Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-12-17
TESTIFY ACCUSED
NOT AT HIS HOME AT
time OF THE CRIME
Ocean City, N. j., Man Saws
He Sharpcned HatcIlet
for Miss Knox.
SOUGHT BEST METHOD
TO MURDER, CHARGED
Witnesses Assert Prisoner
Loved Wife anil Was Ar
dent Church Worker.
DEFENSE LIKELY TO REST TODAY
DEFENSE III>ELr ro REST TODAY
Judge Chi"n May Exercise Prcro,-a-
tive nni Call Young son OF
rctty Naval Officer
Try STAFF Corrcsponaon,.1

."'-> itoSS. W., Dec. i6-.''l
heard screams and strange noises
emanatinS from the Eastlakc home
III o;i' o'clociS on the morning M.
East!ikc was. killed. hurried ti;
iectly to thH Colcnal Beacc t-hnrr
ana found Roger Eastlake In III.
choin of his boat, calmly smoking his
pipe ana reading n newspaper"
Like shaft or lightning out OF "a
clear sky came this statement from
FRANKLIN Caruthcrs. OF Co,on;,r
Beach. this afternoon and IN, do
fensc had won an important skirmish
IN the desperate battle being worcu
10 save the life OF Roger pe,,no
l.astlake. This statement apparc,tiY
established beyond all doubt tho i'm
possibility Il Eastlakc's having bccn
present In his house when his do.
fenscless wife was being killed an.
hacked to pieces.
Ihen. quickly following up his All
vantage. Attorney William w. Butx-
Her rushed Allen Robert Crowtbors
vi ocean city. y. j., on the stand In
tcs'ity as TO how he sharp.ncd u
hatchet for Miss Knox and how she
inquired as TO the best method of
committing murder and cscapinp de-
lection.
continues sIerciIess Offensive.
continuing his mcrcilcss offensive
III mastcrful manner. Attorney
hu'"h"r next introduced witness after
witness who swore that Eastlalo
ardenly loved his wifo. wa. mn
| active worker in the Episcon,,
''hnrch and even wrote and directcd
play for the purpose OF RAISING
FUNDS for tho Sunday school.
Attorney Butzners brilliant 10
iehse was tho outstanding feature Of
inc afternoon session OF tho tr,,I
PRESENTATION OF his defense began I'M.
"eulately after the prosecrttor
rested Its case. The Spectacular a.
feiopments of tho day crcatod (,
!"'"'e IN the village and tho gulf a..
""'eehce or Eastlike again began n
'"''er or spirited debate The 5e-
iehse witnesses We're introduced In
RAPID succession and Attorney Butz-
"er announced that he eNpected 10
rest his case tomorrow night
Judge Chinn recessed court ,t ~,
ed"'S' Oh the commonwealth. while
ne examined the two .Eastlake cb;,-
IN oracr to ascertain their
e''Eioiiity as witnesses After an all
! s'hce or about an hour the judro 70
,ur"ta' with the statement tbnt h.
"ld not consider Margaret. tho Ij,tio
s'ri' mentally competent or corc,,,.
ms OF inc pain and penalties fo.
giving false testimony" ana ,ba.n
,'Fe' deemed II inadvisable to nInc.
her on the stand. He further ,r
formed the jury that he though, tha
so"thiul girl not capable OF throwina
any light upon the case.
Way Call nstIukc's Boy.
s;1, Cninn declared that he CON
sl"ereu Eastla:-.s boy very nrn.
,J,,s ana ne announced that he
nin.selr' might take ADVANTAGES ~, ~
judicial prerogative of calm ~ ms ms
boy TO the stand. s 'he
ours we're seen in the eyes oS m.
spectators when Judge Chinn ~.
houhced that both OF the rI,i,ana,,
are ignorant OF tbs death of ,hn;,
mother. THE girl" ne said. % "bc.
hn,n ner mother is in "A Frederlcks.
roar of mcrr;mcnt when s y 80,
,ncrs' who Sharpcned the hatcbct fo-
,.,t wIss KNOX was placed on tho stand
Wheh asked If he was acuuajn,sn
win MISS Knox. he replied:
Yes, I'm mighty sorry to savv
You evidently don't think v.rv
much OF her" said Mr.. Butzncr
certainly do not" he resno,dsd
Asked to tell what he knew nhn,,
MISS Knox. the witness, after mar.
Interruptions. told the following
story: i!s
Wanted Hntchct shnrpen.d
M l2:lo o'clock. September !. o.
last year, my little daughter cai,sa
me and said that Miss Knox wante,i
10 see me on some business.
There is that damn wom.,
again. said. she follows n,a
around all tho time. I'm tired -,
her went to tho door and Niss
Knox requested that sharnen
hatchet Cor her. She said she wan,ea
me TO put q feather edge on n knife
She had. but / refused to proyida a
woman of Miss knoS's character with
80 dangerous q weapon" se
Crowthers identified the hatchet IN
court rs the weapon no sharpenod
for the nurse.
Miss Knox asked me II knew of
icontinued on Pare a Cal af=s5zt