The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-20
Attorney Pleads for Acquittal
of Rev. Beers.
At Same Time DenOunces
Catholic Church.
CAUSE PREACHERS TROUBLES
Testimony of States
Witnesses.
Prefers Tribute of Preachers
Wakarusa Neighbors.

Catholic church and its "pernicious"
influence over Mrs. Laura Beers, and
a vivid picture of the Methodist min
lister who is charged with killing his
wife as a man of sterling qualities, a
passionately devoted husband and
father, and a good Christian charac-
ter, were contained in the closing ad-
dress in behalf of the defense by John
j. Schenck in the w. L. Beers murder
case this morning. Schenck consumed
the entire morning with his address.
There remains yet the closing address
for the state by County Attorney Will
liam e. Atchison, that will consume
much of the afternoon. The case may
go to the jury late this afternoon.
Schenck referred many times dur
ing his address to the 'fat priest from
Ohio" Father John P. Kunert, and
characterized him a "perjurer of
the worst type" He called attention
to what he said Atchison had said in
the opening argument in the case
with reference to Beers being "hu-
man monster" and human tiger" and
declared he could not imagine the
quiet, peace-loving, God-fearing
preacher anything approaching the
animal he was painted.
Schenck also referred several times
to the states witnesses from Ohio, in
c1uding Father Kunert of New Wash
ington, and Harry Black and E. G..
Estates contemplate. lying hirelings
from Ohio" and declared it was neces-
sary to bring three Catholics here in
a vain effort to prove that the minis
ter had abused the wife the attorney
says he loved.
Much of his argument referred to
the Catholic church and it's doctrines,
and he declared even at the last, when
Beers was attempting to get his wife
to come home. that the Influence of
the Topeka priest at st. Francis hos
pital held her back. He said the
woman was a grand, good. noble
the Catholics He did not see how
she had stayed out of an insane asy-
1um as long as she had. he said, with
the contending influences about her.
He Blamed Catholic Church.
He declared that the "damnabIe doc
trine'' of the Catholic church was re-
sponsible for the estrangement between
Beers and his wife. The doctrine in
question was that a Catholic woman
married to a Protestant must needs Sc
cure from him an agreement that her
children may be raised in the Catho-
lie faith or lose her soul.
'NThe wonder to me is that the Door
woman was not in an insane asylum
long ago. he said Every time she
met a priest she would be told that
she must leave the man she loved bet
ter than all the world, or she would
lose her soul.
go with me for a moment to the
little Methodist church in Lexington,
Neb.," he exclaimed passionately, "and
see this Catholic wife, inspired by the
hottest of all emotions, lec her little
8-year-old stepson to the altar and
there take upon herself the vows of
Methodism. She was doing what she
believed would please the husband she
loved, and what ~ conscience urged
her to do, and she intended to throw
off the yoke of Catholicism. But there
was an evil influence at work. If you
catch wild animal from the jungles
it may be happy for a time, but al
ways there will creep in the longing
for the wilds again. This evil inf1u-
ence in the life of this woman. the
seed of Catholicism that she could not
be rid of, grew like a canker in her
soul until it led her to abandon the
man and the children she loved, and
took her away from everything that
made life worth while
Schenck said that instead of proving
Beers a human monster as testified
to by Mr.. Atchison in his opening argu-
ment, the state only had proved him
to be the kindest of husbands and the
most devoted. He said the only evi-
dence against him was that given by
the county attorney in his opening
argument, and that of the states con
temptible lying hirelings from Ohio )"
"And not a syllable of the charge
made against this man in the openins
argument has been proved not a
syllable he declared
The Threat of Excommunication.
Schenck declared, in connection with
the testimony of Father John p.
Kunert, of New Washington, fnasmucT1
as he had testified that an attempt to
secure the signing of an agreement that
her children might be raised in the
Catholic faith was not enough, but that
such an agreement must actually be
secured, and then he pictured the tor
ment of a Catholic idea of ex-communf-
cation.
"And when this priest told you how
Mrs Beers said her husband had
abused her, he told falsehoods," the at
torney said. eff ever there was a per-
iurer this man was one
He characterized in a similar manner
the testimony of Harry Black, of Ohio
accusing the attorney of wilfully mis-
quoting the Catholic doctrine to save
himself from an admission that Mrs.
Beers must secure the agreement re-
ferre.1 to or remain forever out of the
church.
AS to Witness Staley.
'tStaley didn't lie any more when he
said he was Methodist than he lied
at any other time Schenck said. He
called attention to the testimony of
Beers to the effect that it was reported
StaIey had Joined the Catholic church
last fall when he was running for re-
election as city attorney, and said he
did that to secure Catholic votes
But when every other place in the
whole world went Democratic" said
Schenck, 'tand although Staley lived
in a strong Democratic community he
was defeated for reelection. That
shows what his peODle at houne think