The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-02-12
CHARGE IS DENIED
MR. and MRS. BEACH give TRUE
VERSION OF The

sknusUS VI INA
BRUTAL Cruel ATTACK
They Both Testify That the Murder
Gus Assault on Mrs. Beach Was
Made by q Negro, But for What
Purpose They Did Not Seem to
Know.
Frederick o. Beach denied emphat-
ically Thursday that he cut his wife's
throat; his wife, Mrs. Camilla Morse
Havemeyer Beach, his alleged VIC
tim, swore enphatically tnat her hus-
band did not commit the assault, the
crime for which the well known New
Yorker, member Of Aiken's winter
colony Of tourists, was tried in the
Aiken County Court. The testimony
Of these two principals is that a ne
gro committed the deco, and that
Beach rushed to the assistance OF his
wife when he heard her screams and
that the assailant meanwhile made
his escape.
Frederick O. Beach, defendant,
was on the witness stand over two
hours Thursday morning, and told
the story, conforming in the main to
what Is known as the Beach YER
sion" Of the assault upon his wife.
And a good witness the defendant
proved to be. Calm and collected for
the most part. and in very pleasing
voice. he answered questions pro-
pounded by counsel, in frm and con-
vinci1g manner; even in those
points that contradicted his former
statements and testimony to detec-
t;ves and city officials, his attitude
was so bold that it bespoke sincerity
and honesty In other words, or in
really pure Addisonian English "he
put it across. Only once did wit
ness approach excitement. and this
was the emphasis with which he an
swered the direct question: "Did
you not, while in Mayor Gyles' Office
with Just " rr wife Try to get her to
place the ne of this thing on
Pearl Ha p rs brother?"
Absolutely not" was the reply;
mot a word of it. and any statement
that ever said such thing is who'll
II false" and Mr.. Beach raised his
voice considerably when entering this
denial. 1t was on this occasion that
certain men of Aiken are said to
have been concealed behind book
cases in Mayor Gyles' Office and to
have overheard conversation between
Beach and his wife.
Mr.. Beach told how on the night Of
February 26, few moments after
his wife stepped out into the front
yard to put the dogs out, he heard
her scream; that rushing OUT he saw
his wife leaning up against the side
of the porch; that hurrying toward
her he was passed by "black figure
running In the direction of the gate,
so close that he could have trippeo
him; that, paying no great attention
to the fleeing figure, he rushed to his
wife, asking what was the matter, to
which his wife replied. "Oh. he's
done something dreadful to me-" Mr..
Beach said he picked her up in his
arms not knowing her throat was cut
at the time, carried her into the
house, left ber in the hall, hurried
up stairs, secured his pistol, then
made hasty search on the street for
the alleged assailant. Witness said
it took him hardly more than twen-
ty seconds to make this search.
Mr.. Beach. Mrs. Beach and Miss
Hollins testified that Eeach's return
to the house was Just after his search
for the assailant and that the door
vas closed after he went into the
yard, because Mrs. Beach was still
nervous and hysterical and kept cry
Ing out: "Oh. shut that door and
keep that black man out" 1t was
testified that when Beach came back
be knocked and was readily admitted
by Miss Hollins.
Alr. Beach testified that he held his
wife's hand while the doctor was
sewing up the wound IN her neck;
that the pain was so severe she
chung on to me-. It was only some
time later during the night that he
discovered the blood on his clothing.
he said. His elegant scarlet-colored
smoking jacket, his knickerbockers.
yest and evening shoes were intro
duced in evidence. The coat was a
present from his wife Christmas.
Mr.. Beach was emphatic and posi-
tive In stating that when he turned
over his knife to Detective Baughn
there were two blades in it and de-
MED emphatically that he had broken
out the blade after the assault. He
said he had kept a pretty keen watch
on Baughn ever since his operations
there. Witness denied ever telling
anybody that Mrs. Beach's earrings
we're worth $4,000 or s5,000-this
In contradiction to Rural Policeman
Holley's testimony.
Regarding his wealth, Mr.. Beach
said he wished to goodness he were
q millionaire, that he had seen him.
self written Of as "tbe wealthy New
Vorker" h11t ther he was not wealthy