Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-03
Mystery of Cutting of Society
Woman Stirred Aiken. S. c.,
Millionaire Colony.

AIKEN. s. g., Sept S.-Frederick G.
Beach and Mrs. Reach are expected in
Aiken within 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 tmpunity.
| Beach and his wife have been guests
at a party on j. Pierpont Morgans
| yacht, the Corsair, in Newport harbor
the last week. They left the yacht yes
| terday and went to Dark Harbor for
short stay before coming to Aiken,
where Beach win consult his 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. \ small gold -handled4 knife,
which Mrs. Beach said her assailant
| had used, vas afterward found in
/ Beach's posse ssion, covered with blood
stains Beach denied any knowledge
of the assault and mis- wife supported
him in his contention.
! Attack Was Mysterious.
The attack on Mrs. Beach was
mysterious affair, which disrupted the
colony Of millionaires who make Aiken
their winter home. The story that
/ first gained circulation was to the ef-
! 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 first spranG IT 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 physi-
clan. Afterward she declared that it
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, rumor
soon gained circulation which involved
! Mr.. Beach in the attack on his wife.
II was the subject for a great deal OF
discussion and speculation among the
members of the New York colony and
local society folk, and was commented
upon in the local press.
! The gossip became 50 pronounced
that G. Oliver Iselin sent letter to
Mavor Gyles in which he offered a
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 tendency to increase
them.
Tried to Hush It Up.
The latter spurred the mayor to make
a 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 nat
ural death when, without lntlmatlon, ne
caused a warrant to be sworn out for
Beauty" Beach charging him with as
sault 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.. J., but spend the
greater part of the winter at Aiken
or Palm Beach She was married to
Mr. Beach on November IS, 1893, at
Grace church The wedding was at
tended by large number of prominent
society folk from New York and other
Eastern cities. William X. Vanderbilt
acted as best man
| Mrs. Beach was the widow of Charles
F. Havemeyer to whom she was mar
ried in October, 1890. Mr.. Havemeyer
died suddenly at his home at Islip in
May, 1898 She early became famous
as a horsewoman and was an inveter-
ate follower Of the hounds.