The Detroit times., 1911-08-24
BEATTIE MURDER
TRIAL IS NOW
UNDER WAY
Witnesses Are Sworn for Prosecu-
cution and Big Battle Is Then
i 0pened-Day Is Prisoners
Wedding Anniversary.
Accused Shows Nerves Of Steel as
Case Goes 0n-Father Sits
lrs Beside Him.

! CHESTERFIELD COURTHOUSE,
Va, Aug. 24--On the anniversary OF
his wedding to Louise Wexford Owen.
Henry Clay Beattie, Jr., today began
the real battle to avert expiation for
her murder. II the grim circum-
stances caused the man accused OF
wife-murder in the slightest emotion,
he did not show 1t.
Calm and smiling he took his place
In the dock as the first witness to
testify against him took the stand.
The fact that the wife he married one
year ago lies in her grave, the victim
OF a brutal murder, and that he Is
accused of the crime, seemed to touch
no strings In the steel-wired tempera-
ment OF the Indifferent young man.
Beattie sat beside his father. The
aged man kept his arm protectingly
about his sons shoulders. They chat
ted together quietly, the accused son
talking with animation, while the
gray-haired father, his face lined by
cares, appeared more like man. on
trial than did the prisoner.
Detective Scherer had brought from
Richmond the blood-clotted automo-
body OF his wife from the ride that
ended In death. The gruesome ex-
hibIt was wheeled up beside the jail.
AS Beattie and his father came from
the jail 10 the courthouse, Prosecutor
Wendenburg had just finished an ex-
animation of the car.
Beattie strolled over, and while his
father lifted the blood-stained cush-
ions, on which Beattie sat while he
held the dead body Of his wife, the
accused man peered with curious In
terest at the stains on the woodwork.
He pointed at the blood-marked floor
of the car, and argued earnestly In
low tone with his father.
They stood for probably five min
utes gazing at the blood stains. Not
the slightest trace OF emotion showed
on Beattie's face.
When Judge Watson called the case
Of the state vs. Beattie,' the Tiny,
toy-sized courtroom was jammed.
Beattie grew slightly more serious
and seemed trifie anxious as he lis
tened to the roll call of the Witnesses
for the state. His father famed him
self and HIS accused boy with a large
palm-leaf fan.
All "a witnesses we're called before
| Judge Watson in patches or five or
I six, sworn, and turned out or The
courtroom again.
Only Thomas Owen. scheduled AS
. the first witness, was allowed to re-
main in the courtroom. Neither Paul
Beattie nor Beulah Binford was
brought out from Henrico county jail.
Trial Attracts Many.
In holiday garb, the plain farmers OF
Chesterfield and the morbidly curious
city folk travelled out to the little
sycamore sheltered courthouse, to-
day, to witness the real fight for his
life of Henry Clay Beattie, Jr. For
today the keen lawyers, who are de-
termined to send Beattie to the cleo
tric chair for the murder OF his wife,
began building up the structure OF
circumstantial evidence upon which
they depend.
The public was excited. Ever since
Henry Beattie carried his wife's body
|home from an automobile ride, the
might OF July 18, the public has been
lied with speculation and conjecture.
To-day witnesses were to tell the story
under oath and the public wanted TO
hear.
f1CIuT6SQue 0HcIln 0ili, ehO PAM
brush-bearded confederate veteran,
who policed Chesterfield county, had
trouble controlling the outpouring OF
spectators.
With the long weeks of maneuver-
ling and skirmishing over. Henry Beat
tie, steeled to the crisis, became even
calmer than before. He arose this
morning in Chesterfield county jail,
a little brick box OF place in the
courthouse yard. Yesterday he longed
for his cell In Richmond jail. but to-
day he was enthusiastic over the
country.
"This Is much better out here" he
said with a smile, "a sort OF country
retreat. It will be good for my health"
Today, Prosecutor Wendenburg had
his array of witnesses on hand, 81 in
all, ready to keep on placing his testi-
mony before the jury steadily until
the end. Wendenburg wants no more
delay, and he intends to attempt tr
place the direct evidence OF the pros
ecution before the jury this week. II
possible Many witnesses will be held
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