Evening star., 1911-09-01
GETTING THE STAGE READY
Jury May First Be Taken to View
Scene Of the Crime.
GR1EvEp FOR HIS WIFE
Father and Brother Of Accused Man
Tell Of His Sorrow on Night Of
the Murder-Reputation Good. !


his appearance as q witness may be de-
layed until Monday. 1t is planned to
close the defense with the prisoners
testimony. and the stage setting for his
evidence was not arranged as early -
had been expected.
One Of the reasons for delay is the dis
covery Of new witness who is expected
to make important disclosures Of hap
penings on the Midlothian turnpike the
night OF the murder. II also IL possible
that before Beattie takes the stand the
jury may be asked to go to the scene Of
the crime. an expedition which would oc-
cupy at least three hours In travelling
back and forth.
The jury never has viewed the spot
where the tragedy occurred. and II was
said that counsel for the defense plan
ned to have the prisoner tell his story
Of the bearded highwayman imme-
dfately after the picture OF the lonely
spot on the Midlothian turnpike had
been fixed in the minds OF the jurymen.
Characterization OF the prisoner ny
the prosecution was looked for lats
today or the beginning OF the session
Of court tomorrw. With q day to each
side for final arguments. it Is believed
e"S SoSo "'A ASoch sn0 jury W ueAe
Tuesday.
Character Witnesses Heard.
Sunlight streamed into the courtroom
for the first time In several days when
court convened at 1885 o'clock this morn-
ing.
The defense first introduced some char.
acter witnesses to continue the testimony
k4ew, ~y,<,~~x ~
tation of the prisoner as we'll - that oc
E. H. Neblitt, whose testimony presented
an important contradiction to Paul Beat
ties story OF the time OF delivery Of the
tain on the Richmond police force, tssti-
Ned that Mr.. Nsblitt was q truthful ard
reputable citizen OF Richmond.
r. c. Broadus, a Richmond merchaaAts
said he had known Henry Clay Beattia,
jr,.. all his life. and that he had an q.
J. p. Jones. another merchant. spoke,
highly. OF Neblitt's character, declaring
he had known him. intimately for tee
years.
The commonwealth waived cross-sxans
ination on these witnesses.
John Saunders, q Richmond police sers
geant. also lauded Neblitt's character.
Douglass Beattie, an older brother Oe
the prisoner. then took the stand.
.'Will you explain the relations Of Henry
and his Wife" queried Mr.. Smith Tor the
defense. from the time they were mar
ried since they lived In your homer
How did he greet her when he mst her
or departed from herr"
He always kissed her the few times. (
saw him greet her.
why few timesT'
II went away earlier and came homo
later usually than Henry, hut the times
l did see them they kissed"
What was your first intimation Of the
murder"
Found Brother in Tears.
"a phone message from DR.. Mercer say
ing Henry had been held up and shot.
told other people in the house and my
father. sister and I went to Mr.. Tom
Owens house. Henry was In room to
the right OF the hail. He was lying on
reclining chair and my father kneelinE
by his side. Henry was sobbing and
moa ming and fondling his wife's slipper.
The witness corroborated his fathers
testimony Of yesterday as to Henry's
manifestations Of grief the night OF the
murder.
.Did you examine the carr"
when l got into it to go up the roeo
/ found blood on the left seat, covered
up. and l got full OF blood on the rfghs
seat"
"
'.I was told IL covered blood.
I'VE ask that this be stricken out -
hearsay," said Prosecutor Wendenburg.
The court sustained the motion
The witness said he drove the car prac-
tically from the time Henry brought the
dead woman to the Owen home until the
next day.
How bloody was the seat?' asked Mr..
Smith.
snsof on nv p0ntS."
Did you lift the seat up?"
"Yes, and blood ran in every direction
after / had ridden about two hours
How much was that car run after the
murder before being taken in charge by
the county authorities?
The witness said he had gone up ana
down the Midlothian turnpike several
times for miles. He declared the blood
under the drivers seat still was sort the
Counsel for defense asked permission for
it's witnesses to make an independent
examination of the automobile. A dep
uty sheriff conducted these witnesses 10
the machine in barn several hundred
yards from the courthouse.
Important New Witness.
At this juncture Attorney Smith. for
the defense, received a message telling
him of an important new witness. and
of witnesses W. suspended.
Rumors few thick and fast that addi-
tional evidence concerning the alleged
had been received, bue
youchsafed no explanation.
When the prisoner read the message to
Mr.. Smith he became excited and pound
ed on the table in front Of him several
times his face flushed, and he turned to
his father and talked quickly to him.
Mr.. Smith Immediately left the room.
Hill Carter Of counsel for the defense
said:
I'VE cannot say anything at this time.
We have received some very important
which. we are trying at once
to verify.
The crowd sauntered out on the lawn
during the virtual recess caused by Mr..
Smiths absence. -.
N was learned that the witness win
corroborate q story OF Richmond man
thar he knew-a man and woman who
travelled the Midlothian turnpike the
night of the murder. and that the ma
chine stopped once and the woman stood
nm the running board. This fact, IL es-
"a bli shed, will be used by the defense to
controvert the testimony OF several boy
witnesses Of the prosecution that they
saw a man and woman in q car similar
Ia Henry Clay Beattie, jr.'s. on the road
and that the man was not I'm the ma
chine BY the testimony OF the boys the
has contended that the ac-
r.->A ~.o~ not In hts IN tha