The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-12-02

Iit ihO oHN "
spect.
To a casual observe, this l.
about all the State has eft to its
case. 1t has adduced that Mrs. Lii
liendahl and Beach we're not true
to their marriage vows, but as to
the murder-little shreds of circHm-
stantial evidence, that appears to
be all.
Relied on Confession.
The State had relied so much on
the story which it's last surprise
witness had to offer, the story that
Beach had tried to get money from
him to help him in an lawful hole
and that the poultryman had eX-
planned just what the hole was.
The confession" the witness said,
took place in a park in Baltimore.
Now this witness, Samuel Earf,
who gives Texas as his home, and
claims to be, among other things, a
trick roper, a lawyer and a real es-
tate man, finds himself under sub
| poena by the defense and with The
| sword of formal accusation OF at
tempted eXtortion hanging over
him. Bark was sickly and green
! as he departed from the courtroom
at the end of mis- day for the prose
:ution.
He had been jabbed and riddled
With a hundred different thrusts
and finally charged with having
tried to shake down the defense
to remain silent. The State of New
Jersey rested it's cast against Mrs.
Margaret Thompson Lilliendahi and
Willis Beach.
Immediately %thereupon, Robert
H. McCarter, chief defense counsel
made a motion that the jury, on the
face of the States evidence, be in
structed to return a verdict of ac-
quittal against Mrs. Lilliendahl.
The motion was denied.
Widow Weeps at Ruling.
The whole gamut of human emo
tions passed in parade before the
crowded little courtroom on the
fourth day Of the swampland muir
der trial. Triumph, which for a
time sat upon the grinning faces
of the defendants, changed to trep-
idation and anxiety, changed back
again to mild gloating, and at the
conclusion of the day had become
an admixture of assurance and un-
certainty. (
Mrs. Lilliendahl was in tears and
sobbing with a Vigor akin to mild
hysteria when Justice Campbell, ge-
MED the motion for her acquittal.
Beach sat with bowed head and a
sneer upon his lips.
Then, before the usual throng of
sympathizers could gather about
them, they quickly removed
from the courtroom and back to
the county Jail.
Both Will Go on the Stand.
The defense opened it's case this
morning. Indications are that the
trial will be over by Tuesday or
Wednesday of next week. Mr.. Nc
Garter announced the defense will
finish it's case Saturday night after
an all-day session, and that about
ninety witnesses will be heard in
the interval
He promised that Beach would
take the stand first after about
thirty witnesses had been heard in
his defense and that Mrs. Lillien-
dahl would become a witness for
herself along with sixty or so 9TH
ers, who will testify to her limo
cence of being a husband murderer.
Predictions that the jury would
return a verdict of not guilty
without leaving the witness box
were frequently expressed by the
forces of the defendants.
To Present Beach Abb.
In the opening for the defense,
according to Mr.. McCarter, among
the first things done will be an on
slaught against the confession
man, with about twenty witnesses
from Baltimore. And furthermore,
it was stated that one of the wit
nesses may be his wife-the woman
he told the jury, he married a few
months ago.
But more convincing than all Of
these is expected to be the tesfimo,
ny OF the prisoners own Counsel,