Evening star., 1911-08-31
TO PROVE PAUL A LIAR
Is AIM OF DEFENSE
'Pawnbroker's Clerks Dispute Him as
to Gun Purchase.
FIRST ASKED FOR PISTOL
Statement That He Borrowed Dollar
at Pawnshop Is Disputed.
Witnesses Testify to Pris-
oner's Good Character.

CHESTERFIELD COURTHOUSE, Va.
August 31.-Continued attacks on the We
racity of Paul Beattie as TO his story OF
the purchase Of shotgun for his cousin.
Henry Clay Beattie. jr., brought out at,
the trial today a statement from E. III.
Neblitt that he saw Paul with a shotgun
a day after he claimed to have delivered
the weapon to Henry.
Mr.. Neblitt. who is superintendent OF
a papermaking plant. was asked:
did you ever see Paul Beattie with .
shotgun, and where?'
Saw Paul With Gun.
Yes I saw him Sunday. July l6. I
had to go down to the plant Sunday
morning after breakfast and 1 drove
across the bridge. I saw Paul Beattie
standing in the door of a cement house
! with single-barrel gun. 1t was broke
! He talked with my boy
On cross-examination Neblitt said that
he had only yesterday given this infor-
nation to counsel for the defense.
Ibid you tell any one else about IL -
mot until a few days ago, when told
my wife and J. G. Saunders"
why didn't you tell OF 1t before." ask
ed Mr.. Wendenburg.
! Didn't think il was of much impor-
| lance until Paul Beattie denied II on the
stand"
! But did you not tell Mr.. Smith yes
terday morning and did not Mr.. Smith
/ base his question, told Of In the paper.
on information you gave himT'
/ Yes"
No Plea of Insanity.
| Harry NJ Smith, jr., counsel for Beat
| tie, today put an end to rumors that uiti-
mately insanity would be offered as a de-
fense for the prisoner by making denr
mite announcement that under, no cir
4 cumstances would such q plea be en-
| tered.
1t was the announced intention of the
defense to ask that the court, have the
jury visit the scene OF the crime. but the
muddy roads may cause a postponement
of this for several days.
| David Weinstein. son of the pawnbroker
| from whom Paul Beattie purchased the
shotgun. was the first witness for the de-
/ fense today.
| THE commonwealth knew you were the
| boy who sold the gun to Paul Beattie?"
asked Harry NJ. Smith. jr., counsel for
the defense.
! Yes" t
You were not summoned by the prose-
cution?"
| mo"
| Paul Beattie testified that You took
the gun apart in three pieces and wrapped
1 ii up in paper and put his name on IL.
What do you say about it?''
II did not take IL apart. 1t was very
old-fashioned gun, and l didn't know
how
| The gun was produced at this point.
/ What time OF day. continued Mr..
Smith. did you sell The gun To Paul
| Beattie?"
Saturday morning between 10 and 12.'
Said He Was Watchman.
"When you sold the gun to Paul Beat
tie did he say he was a watchmsn and
wanted the gun to be used on Mayos
bridge. where he worked?''
| s"He did &s)
Ibid you know Paul Beattie before
that Saturday."
| "Yes, a little more than a week"
How did you become acquainted with
him."
.He worked for Mr. Stegler nearby
and came in one day to buy pistol. 1
told him we didn't have any,
Paul Beattie had previously testified
| that the only time he had entered the
pawnshop before was to borrow dollar.
and got it.. The witness denied having
loaned him a dollar, and added that
Paul had been in the pawnshor four or
| FIVE times.
On cross-examination Mr. Wendenburg
asked:
/ do, you remember on the Saturday
after the homicide coming to the hospital
L n tall ifv1rv
self and others that you sold the gun at
4 10 O'Clock the previous Saturday MORN
ing?"
| Yes"
that Paul Beattie was at work Saturday
morning and that he didn't come In until
or ) o'clock?
! Il remember something like that"
| And you said you were mistaken"
| "Yes, I thought so at the time. but
there were others at the store at the
! time / did sell 1t and ! asked them
| $50 you couldn't keep this thing
straight on your own memory, but had
to depend on some one else?"
| yes"
Brother Completed Deal.
..Didn't you tell Detective scherer that
YOU waited on Paul, and after showing
| him some guns you waited on other peo-
Die and left your brother to complete
| the sale?
Yes"
But you and Paul had agreed on the
price OF the gum
Yes"
WHO wrapped II up?''
II did"
Jacob Weinstein, about fourteen years
old. a brother OF David. followed him
on the stand.
"Do you remember Paul Beattie buy-
ing the gunT
yes"
when did he buy it,"
II can't say. After dinner. I guess"