The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-09-08
.BEATTIES FATHER
ON WITNESS STAND
Accused Placed on Stand And With
Close of His Testimony Defense
Will Rest Case.


Chesterfield Court House, Va, Sept
1.-Henry Clay Beattie, Jr, indicted
for the murder of his wife, sobbed like
child yesterday when his gray-haired
father in a low tremulous voice told
of the domestic felicity of his son and
the slain woman, Louise Owen Beattie.
1t was the first time that the stoical
calm of the prisoners countenance
had given way during the trial
The testimony of the father came
as a dramatic close of a long days
battle by the defense against the evil
dence heaped up by the prosecution.
Today the accused himself will go on
the stand, and the defense will rest
it's case.
Battering constantly against the tes-
timony of Paul Beattie, cousin of the
prisoner, as to the purchase of the
gun, his delivery of it to Henry, and
his subsequent conversation with the
accused, the defense introduced sew
eral witnesses to cast doubt upon the
veracity of Paul 1t emphasized the
point when it introduced David Beat
tie, Pauls grandfather, and an uncle
OF Henry, who testified that Pauls
character was not good.
1t was another intensely dramatic
period in the trial, for with apparent
feeling, the ma ntold of his grand
sons shortcomings.
The most surprising refutation of
the day against Paul's testimony came
when Ernest II. Neblitt said that on
Sunday, July Is, he saw Paul Beattie
on the bridge where he worked, hand
ling a single-barreled shotgun Paul
had claimed ever since the coroner's
inquest that he disposed of the shot
gun the same day he bought it. Satur-
day, July Is, by giving it to Henry
Subsequently the defense brought
many witnesses to tell of Mr.. Niblett's
good character, and brought out others
to attack Paul's veracity.
e. H. Lewis, an employee of the
Beattie store in South Richmond. de-
clared that people spoke of Paul Beat
tie as "the biggest liar in town"
Henry Clay Beattie, Sr, father of
the accused, was interrogated for an
hour just before court adjourned for
the day. AS he stepped to the witness
stand, the prisoners face frightened.
The white-haired man, his face deeply
wrinkled and pale, spoke in a voice
scarcely above a whisper Counsel
leaned forward over the bench to lis
ten to him. He talked with great eff
fort He told of how his life had been
! shattered by the death of some of his
children; how Henry in his infancy.
J had been neglected because twins came
, into the family during his boyhood and
described how on this account, ard
the death of his own wife, he had
grown closely attached to his son. He
described the long love that had exist
: ed between Henry and his ill-fated
wife, testifying that he himself grew
to love his daughter-in-law as one of
: his own children.
'When her baby was born" said
! Beattie speaking Of the dead woman
: sit was like starting life over for me
to see the grandchild"
The father spoke highly of his. sons
character, and controverted the testi-
mony of many witnesses for the prose
cution that Henry showed no signs
of grief after his wife's murder He
declared that he sobbed and mourned
almost all night after the tragedy.
When Beattie had finished and was
ready for cross-examination by the
J prosecution, Mr.. Wendenberg waived
the opportunity. 1t was the first time
; during the trial that this had occussed
: After a few minutes testimony by
Mary Jackson, a colored woman, to
the effect that she saw a bearded man
: in the vicinity of the murder on the
! Sunday before it happened, which on
cross-examination she was unable to
/ maintain, especially as she declared
: she could not fix the exact date