The Washington herald., 1921-12-14
Tells Jury Letters of Mrs.
Eastlake Will Free
Accused.
VOICE OF GRAVE
PART OF EVIDENCE
Court May Hold Night
Sessions to Speed Petty
Officers Trial.
BY ]. HAROLD KEEN.

MIN iisOcS' Nd'' Lee 1.-THE
dead will be desecrated and the
living will be condemned during
the stubborn fight which will be
conducted to save the life of Roger
d. Eastlake who went on trial here
today cha ged with the murder Of
his wife. Mrs. Margaret Eastiake.
the morning of September 80
This was the intima lon made by
William W. Butzncr. chief counsel
| for the defense. during the delivery
of vivid word picture of the
fendish murder before the jury.
whose impanelling had consumed a
greater portion of the day.
During Butzner's address. Miss
Knox was scathingly denounced IS
"paramour. a home wrecker and
murderess." while reference to
testimony regarding unfortunate
and unsavory matters concerning
the dead-Mrs. Eastlake. the vic
tim of the murder" which will be
introduced. was made.
Lays Murder to Miss Knox.
Miss Knox. the woman who is
JblHtlN accused OIL inc FTlnlc, muir
dcred Mrs Eastlakc during a fit of
jealousy after her unuelcome at
tentions were rejected by Eastlakc.
victim OF circumstances" was
the declaration made by Butzner.
That something which occurred
in Mfs. EastIake's life has been
used as threat to foster her
blind love for Eastlake," was In
\
Eastlake's attorneys. that EIis.
Knox wrote several letters to the
victim of the murder in which she
is alleged to have stated. do not
interfere with me. ] have some
thing on you
The address Of the Eastlakc counsel
indicates that he. would join tho
prosecution in an effort T. secure q
conviction Of Miss Knox in the hope
/ of freeing his client OF any completely
in the crime.
Predict Plea of Guilty.
/ The announcement of the defense:
program bears out the prevailing be-
lief here that so much damaging
I evidence will be heard upon Miss Knox
/ during the arraignment OF Eastlakt
/ that the accused woman's attorney:
will enter a plea OF guilty for her
and place her fate in the hands oi
I Judge Joseph Chinn.
/ Some Of the evidence which will bt
presented concerning both Mrs. East
/ lake and Miss Knox will be OF ar
"unprintable'' nature. declared At
torney Butzner.
! Repeatedly We will show you dur
| ing the course - the trial" he said
that Miss Knox in opposition TO th'
wishes of both Eastlake and his wifi
! made attempts to disrupt their happ!
an love-filled marital life and e
wreck their home which had be eal
blessed by two children.
But she could not succeed in hel
sinister efforts until she had murdereC
the wife OF the man with whom sh,
was madly in love-" he said
Letters May vindicnte Eastlake.
Letters which have passed between
Mrs. Eastlake and Miss Knox will
/ reveal facts which will be like tn
voice of the dead vindicating he
husband.
When we have completed oul
presentation of testimony, you. the
trial jury, will say. 'Eastlake, &,
back to your home and little chill.
dren. and reunite your family 81
far you can with your wife hav.
ng been felled by the hand of &
jealous murderess. said Attorne,
Butzner.
we will prove to you that thi.
man had no reason to participate In
the murder, but we will point tn,
finger at the perpetrator of the mos
= t~t W.
ginia," he said in conclusion.
In direct opposition to the claim.
made by the defense. Commonwealth
Attorney Watt T. Mayo, chief coun
sci for the prosecution, declare,
that the State would prove tha
| Eastlake assisted in the staying o,
| extreme penalty.
Attacks Defense's Evidence.
I'VE will prove to you that
hatchet was not the only instru
ment used in the killing of Mrs
Eastlake, but that, blunt instru
ment with which two fatal blow
were struck also was used. We ma,
be unable to show you this instru.
ment, but We have sufficient proc,
that 1t was used.
| we VIII snow you that the muir
der was committed at sos o'clocl
in the morning and that, accordins
to statements made by Eastlake, 4
would have been physically impos
sfble for him to have been out O.
the house when the crime was com
mitted, and we will prove that Mis-
Knox was by his side at the tim
Mrs. Eastlake was murdered"
i May Hold Night Sessions.
Providing lighting facilities ca,
be procured, night sessions of tn
court will be held. according to ,
statement made by Judge Chinn to
night. These night sessions will
begin tomorrow night IL arrange
ments can be made. Court was ad
journed shortly before 5 o'clock to
! night, owing to the darkness of tn
courtroom
, Tomorrow the prosecution wn
open its case with the introductio,
of Witnesses according to state
ments made by counsel for tn
prosecution. They will probabl,
rest their case late in the day.
However. the presentation Of tes
timony on the part Of the defens
will be exceedingly more drawn on,
in view of the facts that submissio,
of letters between Miss Knox an,
Eastlake, and Mrs. Eastlake an