The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-15

The Marc case should be stir ring lesson to Birmingham youth ad- dicted to waywardness,a was the ad- monition of Roderick Beddow, spe- cial assistant prosecutor in the Edna Marc murder case, which closed last night.
 In thrilling three-hou speech Beddow condemned the "lacivious life led by the Naro woman and her companions" attacked the ten hour speech of John Altman, defense counsel, and dramatically reacted the entire scene of the killing of Ralph Ro oberts last March.
 Gentlemen, I do not ask for the death penalty for this woman. Lord knows she is miserable enough for tho horrible crime she has commit ted" said Beddow. q have never asked for the death penalty in any case. But gentlemen, I ask that you remove this woman from society. that the lives of other young men. might not fall into her seductive trap of liquor and women and uphold the state of Alabama In its contention that Edna Marc cowardly shot to death Ralph Roberts by pressing a gun to his back and pulling the trigger that snuffed out his life."
 Referring to John Altmans at- tacks on him TOT assisting to prose- cute the case, Beddow rebuked the defense attorney in scathing terms for the manner in which he had con duoted the defense.
 Calls Altman FIl.buster
 "You'ye heard of filfbusters. haven't you? gentlemen of the jury" Beddow questioned. Well fili- buster is congressman who, to pre- vent bill being brought up for passage gets on the floor and talks until he is exhausted. Well John Altman Is likened unto a filibuster. he talked ten hours on this case and to my mind is qualified to run for Congress as filibuster. He eclipses all the filibusters Pve ever heard bust"
 Beddow brought a wave of laugh ter from the crowded courtroom when he remarked: "Gentlemen, you've seen something this morning. You heard MT. Altman quoting from the Bible. say that if this Marc case has produced no other good In this world, it has brought John Alt man to read the Bible"
 Altman Remains Silent
 Altman remained silent during the counter attack on him by Beddow but objected several times to re- marks made by the assistant prose cutor which he said was designed to prejudice the minds of the jury. He was upheld in his contentious by Judge Heflin and the jury instructed to ignore the remarks
 Beddow staged a dramatic scene in the courtroom when he placed wooden door in front of the jury, produced the pistol and attempted to show the testimony of Edna Marc concerning the shooting to be false and unbelievable.
 Jury Attentive
 The jury leaned forward eagerly as the prosecutor produced the dead mans clothes and displayed the powder burns said to have been made by the discharge of the pistol in the hands of Edna Marc into Ralph Roberts mack. He brought forth the tumblers that were filled with liquor on the fatal night, according to wit nesses. and attacked the testimony of defense witnesses concerning them.
 Attacks Altman Tactics
 Beddow criticised Altman viciously for his alleged insinuations and re- floctions on certain members of the city detective force. He paid high tribute to Fred H. McDuff. chief of police, under whom the men work, and said he defied any man living 10 point out finer. cleaner and more efficient officer of the law than the man guiding these men whose testi- mony he claimed Altman was trying to belittle.
 stnte's Contention
 Beddow contended that Roberts was shot in the back by Edna Marc while Ali Marc, her husband. was scuffling with him after Roberts had refused to pay for drinks delivered to two girl inmates of the Marc resort.
 The prosecutor assured the jury he would not take up but a few hours of their time and promised to quit at o'clock when he opened the after noon session of court with the close of the states case against Edna Marc.
 Elimination Heddow's Advice
 He declared that he advised the father of Ralph Roberts to consent to exhuming the body of his son to ascertain If there were knife wounds on the body to determine the truth in the case. He pointed out that Judge Hefhn had consulted the wish of the father when the question of exhuming the body was brought up.