The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-06
FREDERICK @. BEACH
TAKES THE STAND IN
OWN DEFENSE TODAY
Continued from page One,


CONTINUED from page one)
|
that followed. Mr. Gunter then wanted
| to know IL it would not be possible for
o blade to be snapped off If the blow was
not clean. 1T might, but the wound
would be Jagged one" replied the wit
ness.
The Beach family physician, DIR. c. D.
Hall, testified that he was called to the
Beach home by telephone between $3.50 and
| 10 o'clock. He said he found Mrs. Beach
suffering from three inch wound in her
| throat, a superficial wound In the left
breast and an abrasion on the left ear.
WAS the attitude OF Mr.. and Mrs.
Beach toward each other one of affec-
/, tion?"
Yes, Mr. Beach held her hand all
the time 1 was dressing her wounds"
! Dr. Hall said that he saw Mrs.
Beach before she was carried upstairs
and that she told him then that she
had been attacked by a negro.
On cross examination the prosecutor
rnade inquiry as to the room in which
the Beaches were sitting, according to
Mrs Beach's story to the doctor, when
| she went to let the dogs out. DR.. Hall
said they were sitting in the living
room on the first noor the entrance
| to which was but few feet from the
| front door.
|
sitting in the farthermost corner of
the ROOM" he was asked: "Dont you
| think he could have heard a scuffie or
scream in the front yard not more
than 20 feet away?'
| Witness replied that ut would seem
So"
| Mayor Herbert IT, Gyles of Aiken
occupied the witness chair during the
greater part of the session.
He told of numerous conferences
with the Beaches, one with Mrs. Beach
| within few days after the assault
| He said that Mrs. Beach was still In
bed. suffering from the effects of the
wound in her throat. but that she an
swered questions freely, and made some
suggestions
| The witness admitted that Beach
J gave him every assistance and proposed
| the employment of negro detective
| to assist the white detective engaged
or the case. sending him check for
| the purpose.
Had Lost Earrings
| The mayor said tho money never was
used On the night of the assault,
| Beach told rural Policeman Holly. ac-
cording to the testimony of the latter
today, that Mrs. Beach had lost a pair
of treasured earrings valued at $4,000
or $1,000. Subsequently the earrings
were found in the side yard of the
to the mayor who after examination,
declared in his opinion they We're paste
Beach's diamond studded penknife
was an object of much interest and
close scrutiny by the jury when it
was offered in evidence. Mayor Giles
said Beach gave it TO him on request
about three weeks after the assault
and that later he turned 1t over to Dr.
d. Hastings Wyman. Jr.. for mcrosci-
pic examination. Dr. Wyman testified
that he had examined the knife under
a glass and had discovered what he
believed to be blood stains. This view
was sustained. he said, by the opinion
of DIR. Boyden M. Minis, an alienist of
Columbia, to whom he submitted the
knife. The prosecution offered In evil
dence a report from the doctor The
physician said in his opinion the stains
were those of blood, admitting, how
ever, that the tests We're microscopic
and not chemical. On cross examina-
ton DIR. Wyman admitted that he had
taken the knife TO an Augusta expert,
DR.. Partridge, before submitting it to
DIR. Minis. He said that DR. Partridge
examined the knife, but declined to
express an opinion.
Didn't DR.. Partridge think he could not
flnd any trace of blood?' demanded
Colonel Henderson.
IF | remembered that. I'd say so"
Didn't DR.. Partridge cut his finger and
put 1t on a blade of the knife in or
der to make comparative tests?'
Il didn't know it if he did
DIR. Wyman said that he told DR. Part
ridge when he took the knife to him that
1.-THE happiness of a great many people
depended upon whether there was any
blood on II or not"
Slow progress was made at the forenoon
session. and the prosecution had not fin
i5hed presentation of its case when the
recess was taken. Lawyers for the de-
fense announced that they would call
about eight witnesses, making ii certain
that the case would run over until to-
morrow.
None of the witnesses who testified dur
Ing the first days proceedings was able
to describe the assault on Mrs Beach.
Every effort of Solicitor Gunter, conduct
iIR the prosecution. apparently was di-
rscted at picking flaws in Beach's story.
No effort, 1t appeared. was made to sub
stsntiate the prosecutions contention that
Peach attacked his wife after he had
failed to overtake "a mysterious man In
gray" he was pursuing.
The court room was crowded again.
largely with women. Beach and his wife
Ter and Miss Hollins. Mrs. Beach was
asain attired in brown and seemed TO be
suffering from slight cold
Sheriff II. H. Howard, who was chief
Of police of Aiken at the time of the as
sault was recalled by Prosecutor Gun
ter to identify some footprints discovered
outside the yard of the Beach cottage
Howard said Rural Policeman Holly had
told him the footprints were his.
A. j.. Dorenz. editor of a local news
paper. testified he examined the Beach
pi emises the night OF the assault and
found evidence of struggle in the side
yard.
He said he was with the chief Of po-
lice when the latter found the earrings
and comb belonging to Mrs Beach. ami
the bloodstained fence picket He said
one of the earrings was mashed He
exnressed the opinion tt;sy were paste and
worth about 81. On examination
witness said he thought blow from
the fence picket on the side of a wonians