The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-04
Expects to Prove That
He Did Not At
tack Wife.
TRIAL TO BEGIN
AT AIKEN TO-DAY
Mrs. Beach Will Be Star Witness
for Defense, She Steadfastly
Having Maintained Husbands
Observation-Disclosures De-
PENDANT Will Take Stand
in His Own Behalf.

Aiken. :. C., February 3.-Fred-
erick .. Beach. Prominent New
York Millionaire. Will be placed
on trial here tomorrow charged
with assault and battery. with
intent 10 XIII his wife, Camilla Morse
Have mcyer Beach. Mrs. Beach IS eN-
pected TO l.. the star witness for the
defense. for she has steadfastly main
talned that she was not attacked By
her husband
Prospects were tonight that the
trial would consume not more than
two days The jury Will De selected
from venire Of thirty six men. most
OF whom are farmers. In spite OF
the publicity given tina case in the
newspapers, litile trouble IS anticipat-
cd In securing jury.
Prosecutor x. I. Gunter declared to-
night that ne had a prima facie case
against Beach. but The large array OF
legal talent which the latter has rus
tered in his defense expressed conf
d-nce in its ability 10 establish Beach's
innocence.
Eight Witnesses for state.
Eight witnesses have been subpoe-
naed BY the prosecution. They include
Herbert T. Gyles May. OF Aiken. 10
whom Beach showed the pocket knife
with which the prosecution alleges he
slashed his wife's throat: Sheriff II. II.
Howard, who WAS chief Of police AZ the
lime. : Z Holley. the rural police
man. who brought about Beachs ar
rest, and A *. Lorenz, editor of
local paper. who found blood stained
fence paisng near the Beach home.
As far as is now known. only three
witnesses will be put on the stand
by the defense. Mrs. Beach probably
will be the first: Miss Marion Hillins,
OF New York, who was a guest at the
Beach home here the night of the
assault IS expected TO be a witness.
and Beach probably will take the
stand himsetf
The assault on Mrs. Beach was COM
rnitted on the night OF February IS.
last Some one struck her over the
head with a heavy instrument and in
iicted a Jagged cut in her throat. ap
parently with pocket knife. Beach
was arrested on April charged with
the assault, the police contending that
ne had attacked her behind the iaun-
dry that stood near the Beach hons
after he had failed to catch a white
man in gray suit" who fed at his
approach.
In spite of the fact that Mrs. Beach
stoutly maintained that she had been
assaulted by negro. whose motive
was robbery. the city authorities en-
ployed a detective to work up the case.
and upon the information ne presented
TO the grand jury Beach was indicted
Prosecutor Gunter to-day took by
consent the testimony of Miss Laliah
Wyman, who is too i'll to appear as a
witness. Miss Wyman. the daughter
of a prominent physician who lives
directly across the street from the
Beach home. is alleged to have seen
the mysterious man in gray" running
away from the scene about the time
of the assault.
Finds Blood on Knife.
Counsel for the defense also waived
objection to the introduction OF the re-
port of Boyden Minis, a Colum bia
chemist, who examined Beach's pocket
knife. In his report, Minis said that
IN his opinion several spots found
about the base of a broken blade were
blood corpuscles.
Judge J. ". Spain will preside over
the Aiken County Court of General
Sessions. in which Beach will be tried.
Prosecutor Gunter will conduct the
States case unaided. Colonel d. s.
Henderson. of Aiken. will be in charge
Thomas 5. Fuller. of New York; Con-
Of the defense. and will he assisted by
gresham James +. Byrnes. ]. B. Salley
and W. Q. Davis. all Of Aiken
The winter colony does not appear
to be unusually excited over the trial
and few persons of prominence are
here especially for it. Beach and his
wife have remained close TO their
hotel since their arrival here last
week, and have discussed the case only
with their lawyers. Under the laws
of the state. assault with intent to kill
is not a felony