The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-06
FREDERICK D. BEACH
TAKES THE STAND IN
OWN DEFENSE TODAY
New York Millionaire to
Tell Story of Assault
on His Wife
MRS. BEACH TO
FOLLOW HUSBAND
Case of State Rests Almost Entirely
Upon Attack on Feasibility of
Beach's Story-Expert Testi-
mony Is Given

Aiken, $. C.. February 5.--Frederick D.
Beach will take the stand In his own
defense when his trial on the charge OF
assauIting his wife is resumed here to-
morrow. This was the plan outlined by
The defense at the close Of court today.
II also is proposed TO have Mrs. Beach
follow the accused New Yorker as a
witness. Since the assault upon her was
committed in the yard of Beach cottage
here on the night of February 26 last.
the story told by Beach and his wife
was never varied. Both have maintained
that Mrs. Beach was attacked by an un-
known negro when she left the house TO
give her dogs an airing
Today the state rested its case which
consisted almost entirely OF an attack
on the plausibility of Beaeh's story. The
introduction of Beach's jeweed pen knife
upon which one OF the states witnesses
claimed TO have found traces of blood
corpuscIes, was held by the prosecution
until the last 1t had been Anticipated
by the defense and they were prepared
TO meet expert testimony with expert
testimony even to the extent of presenting
witness who had examined the knife
and had failed as he swore to find any
blood cells
-Four of the defense's witnesses wers
examined during the afternoon session OF
the court and the testimony OF all them
concerned the knife
DIR. Wyman on Stand
Or. d. Hastings Wyman Jr., the third
physician of the same family to appear
as witness testified at the morning
session that he had made microscopic
o. nat NJ
of Mayor Giles and had found traces of
blood Later he said he took tho nlfs
to Augusta and submitted to Dr e. Il.
Partridge, professor of misrosooules or
the University of Georgia. who he chained
refused to express an opinion as to pres
ence or blood. Then he went to Colllm-
bia and obtained d written opinion there
from Boykin Minis. an ANALYST, that
there was blood on the knife
When the prosecutor announced at tie
opening of the afternoon session that the
state haH preEehlsd itsf cnse the drteiisA
Immediately offered Or. Partridge Is .,f
witness. DR. Partridge testified that Ke
had examined the knife and had informed
DR.. Wyman that there was no blood
there. lie gave the jury very technical
explanation of the manner in which he
had made his examination and was maxi
ing a very good witness for the defense
until Prosecutor Gunter, a master at this
art of cross-examnation, got hold of
him and began subjecting him to a merci-
less third degree" Immediately he be-
came so confused that he was unabls
to answer without long hesitation ques-
tions on the subject which he has made a
life time study. Didn't you refuse 10
put the result of your examination down
in writingg' demanded the prosecutor
The witness did not answer Didn't
your" There was a litter through the
court room when the witness continued
in iii atrts.l1 H.. 4.
he did not wish to make a written re-
port
you we're afraid 1t would fail In the
hands of the state weren't your
mo, was unbiased at that timd'
But you have become biased since
them" haven't your
NO"
Tangled by Cross Examination
Dr. Partridge again became tangled
when the prosecutor questioned him abort
his direct testimony that the knife had
no broken blade when he examined IT,
''Will you swear that the knife had Two
blades?"
Witness hesitated. mo, | don't think
can swear TO It, ~
but you did just now, prodded tho
prosecutor. Witness remained silent for
long time. ~ think it's safer to leave
out the other blade" he then declared.
amid laughter. On his direct examination
DR.. Partridge said that DR.. Wyman ,
brought the knife to him on the morning
of March 20 with a request for an early
report, because he wanted TO stop imam
going out of town who was going TO leave
at three" DIR. Wyrnan on Grass exani-
nation had denied making any such state
ment
Expert testimony was given for the de-
fensc by DIR. 4. r. Oertell OF Augusta,
formerly professor of pathology and nil
croscopy at the University of Georgia. DR..
OerteIl declared that he could find no
flaws In the Technique employed by Or.
Partridge in his examination as d.
scribed in the latters testimony. can
you find flaws in the technique used by
DR. Wyman," asked Attorney Fuller 9f
the defense. Yes" he replied
Anticipating that Prosecutor Gunter
might contend in his summing up aren-
ment that one blade of the knife had beel
broken Off by a blow at Mrs. Beaeh's
throat the defense asked the witness IL
In his opinion 1t could have been broken
in this manner.
Experimental With Negro
DIR. Oertel said that he had made an
experiment on the body of "A negro with
similar knife, inhicting such a wound
as had been made in Mrs Beachs neck
without damage to the knife.
The prosecutor began on the witness
this way:
break off the knife i'm his neck
''I did"
Did he struggle?'
The answer was lost in the laughter
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