Evening star., 1921-10-25
|EAST[AKt HOME lc
CLOSELY SEARCHEQ''
Counsel for Defense Con-
tinues Investigation at >,
-.
Colonial Beach.
From a Staf Correspondent.

I
| COLONIAL BEACH, Va, October .5''
with the date OF the trial set for
Tuesday, December 13, and Roger u.
Eastlake, Navy petty officer, and Miss :
Sarah E. Knox. the Baltimore nurst
formally charged by the westmore-
land county grand Jury with the mur-
der of the formers wife here Septem
Der 80, counsel for both defendants
today made a minute investigation OF
the house in which the crime was
committed.
The defense iawyers-Harry W.
Smith. tr., Of Richmond. Va, one Of
the leading criminal lawyers Of the
state, and F. W. Coleman of Fred
ericksburg. Va, representing Miss
| Knox, and William w. Butzner of
Fredericksburg, representing East
lake--also measured the grounds
around the house to determine wheth-
er or not evidence given before the
grand jury by witnesses for tn"
1 prosecution could be substantiatei.
! Thomas L. Hunter of King Georges
county, who will aid In the prosecu-
tion for the people Of Colonial Beach
and who was officially accepted by
Commonwealth Attorney Watts y.
| Mayo yesterday, also went over III"
scene Of the crime today for the frs
| time as an agent for the prosecution
| Mr. Hunter, who had been ntatively
retained by both defendants, refused
| the case owing to the great amount
of circumstantial evidence agains'
| the accused couple.
Eastlake Cottage Closed.
Authorities at Colonial Beach today
were ordered by Commonwealth A.
| torney Mayo not TO allow any one liz :
the Eastlake cottage. Although al
! most month has elapsed since tho
crime. this Is the first time action has
been taken to prevent curious persons
from entering the house.
| Since Mrs. Eastlake was murdered
hundreds Of persons from all sections
of Virginia have been in the Eastlaks
cottage, examining the personal eff
fects of the accused man, his children
and his murdered wife. Some OF the
visitors have taken away with them
souvenirs, consisting of pictures.
children's toys. books and other ar
ticles.
After lengthy session the Wet
moreland county grand jury at Mon
tross late yesterday brought in sep
arate indictments charging Miss KnoZ
and Eastlake with the murder of the
ilatter's wife. The true bills returned
by the grand jury contained two
counts-felony and murder in the
first degree. -. -
Witnesses Are Heard. ;
Only six of the fourteen witnesses
subpoenaed to appear before the grand
jury were heard. The others were ex-.
cused. ~. +,
After Town Sergt. w. T. Halt OF
lColonial Beach. who investigated the
crime, the first witness to testify, had
been heard. the grand jury indicated
that II was prepared to find true bills
against Miss Knox and Bastlahe.
Town Sergt. Hall, however, insisted
that some of the other witnesses be
heard before the grand jury acted. 49,
Other witnesses who testified were:
William V. Carruthers, Dr.sV- d. Car
ruthers, Paul Drinks Mrs. Walter Ibe
Atley and DIR. William l.. Brent. All
of them told of having seen EaStlake
in company here with Miss Knox OH
different occasions, while Mrs. De At
ley. at whose hotel here the accused
woman was a guest. described her ac-
tions on the day preceding the crime
Special Session Called.
Immediately after adjournment OF
the grand jury. Circuit Court Judge
Joseph Wilson Chinn called a special
session of the Westmoreland county
criminal court for December 10, to
| begin the trial of Miss Knox and
Eastlake. Separate trials will be
, held for each. Eastlake. it was said.
probably will be the first to face the
trial jury. Judge Chinn strongly op-
posed deferring the trial TO such a
late date. indicating that he was
anxious TO have it as quickly as pos
sible. Attorneys for the defense. how
ever. made a plea for time. claiming
that they had other cases which
would keep them busy until the
4 When asked by Judge Chinn IL they
intended to demand n change in
venue, the defense lawyers replied
that they did not believe a change is
necessary. They said that thAEare
l confident the accused COu0fe will b,.
given a fair and impartial trfsl by
the residents of Westmoreland
county. 't-s
Judge Chinn said he will summon
at least fifty veniremen previous T.,
the date set for the hearing of the
case. and intimated that be did not
anticipate any trouble in the pro-
cedure attending the impaneling of "a
trial jury.
l When Judge Chinn set the date for
the hearing attorneys for the de-
PENDANTS asked permission to exam
inc the evidence shown to the grand
jurors by the prosecution. Common
wealth Attorney Mayo agreed TO per-
init them to examine the evidence.
with the understanding that 1t be
not touched.
Continues Search.
Detective T. X. Boulware. who has
already collected two large boxes OF
circumstantial evidence In and around
the Eastlake house. today continued
his search for pair of pants which.
he believes, has been hidden in thu
bushes near the accused mans home.
Meantime the defense attorneys,
who were examining the house.
stood by and informed him that II he
continued finding evidence 1t would
be necessary to use truck to haul
1t to the courthouse for the trial
Believing Miss Knox to be in Mont
ross before the grand Jury. and
evidently confident that she would be
exonerated, the woman'S sister. Mrs.
Meta Slater of Ocean City, n. j.,
yesterday afternoon sent her tele-
gram urging her to maintain her
courage. The message to Miss Knox
also said that railroad fare for her
transportation home was ready when
she needed it.
The telegram was forwarded tn
Miss Knox, who is in the Richmond
city jail with Eastlake, where they
will remain until tho trial.
! j. Z. G.
,,apAap aalAlnlnFM