The Washington times., 1921-10-08
WILL: BARE
DETAILS Of
OWN ACTS
Brother Gives Assurance Ac-
cused Will Account for Move
ments Prior to Crime.
By KIRK c. MILLER,
Times Ssaff Correspondent.

COLONIAL BEACH. Va. Oct. 8.
Should Miss Sarah Euphimia Knox
be found jointly guilty with Roger
d. Eastlake for the murder Of the
latter's wife by twenty-nine blows
struck with a Ratchet at Colonial
Beach a week ago yesterday morn
ing and be given the extreme pen
atty. she will be the first white
woman to be electrocuted in the
State of Virginia.
Death Rare for Women.
Two negro women have been
shocked to death in Virginia within
the twenty years that the electric
chair has supplented the rope as
a means for avenging justice in
this commonwealth, but every Judge
who has presided where a white
woman has been found guilty Of
murder has seen fit to impose life
Imprisonment instead, which Is his
prerogative according to the law.
Circuit Court Judge Joseph K.
Chinn will be on the bench the last
week of this month. when the trial
is expected to begin. He is a stern
justice and proud of the traditions
to WHICH the State of Virginia holds
regarding it's women.
AS the prosecution hopes to prove
that Miss Knox and Eastlake are
equally responsible for the murder
nnd that a plot was made between
the 10 dispose Of Mrs. Eastlake, II
will be the duty of the jurist to give
the same sentence to each.
Eastlake will go on the witness
stand in his own defense when he is
tried jointly with Miss Knox.
That Eastlake is to give a com.
plete recital of his movements from
the evening of September 2S to the
time he was called from a Govern
ment barge which was to take him
from Colonial Beach to the Dahl.
gren Naval Station was promised
today by his brother, Donald East.
William w. Butzner and Thomas
Hunter to go over the ground OF
the crime.
Damaging Letters.
Donald Eastlake and Butzner have
tried In vain to get access to certain
evidence which is held by Common
wealth Attorney Mayo. The latter is
adamant in his refusal to allow any
body but assistants in the prosecution
to see or handle these articles.
A Ratchet, hammer. two revolvers,
and razor are the weapons which
have been discovered on the premises
Of the Eastlake home since the crime
was committed.
Tho next most important evidence is
a large assortment Of le:-ers found
in the effects Of both prisoners, writ
ten over a period Of eighteen months.
These communications refer repeat
edly, II Is said, to appointments TO
meet, and one of them asks an early
appointment in Colonial Beach so that
I'VE may frame a plot"
In his attempt to get both Of them
free, he may gain the liberty of neither,
as 1t is the opinion of the best legal
minds in this section that the guilt Of
one or the other for the killing itself
may be proven by the innocence of the
other.
Should either prisoner decide to re-
cede from their protestations of limo.
cence, the fate Of the other would be
sealed. 1t Is felt here that each knows
enough about the other to convict him
of completely, at least, and in case one
'squealed," a volume Of accusations
can be looked for from the other.
Attorneys Criticized.
Throughout the streets of Fredcr-
icksburg, in the stores and hotel lob.
bies, Attorney Butzner has been crit
cized severely by lifelong associates
for accepting Eastlake and the Knox
woman as clients. 1t has been pointed
out that Butzner can have his pick of
the best law trade In all of this section.
Mr.. Hunters position in his com.
munity is eoually as prominent as that
Of Mr.. Blu zner in fredericksburg. !
Hunter owns one of the finest farms |
and stock-breeding enterprises in this |
section. From these conditions, II -
readily concluded that the Eastlakes !
have offered tremendous monetary H.. |
ducements to their counsel.