The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-13

| Gu by tne prosecution ana tnlTty-One
by the defense. Legal talent second
to none in the State has been made
a ai'ahe for both s des and hundreds
Of residents Of this State are here to
listen to the verbal affray which is
to ensue when the jury is once in
| the box
Primativeness characterized the
setting for the legal melodrama.
Simplicity marks the unpretentious
little courtroom with its rude wooden
benches which will hardly accommo-
date the fifty veniremen that have
been called. Presiding at a roughly
constructed pulpit-like bench, Judge
Joseph Wilson Chinn, the latter be-
ing famous name in the northern
neck of Virg mia, sat without robe,
nor the usual trappings one asso-
ciates with a legal procedure, where
the life of human being hangs in
balance. Over his head was draped
an American flag and i'm a .gilded
platter was the American spread
eagle.
Portraits Of NOtables.
Around the courtroom with it's half
dozen tiny windows admitting scarce
ly enough Light with which to read
an ordinary document and allowing
little or no ventilation are hung a
men whose very name are the very
part of the history Of this renowned
countryside. George Washington. -
life-sized oil. Is among the group.
Tor he was born in Wakefield, West
moreland county, a scant dozen miles
away. another familiar reproduction
is that of James Monroe, born at
Chantilly, ten miles from here. Both
of these were done by the famous
90
Lord Chatham, and several other
signers of the Declaration Of indie
pende1ce. One of the striking por-
traits is that of Gen. Henry Light
horse Harry" Lee, who first saw the
light of day in these parts and
whose nam. is a hallowed one amorg
those who point with pride to the
famous men, whom this section has
given the world. e.. r...
When court opened this morning no
spectators were allowed admittance
until after the veniremen, attorneys
and newspaper men had been given ac-
commodations. Many curious spec.
tators were on the outside clamoring
for entrance. Living arrangements
even for the persons identified with
the trial are anything but propituous.
Tonight the jurors will sleep on army
cots and under olive-drabbed blankets
In the courtroom itself. Hotel arrange
ments are practically nil, and attor-
neys and witnesses are being housed
through the hospitality of inhabitants
If the village kind enough to convert
their homes into boarding houses.
Others are living at Colonial Beach
and in Fredericksburg, committing
back and forth by motor bus.
Eastlalxe to Blame Nurse.
The general opinion obtained today
Is that when Eastlake takes the stand
he will tell connecting story of the
crime which will implicate Miss Knox
and definitely put the responsibility
for the assassination of Mrs. Eastlake
upon the former trained nurse. East
lake has intimated to detectives IN
Richmond, and his attorneys have
verified the belief, that Miss Knox and
he, Eastlake, were discovered in the
outer yard of the latter's home
by Mrs. Eastlake at an early
hour in the morning. That Mrs.
Eastlake was aroused by unusual
noises and went into The yard to de.
termine the cause thereof; that at this
juncture Eastlake fled and the en-.
ragged Miss Knox followed Mrs. Eas..
lake into the house and killed her.
Such an explanation would vindi.
cate EaStiahe ds All eyewitness OF
a party to the crime. 1t is under
stood that he has been offered in,I
munity by the State for offering
this explanation but that he fully
realizes that such contemplated
step is his only hope for saving his
neck.
Immediate members of the East.
lake family who are here for the
trial include the indicted mans
mother, Mrs. William Eastlake.
widow, Donald Eastlake his brother,
Mrs. Marble Chambers, his sister. and
Reginald Eastlake, his cousin. When
Eastlake arrived at Montross last
evening he was clothed in the regu-
lation uniform of a chief petty officer
of the navy. He has not been
rtripped Of his insignia OF chief me-
rhanic and appears jovial and buoy.
mt. He told deputies in whose Gus.
tody he was that he is confident of
aruuittal