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Show SLAYER OF AVIATOR EXONERATED I HUSBAND HAD I RIGHT TO KILL, I JURY CLAIMS I Woman Describes Aviator's K'-' , Actions During Judge Eft ' Day's Absence wt' SEVERAL SENSATIONS E ; Slain Aviator's Son Curses K -When He Hears Result 8fe- of Inquest EtV.-. BY JACK CARBERRY International News Service BE OKLAHOMA CITY. Okla.. April 8. They believe rue ! They believe l-B me! Before my Gud 1 du know I did no H Mrs. Day, her checks pale, the red H 'f her beauty turned white, whispered the words as the Jury which sal ;n ill- H 1 over" the bodj of Lieut CoJ, B.V' Paul Ward Beck, ' idol of the Anierl- IL" can air service," read its verdict It was the "code or Oklahoma'' jus- IH l'H 'We, the jury, find that Col. Paul l. Ward Beck came to hlo death bj H bullet fired from a revolver ln the IH h in. is of Jean P. Day, and we further l. lind that Judge Hay shot ln defuiice H ot his wife, hla home and her honor." bbK' ' ihe verdict was returned after H hour s deliberation, following ix H hours of testimony, during which Jtuec IH thousand men and womta the un.- H I formed comrades of Beck, the Stet- H aoned men of the plains, rhe women H I of every rung on the social huM H 1 stood shoulder to shoulder, bent upon H 1 catching every word H SON WLLL EIGHT tf But echoing the sentiments of the H dead all man s comrades spoke L.. I Paul Ward beck, Jr., son of the slam H man. K,'; With .-1 lipping oath on his lips, ho W- ' cried. ifv; ' Damn the hand picked Jury," but Hfey we're not through yet. They hav 4 H trampled the name of my father in E'j.' the mire of lies. It cannot stand ajjv it will not stand They will hear from l us i in inquest was probably tho most l dramatic court scene in tho annuls of Oklahoma courts Ardmore no; H excepted. iklahom'a City mado it a H holiday a show. With th,e opening l of the court room doors the throng 4 l.H began to gatier this morning. H Two hours before tho opening of the H inquest, tho court house its room-. I.H its halls, stairways and even the walks l.H outside, were thronged with the thousands seeking admission. H Police battled with drawn clubs to l clear aisles up the three flights uc l.H stairs for witnesses (Hin t;: is RESTORED Two women fainted. H S hen the court was brought to or der, one woman tittered The judgd H immediately called order and then snicker rose from the spectators. 'Clear out with that," the Judge-said Judge-said and sent a bailiff into an ante- H room all the entire sherl I - H to quell and clear the courtroom if J Buch practice wa continued Ordfij H restored. It was necessary for members of tin-military tin-military court of Inquiry to seal fire escape to gain admittance to llm room. Women grew hysterical during Ihe long hours w ho'll the i witnesses told H their story, the tale of ' men's right to protect home Oklahoma's code; lct EST DRAMATIC The Inquest was dramatic through-out. through-out. 1 Framed ln the gray-wallod courtroom, court-room, from which numbers of Judges have read the law, written by Judge Day In the statutes of the slate live code of which judi,-.. Day, during hi-: H term on the supreme bench, was ih-author, ih-author, the picture unfolded to an un-looked un-looked for clttrutx the charge of Judge Daj against ProBecutoi Forrest H Hughes. Hughes had built up hie case about a theory Day," Hughes had said ln a sign-e,l sign-e,l statement, because he saw Beck -his dearest friend, trusted as though he were a brother seeking to cm- brace his wife, but because of some-thing some-thing which swept him off his feel which drove him ln burning rage to H And you Forrest." Day answered J from the witness stand. "ln thin J statement have cast Insinuations upon my wife noblest, sweetest, purest J woman, who ever lived." TERS IN HIS EES Tears welled ln the eyes of the J former jurist. 9 "Oh, Forrest, how could you how J could you?" he asked. With arms outstretched toward th prosecuting attorney. Day continued: 'Have you been fair, Forrest, boy'' Think, have you been fair? J "I do not object to the many things J you have -said about me that does not matter. But, Forest dear, you have attacked the charucter of my Hughes' voice choked. ' Judge Day, I do not think you art H fair yourself. ' the prosecutor replied. ' Remember I am trying to do my duty You and I have been friends. Because I have btttfl fair, I have not preferred charges against you I ha- awaited this Inquest In the hope that t Continued on I c Two j. ' ' BBBBB i lv& SIGHT OF AVIATOR CLUTCHING WIFE DRIVES HUSBAND TO FRENZY Wife of Oklahoma Millionaire Declares on Witness Stand That Lieutenant Colonel Beck Sought to Dishonor Her (Continued from Page One) you could prove away the thinss ij believe this 1 ase shows. But Forrest." Lay answered from the stand ' you wrote your own story for the press you told them yon did! not believe in the virtue of my Wife. Women In the courtroom were ry-' Ing as Hughes excused Judge Day. from the sta nd 1 MILLIONAIRE N STAND Juugc Dean H. Day. Oklahoma millionaire mil-lionaire whoso hand bold the revolver I which killed Lieut Paul Ward HecK, afti i' Beck had attempted, It Is charged, charg-ed, to violate his home, told nle story' of tho tratcedN at im- corner's In- I quest, H was not alled to testify, but offered of-fered his stoii of the occurrence. I met Colonel Beck through Lleu- I tenant Kenneth Walker 1 never knew a bo 1 loved more he began Judge Day sat facing the jury. His VOloe was low Hi. might again have 1 been the Judge on the bench dellver- In.ir.llnna r.ilh.r ihan the Stir witness In his own behalf. He detailed event of hlb past friend-ship friend-ship for Colonel Beck up to the night i ol the tragedy Judge Dav told the story of events proceeding the actual shooting whi h linked in every particular with tho monies of previous witnesses. ,vh made up the party on the fatal night. The crowd which jostled and pushed during the testimony of previous witness.. wit-ness.. H was silent as the former Jurist testified. "I saw Beck and my wife three or foui minutes before I returned to m home the last time. ' everything was proper then " WHAT HI SHAM) SAW Judge I."i left the witness chair to I Illustrate. ' I looked in, there I saw Berk, one hand on her knees The other hand, was clutching her Day suited his action to his words .iy wife was fighting. I looked. 1 I saw what it meant Then I worn upstairs to get my! revolver hfn I came down Reck was not th'-re My wife was crying out, " h, Dadd Daddy, don't don't'" "She saw the revolver I walked to the curtain where I saw his bulging form. BFCK FALLS DEAD " Get out of here you , 1 said, calling him a vile imme. "He drew bark. I thought he was going to strike me, so I struck him. j The K'm exploded. Beck fell dead My tlod, Daddy," m wife cried. 'I dldn t mean to kill him. I said my first words. "My wife was suffering ou never 1 know a woman to suffer so." Tears veiled In the eyes of the lt-1 ness. TURNS ON PHOSKCl'TOR With his teeth clenched, his fists doubled, he leaned toward Prosecutor Hughes. My wife La a good woman, a noblo woman, despite your statements In the press. "Forrest," Judge Day said, "I want to say something to you. "God knows in bjeaven, Forrest, that what you Intimated in that statement Is not true It Is terrible to say that, Forrest don't you think It was not right before man or God? "You have cast a reflection on a good pure woman." Hughes, In a hushed voice, answer-1 ed; PROSF.CFTOR HFPLIKS Judge Day I have tried to be fair to do Just ni duly. That is why we are halng this lnnueet." "It wasn t fair Forrest it wasn't fair.'' Hughes went Into a cross examination examina-tion of tho witness. ' Vh dldtit you cry out when you saw this man attacking our wife?" Hughes asked. Because I knew I could protect my I wife in time and I 'lid it. "I knew Beck was armed often. I often saw his gun 'I got my revolver so I ocould bo In a position to drive this man from mj home he is my superior, phslc-.ili; phslc-.ili; I did not mean to take chances." Day continued" ' I imagine tho back of his head was toward me," 1 'ay said lllustrutlng this bj acting out the part. "He dodged when I struck at him he may have had the back of his head toward me. WOMEN WERE WEEPING "The rest of his body faced me. however." how-ever." Marty women In the court room cried softly as Juili;' Day, tears In his eyes his voice e.ioked, answered Hughes' questions "I went upstairs after the shooting 1 II tell you why." Judge Day said. ' hen I got up th-n 1 placod the revolver to my own temple and then 1 said no I am too brave for that' that Is why I went upstairs " Day was excused from tho stand. WIFE ON STAND In a volco which broke a sweet drawl, .scarcely audible, two feet away, Mrs Jean P. Day, followed her husband hus-band on the witness stand. With her husband standing beside her. Mrs Day, conslelered one of Oklahoma City's most beautiful women, wo-men, (Tie state capltol's recognized social so-cial leader, took courage slowly her voice grew louder. "Girl, girl, you have swept me off my feel you must come to me now," Colonel Beck cried to me when we were alone that nlghu." Mrs. Day said. Me had one arm around my waist the other around and under my knees. I erica out ior mm 10 siop ahu I cried out 'I wish 1 was dead' and 1 wished my daughter wns dead.' "Why?" Hughes asked FEARED AFTERPART 'Why Mr. Hughes have jou a daughter no you have not or you wouldn't say that. 'Oh, Mr. Hughes, Oh can't you understand'? It was not what would happen thon that made me wish my baby was dead. It Is tho after part. Mr. Hugh os. It Isn't what you might think, It is the tvful after part of the tragedy "You iisk me, Mr Hughos. If I thought then that Colonel Beck was trjlng to dishonor me. I did not think. Mr. Hughes I know he put his hands on my legs. '"What must women think'"' "Why, after all thjsse horrible things, you say he did. why, .then did you kneel beside him and ask him to speak?" Hughes asked. "I saw his Hps move I was hysterical. hys-terical. I recall kneeling down beside the body I tried to pick Colonel Beck's head up It mode me run with blood my hands and my clothes VI hy 1 did that 1 don't know, only that I am a woman, perhaps " Mrs. Day left the stand at 7;06 o'clock. Tho Jury left the room flv minutes later POLICEMAN ON STAND Policeman Joseph Camnosll testified tes-tified that, as Beck e body lay on the floor of Day's home In the small hours of Tuesday, his skull blown away from a revolver shot. Mrs Day, with blood on her arms, face and the front of her dress knelt pleading with Beck to speak to her. 'She was all alone when I crot to tho house.' th policeman said after a little while her husband came down stairs 'She was awfully hysterical and was crying something about 'h, my honor, oh. my honor'. ' "Then she talked about wanting to die and said lots of things I didn't understand," Campbell said, As Campbell testified the crowd surged forward Men and women sat on the court benr h Men and women Htood on chairs ,ind nun port bed uii ( w Indow sills Women crowded Into the Jury box slttlnx on the arms of the chairs of the Jurors. So great was th crowd that the of-I of-I fleers of the military court sitting to make a report of the case to the I war den Art men t. wore crowded from their seats Richard .M.llor, anothpr policeman, R Wlthlngton. prosecuting attorneys at-torneys detective nnd others had nls.. told of neelng the body of Beck. 1 strenched out on tio- floor in a pool of blood EVENTS RELATED Then L H Prlohard, one of the miosis at tho Day homo at the pnrt which preceeded the tragedy told of the events of the early evening. "I knew Mrs Dav Just one week Prlohard said I met her when she. nnd Colonel Book were at the theatre last Monday night they were alone." "We all sat In the same row by. -choice, I had met Colonol Beck be-; fore "I met them In the lobby of the', I theatre and asked them to come out! 1 to niy house Mr and Mrs T li. Anderson Major Maj-or Paddock and my wife made up tin pa rtj "Later Judpo Day came out. We played the vlctrolo and danced "WO didn't have any now records at my house so we went over to Judge, Day's home. "We stayed there until two o'clock, j we loft in Judge 1 s automobile , all of us except Mrs Day and Colonel i tech "Evorythlmr BSsmed proper There Were no quarrel-. sajfi Trbhird "Everybody danced and had a good 1 J time " |