The Washington times., 1918-01-05
DR.. CHAMBERLAIN
UNDER HEAVY FIRE,
STORY UNSHAKEN

-GOoCHLAND, Va, Jan. b.-Dr. Asa
W. Chamberlain was subjected to q
severe eross-examination by the Com
monwealth today after he had COM
pleted the story OF his relations with
his brother, Judge Albert p. Cham
bsrlaIn, for whose murder on October
-. be Is now being tried.
1t is probable that the aged defend
ant will be recalled to the stand Mon
day to clear up other points which
the Commonwealth claims he has not
satisfactorily explained.
No question put him by the Cor
monwealth caused him to falter in his
answer more than when he was asked
to explain why he refused to Join his
neighbors In their search for the
missing brother after It was establish
ed that the Judge had not boarded .
train for Wyoming, as the doctor had
reported.
Thought IL Undue Concern
His answer was that he felt that
undue concern was taken In the mat.
ter by the community at the time be-
cause he was convinced>In his own
mind that his brother had gone West.
In offering testimony In his own de-
tense, the doctor devoted several
hours to the story Of how he had al
ways been ready TO bsfriend the
judge, even eIter the judge betrayed
him to the authorities in the West, Sc
cured his conviction for selling liquor
and had him fined $500.
Those who heard the doctors state
ment were struck by the fact that
there was no bitterness against his
- \.
Dr. Chamberlain stated that aftsr pay
ing his brother $40 on the night Of
October 2, he returned to his own home
four miles distant and made arrange
ments to follow his young wife to the
West He contemplated resurning
practice In his own home In lows, he
said. His wife left only a few hours
before the murder Of the judge. and
planned To spend q short while with
relatives In Kearney, Neb., before re-
joining her husband in Iowa
Striking Figure In Trial
The nIneteeu-year-old bride OF the old
doctor has proved a striking figure in
the trial During the presentation Of the
Commonwealth's case she sat by the
side Of her husband. and most Of the
time her head nestled against his Shoul-
der.
As one witness after another took the
stand md offered damaging evidence
there were times when q look OF coaceIn
would creep over the doctors face. He
would smile again. however. as he look
ed down into the upturned face Of his
wife
Mrs. Chamberlain seems not to realize
the gravity of her husbands situation.
and often Is amused at the wrong time
Most OF the testimony has been given
by negroes, and the humor OF II has
frequently caused Laughter. which Judge
has difficulty in curbing In
his efforts to preserve decoTun-
The doctor today for the FIRST time
discussed the declaration made yester-
day on the witness stand by Coroner L
K. Leake that only a skilled surgeon
could have dlsmembened the body OF
Judge Chamberlain as it was found
by the searching party.
Or. Chamberlain took Issue with the
coroner, declaring that one need not be
skilled in anatomy to unJoint the arms
and limbs Of human body.
shows Keea Interest.
The crowd that thronEsd the court !
room today. as well as the jury
keen interest this morn !
ing in the doctors display OF MS
wIthered right limb to prove his con-
tentiOn that he was a helpless cripple
and that 1t would have been physi-
cal imposslbiIity for him to have car
ried the dead body OF his brother up
the stairway OF his home as the
has sought to prove. |
The defendant also exhibited q
Scared thumb. He said he cut his
thumb while sheIling walnuts and ,
wiped the blood on bis overall jacket.
II was this blood. he said. that the
had found and which
thew contend was blood from the
body of the dead brother.
The hacksaw, which the Common.
wealth has sought to prove he used
in Remembering the body OF his
brother, he said he had not used IN
several months.
Mrs. Clara AFFORD, OF Wheatlana.
Wyo.. daughter Of the doctor by q
former marriage, Is expected to arrive
today. She will appear as q witness
Tor her father TO prove his statements
as regards former relations between
her father and uncle, Judge Chamber