Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-04
Mystery of Cutting Of Society
Woman Stirred Aiken. S. c.,
Millionaire Colony.

| AIKEN, :. c.. Sept 3.-Frederick G.
/ Beach and Mrs. Beach are expected in
Aiken within a few days for the trial,
set for the September term Of court. in
| which the millionaire clubman is
charged with attacking mis- wife one
moonlight night last February with
! intent to kill"
Though the Beaches are reconciled
and apparently happy again. the pros
ecuting attorney says he is confident of
convicting the wealthy member Of the
winter tourist colony and showing the
fashionable set that it can not violate
South Cardinals laws with impunity.
| Beach and hisswife have been guests
at party on j. Pierpont Morgan's
yacht, the Corsair, in Newport harbor.
the last week. They left the yacht yes
| terday and went to Dark Harbor for a
short stay before coming to Aiken,
where Beach win consult bis attor-
neys. He declares the charge is alb
surd.
NJ. S. Baughn, Of Atlanta. a special
agent VINO acted as detective in the
case, testified at the preliminary hear
ing that he had heard Beach make in
eliminating statements against him
self. A small gold handled knife,
which Mrs. Beach said her assailant
had used, vas afterward found in
| Beach's possession, covered with blood
stains. Beach denied any knowledge
Of the assault and his wife supported
him in his contention
Attack Was Mysterious.
| The attack on Mrs. Beach was a
mysterious affair which disrupted the
colony of miliionaires who make Aiken
their winter home The story that
first gained circulation was to the eff
feet that Mrs. Beach was returning to
/ her home when a strange man, sup
| posed to have been a negro, sprang at
! her knocked her down and then
| slashed her throat with a sharp knife.
The screams of Mrs. Beach when her
assailant frsi SpranG at her attracted
attention. and he was pursued, but
lodged into an alley and escaped. She
swooned and was taken into the house,
where she was attended by a physi-
clan. Afterward she declared that 1t
was negro who attacked her-One
that she did not know and did not re-
member ever having seen before.
In spite of many denials, a rumOr
soon gained circulation which involved
Mr.. Beach in the attack on his wife
It was the subject for a great deal of
/ discussion and speculation among the
members of the New York colony and
fo1L nd -
upon in the local press.
The gossip became so pronounced
that c. Oliver lselin sent a letter to
Mayor Gyles in which he offered
reward Of $500 for the apprehension
and conviction Of the person RESPONSE
BILE for the assault on Mrs. Beach. The
Iselin letter openly rebuked the gos
sips. but. instead e allaying the ru
mors. it had a tendency to increase
them.
Tried to Hush II Up.
The latter spurred the mayor to make
thorough investigation. He did not
issue a statement of the disclosures
which he succeeded in bringing about
and had allowed the colony to think the
matter had been allowed to die a nat
uraI death when, without intimation, he
| caused a warrant to be sworn out for
Beauty" Beach, charging him with as
sauIt and battery on his wife.
! The members of the colony lined up
solidly against the Aiken authorities
and baked the investigation as best
they could. Everything possible was
done to hush up the affair when it was
! found that Mayor Gyles was deter
mined to bring out the true facts in
the case.
Mr.. and Mrs. Beach have a summer
home at Roslyn, l.. H. but spend the
| greater part of the winter at Aiken
or Palm Beach. She was married to
Mr. Beach on November 2S, 1899 at
Grace church The wedding was at
tended by large number of prominent
society folk from New York and other
Eastern cities. William K. Vanderbilt
acted as best man.
Mrs. Beach was the widow of Charles
F. Havemeyer, to whom she was mar
ried in October. 1890. Mr.. Havemever
died suddenly at his home at lslip In
May, 1898. She early became famous
~ f,,.r