Evening star., 1951-11-30
Defendant in Death
OF Twins Breaks Down
on Witness Stand

Miss Ruth Alice Beverages de-
fense against the charge that she
murdered her twin baby girls was
expected to end in Arlington
Circuit Court today.
The 25-year- old Government
girl took the stand and appeared
calm and dry-eyed when she
started to testify about her re-
lationship with Corpl. Antoine
T1tram, %. stationed at the
Army's installation at Arlington
Hall. where she worked.
Later she broke down and was
temporarily excused from the
stand when her attorney. Oren R.
Lewis. brought out details of the
relationship.
A grand jury has indicted Miss
Beverage on charges of suffocat-
ing the twins after she gave birth
to them unattended in her Arling-
ton apartment August 8.
Bowling Chief Recreation.
Miss Beverage said she does not
frequent night clubs and said her
chief recreation was bowling and
roller skating. She said she does
not drink regularly.
She first dated Tony" Titram
in July, 1850, and thereafter saw
him about once a week. until
August Z, 1851. she testified. She
said she was intimate with him
in November. 1850, and that the
relationship had not existed be-
fore.
Did he appear sincerely inter-
terested in you?" Mr.. Lewis in
quired.
I though So" Miss Beverage
replied.
She said she had cooked meals
for Corpl. Titram in her apart
ment and hoped he would marry
her, but acknowledged that he
never asked her.
Mothers. SobS Interrupt Trial.
Her mother, Mrs. Caudle Bever-
age OF Athens, Ohio, testified that
the first word she had of her
daughters pregnancy and sub
sequent arrest was on August 10,
when she received a telephone
call from a newspaper reporter.
The mother broke into sobs and
the trial was interrupted yester-
day until she could recover. She
testified her daughter was an av- I.
erage student who had regularly
attended church and Sunday
school in OHIO. The mother had
visited her daughter about 10 days
before the births put testified she
did not suspect that Miss Bever-
age was pregnant.
The defendant testified briefly i
yesterday. Miss Beverage, who was
a mail clerk at Arlington Hall de- /:
MED she had told police that after :
the twins were born. she had !
wrapped them in a blanket. She
said she could not recall any of .
the events during the night after
she returned from work. /
Mr.. Lewis attempted unsuccess- /,
fully to prevent admission of her
statement as evidence. 4
Corpl. Titram admitted he had ;
intimate relations with Miss Bev- Il
erage, but said the couple had'
never discussed marriage and that
he never intended to marry her.
Unable to Find Cause.
Earlier, DR.. Richard E. Palmer
of Alexandra Hospital testified
there was no way of finding out" !
what caused the two babies to stop I
breathing. He said the twin girls
could have lived Is minutes or II '
hours after Miss Beverage gave i
birth TO them in her apartment t
in the 800 block of South Quincy V
street. 4
Mr.. Lewis had told the jury
earlier that the question to be
decided was whether she killed O
the twins or whether they died S
as a result OF the ordeal they went il
through along with their mother"
The babies were found by police Ii
after Mrs. George Davis. owner h
Of the house, noticed blood in C.
Miss Beverages room when she a
went upstairs to change linens. b
The twins were found in a closet, O
in newspapers inside a t
silitceSe