Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-24
TRIAL Of MISS KNOX
OPENS TOMORROW
EastIake Case to Come Be-
fore Court Again at
Montrose Va.

The trial of Miss Sarah Euphemia
Knox, Johns Hopkins graduate nurse,
who was indicted jointly with Roger
d. Eastlake. chief petty officer, U, s. N.
with the murder of the latter's young
wife, Margaret. at Colonial Beach. the
morning of September 80 last, will
begin before Circuit Court Judge
Joseph w. Chinn, in the Westmore-
land county courthouse, at Montross.
Va, tomorrow morning.
Miss Knox will be, represented by
Attorney Harry NJ. Smith, jr., of
Richmond, while the prosecution will
be conducted by Commonwealth At
torney Watt T. Mayo, who performed
similar duties at the trial of East
lake. The latter was aquitted of the
charge by jury in the same court
house last December.
The nurse has been incarcerated in
the Richmond city Jail since the day
following the crime, having been
rushed there with Eastlake as a pre-
caution against threats from the in
furiated citizens of Colonial Beach.
She will be taken to Montross from
Richmond today by Sergt. william
Richmond police department. who is
one of the chief witnesses for the
state.
Will Plead Insanity.
During the Eastlake trial Attorney
Smith freely admitted that a plea of
insanity would be offered by him on
behalf of the defendant.
Considerable difficulty is anticipat-
ed in the selection of a jury, as most
county was examined during the
trial of Eastlake, and the prob
abilities are that adjoining counties
VIII have to be called upon before
the jury box is filled
A stolid silence has marked the be-
haVlor OF the nurse since her ar
rival at the jail in Richmond, and
from the day of her arrest she has
revealed no emotion except pity for
Eastlake and the desire to see him
restored to his two small children.
Roger. Jr, eight years old, and Mar
garet, six years old.
Shortly after his acquittal the petty
officer was restored to good standing
in the Navy and transferred to this
city. A month ago. it is reported. he
married again, and is now living
in Southeast Washington.
Whether or not Eastlake will
testify against the nurse has not
been definitely decided, but at the
time of his acquittal he declared he
would willingly take the stand
against the woman. whom his attor-
neys openly accused of having COM
mited the crime.
Fiendish Crime Shocks Community.
1t was early in the morning of Sep
TENDER 80 that the citizens of Colonial
Beach were shocked at finding the
body of Mrs. Eastlake hacked to
piece on the parlor floor of the small
cottage occupied by the Eastlakes at
the river resort. Twenty-Five gashes
were found on the body evidently
inflicted with blood-stained Ratchet
which later was discovered in the
yard of the Eastlake home.
The alarm was sounded by Miss Knox,
who testified at the coroner's inquest
that she had found the slain woman
when making an early visit to the
couple, who, she said, were friends Of
hers.
Eastlake had left his home to go to
work at the Dahlgren proving station,
a short distance from Colonial Beach.
He was Immediately informed of the
murder, and after returning home and
questioned. together with the nurse,
was placed under arrest and charged
with the crime.
Evidence Heard Mt Trial.
/ At his trial in December ndsputable
evidence, chiefly in the form of personal
correspondence. was produced TO show
that the petty officer and nurse had
been on intimate terms for years. The
defense based its case on an alibi en-
tirely, and after nine days Eastlake
was freed He did not take the stand
himself, nor did the nurse appear in
court.
Miss Knox is a native Of Baltimore
and it is said will receive financial sup
port from nurses association of that
city.