness said, Immediate
1y commenced firing. When Willard en-
tered Beck was waiting upon u customer
A few days before shooting Willard came
into the store and said to Beck: Are
you going to take her away?" Beck
said yes Willard said: We'll then,
have q pill for you and you will get it."
Edward H. Hoffman, who was a clerk
for Beck. then went upon the witness
stand and related to the jury the same
conversation told by the preceding wit
ness He added that after the shooting
he went to 1O6 Indiana avenue and took
Dorothy to the hospital.
On cross-examination witness was asked
by Mr. Taylor If Willard did not ask
Beck, Where is my little girl, Dorothy?''
Mr.. Hoffman denied hearing such state
ment.
Statement by Eyewitness.
Gilbert T. Jackson. an engineer. was
the next witness. He testified that he
was in the Beck store and a man. wa ked
in and said: will you or will You not?"
The man behind the counter said: Il will
not" Then the man in front of the coun-
ter fired three shots and ran. The wit
ness said he grabbed Willard and, over
towering him. held him until assistance
came. Willard said, If l killed him /
am the happie:t man on earth, and If l
did not l am the sorriest."
Adolph Arneson was next sworn as
witness and told the jury that on the
day of the shooting he heard three shots
and ran in the direction from which the
sound came. That when he neared the
store he saw Willard and jackson come
struggling out of the store. When wit
ness came near the two men Willard ask
is not l am the most misera BILE man on
earth
Rebecca Davis, colored, testified that
the Tuesday before the shooting Willard
came into the store and with an oath
told Beck that eff he did not fork uu
$40 or SIS he would take his buttons ;"
Rachel Tibbles. also colored, told the
Jury that the night before the shooting
Willard came on the porch of the Beck
home and asked for Beck. When Beck
came out Willard asked for Dorothy, TO
which Beck replied She is in a good
place" Willard then said, according to
the witness: 1T is nothing to me. It's
all the old womans doings. 1 don't care
if you cut her throat; but the old wom-
an wants to know where she is
Eliza Scott, colored, testified that Will
lard on the day of the tragedy came to
cacrrd .ta p6 store where she WAS en-