The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-06
LILL|ENDAHL
CASE RESTED
BY DEFENSE
Beach Is Identified as Man
Near Scene of Aged
Doctors Murder.
TESTIMONY is ALTERED
Widow Hears Chief State
Witness Change Story
From Stand.
TESTIMONY is ALTERED
BY SAM LOVE,

BY SAM LOVE,
United Press Staff Correspondent
MAYS LANDING, N. j., Dec. g.
Unshaken in her story, Mrs. Mar
garet Lilliendahl today saw her de-
fense rest its case-to be met with
the greatest rebuff of hers and Will
lis Beach's trial for the murder of
her aged husband, DR.. William
Lilliendahl.
AS the heavily yelled widow
stepped from the witness stand after
withstanding veritable barrage of
questions that failed to change her
version of the murder, the State
dramatically and without warning,
played its trump card.
Beach Pointed Out
Beach was identified as having
been at the scene Of the Staying in
secluded spot near here Sept. Is.
Harry F. Sanderson, chief State
witness, who failed once before to
identify Beach positively, returned
to the stand, and pointed out the
chicken fancier as the man whom
he saw sneaking from the bloody
automobile.
He was not croSs-examined.
AS this damaging testimony was
given, Mrs. Lilliendahl sat calm, but
she had lost some Of the care-free
attitude that marked her as she
left the witness stand this morning,
apparently the conqueror.
Defense Is Attacked
Sanderson's evidence was the
major sensation Of the day and it
left Beach glum and nervous.
After Sandetson, who was called
Immediately after the defense rested,
there came long succession OF de-
tectives, State troopers and few
private citizens, each testifying to
some small point, but the whole
going to make up sharp attack on
the evidence offered by the defense.
Major points covered in the bits
of testimony had to do with at
tennptS to show that defense wit
nesSes could not have seen things to
which they testified and that Mrs.
Lilliendahl was incorrect when she
said she did not leave her home un-
til $3.50 a. m, the day of the murder.
The chief new witness thus brought
in was Leon Morrison, who testified
he saw Mrs. Lilliendahl in her car
five miles from her home at 7:50
a. m. the day her husband was
killed.
Case Is Near Jury
Resting of the defense case, with
the few rebuttal witness that will
be called, means the case probably
will go to the jury Of five women
and seven men late today or early
Wednesday.
Sanderson was the witness,
brought here from the Middle
West, who testified that he was
driving along the road at the time
of the murder and saw a car come
from q lane, which answered the
description of Beach'S car.
In previous statements he had
told the prosecution Beach was
driving the car, but when he was
teStifying he refused to identify
Beach positively as the man he had
seen.
Immediately after his testimony
he was ordered detained for further
examination and there were
rumors that prosecution might be
started against him.
Alters Testimony
Today, grave and a bit nervous,
he was called with preliminary
statement by the prosecution that
1--WE have a witness who desires to
alter his previous testimony" 4
did you see car in Atsion
Road?" Prosecutor s. Cameron
Hinkle asked him after a few pre-
liminary questions.
eyes"
did you see a man running out
OF the woods?"
eyes"
did you tell us on the stand
about this man?"
I said could not positively iden-
tify him as Beach"
What do you wish to say now?'
II wish to say that came here
originally intending to say that /
did recognize Beach"
eyes, yes" interrupted Justice
Campbell. But what do you wish
to say noW?"
II wish to say" answered Sander
son., "that Beach is the man saw
That is the correction / have to
make in my testimony.
Sanderson was dismissed without
cross examination.
AS he left the stand there were
whispers around the rooms that de-
velopments might follow. 1t was
known that an affidavit by Sander
son is in possession of the court and
there was much talk of intimidation
and kindred practices-but none OF
it formally confirmed.