New-York tribune., 1922-04-06
Triple Inquiry
In Staying of
Col. Beck Begun
Army Court Orders All In.
sigma Stripped From the
Uniform of Air Chief.
Killed by Husband d
Dry Agents Enter Case
Day Insists That He Wants
to Face the Court; Killed
as Amy Man Would
speciol Dispotch to Tho Tribune

Spectnt D3Sputch to The Tribune
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla, April O.
A triple investigation into the tragedy
growing out of the killing of Lieuten-
ant Colonel Paul Ward Beck, FORTY
four years old, army airman. and Com
mandant at Fort Sill, by former Judge
Jean ?. Day in the Day home early
Tuesday was begun to-day
The army, through a military court
presided over by Major Thomas r
Lanther; the state. acting through Cor
oner =. w. McWiliams. and the Federal
government, represented by Millard F.
Meadows, prohibition director of Okla
homa, united to sift the story told bv
Day. now wealthy oil operator. that
ne shot Lieutenant Colonel Beck when
he found him struggling with Mrs. Dav.
Meanwhile, brother officers of the
dead airman visited the county morcue
and stripped his bloodsoakcd uniform
of all rank, insignia and decorations.
AT Fort Sill it was said the action of
Lieutenant j. Z. Walker. acting upon
written orders from the military court.
had no bearing on the charges made
against the airman's conduc: in the
Day home preceding the tragedy. Mil
itary men refused to explain the sig
nihcance Of the act, but admitted it is
"not customary to remove the insignia
and decorations from an army mans
uniform"
Day and his wife-hcr mind a blank
in the hysteria of the death scene, ac-
cording to her statment-we the only
eyewltncsses to the killing.
Day announced tonight that both
he and his wife would tell the story of
the Staying at the coroner's inquest.
Forrest L. Hughes, prosecuting at
torney said: 81 will tell Mr.. Day
that unless he and his wife testify at
the coroner's inquest Saturday | see
but one resource-the filing Of a
charge of murder against MIR. Day.
There arc q number of points which
killing, and these win have to be
cleared up before Day can go free"
Moman Pruitt attorney for Day, said
his client desired court action "1f Mr..
Hughes desires to file q murder charge
it is agreeable to u.s." Prutt replied to
the prosecutor. "Mr. Day was within
the rights of every able-bodied Ameri-
can"
Mrs. Day told of the events leading
up to the tragedy for the first time
to-day. Confined to her bed under the
care Of doctors and refused the right
to see any one, the central figure of
the tragedy, despite the pleas of
friends. gave her version of the affair.
"My husband killed Beck because he
attacked me- Mrs. Day said. "My hus-
band and have known Beck intimately
We regarded him as our friend. We
entertained him at our home on many
occasions.
Zone time he called when my hus-
band was away, but it was a very brief
visit However, each time he called
previous to Monday night he acted as
ioyed having him. He was brilliant
and an acceptable addition to any com
pany.
EARLY Tuesday morning, however,
: shortly after Mr.. Day left the house in
our automobile to take our guests to
their homes, Beck became monster
q beast. He seized mo by the wrists
and threw one arm around me- Nothing
like this had ever occurred before, and
| WAS dumfoundcd. For moment
could not speak. Then, as he contin-
ued to hold me, he cried ont his love
and made improper proposals to mo
! screamed for him to stop, but |
struggled in vain to free myself from
his grasp.
How long VIC struggled there don t
know.
"But remember my husband coming
in. I saw him there from the door,
and I knew I was safe.
after that-well, the first thing !
remember was the police telling me to
be quiet, that | needed rest
What happened during that inter
val do not know.
81 love my husband and my baby
they had all my love- Mrs. Day con-
cluded.
The Days have been married twenty
two years. Their daughter, Doris, is
eighteen years old and student at
the University of Oklahoma. She re-
turned to her home wednesday,
"My wife," said Day. at the conclu-
sion of his statement, "is the dearest,
noblest woman on earth-under the
circumstances could any red bio ooded
American man do less than | did"
1t was generally accepted in official
circles that Day would not be tried
for the kilIinr