Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-31
Another Saw Stranger PrOwI-
Ing Around With Shot Gun.
State May Produce Man, an
Alleged Squirrel Hunter.
One Witness Creates Laughter When
Mentality Is Attacked.

Chesterfield Court House, Va, Aug.
30-Testimony eorroberative of the
story told by Henry Clay Beattie, Jr,
that q bearded highwayman killed his
wife with shotgun was introduced
by the defence in the Beattie trial to-
day when W. A Holland who lives in
the vicinity If the Midlothian turn
pike where the murder occurred. de
elared that he had seen. a bearded
man with a shotgun there aboat five
hours before the tragedy.
1t vas the first move OF the defence
after the prosecution rested It's case
Al noon today To establish the veracits
a. the prisoner and besides Holland :
statement concerning a man with a
ssoteun. Eugene Henshaw, farmer.
who travels the Midlothian turnpike
daily testified that he saw strange
looking man proWling around IN three
different DAYS before the murder. II
Il reported tonight that the prosecu-
tian is ready when its time foe rebut-
tai arrives tn put On the stand the
man who passed along the railroad
tracks where Holland says he saw a
man with a shotgun and that the new
witness viii say ne was squirrel hunt
in@ that day.
The defence summoned many Wit
naesee. Besides the testimony regard
ing the bearded man. expert testimony
WIS introduced as t. the bouncing
Qualities Of an automobile similar Il
taat driven by Beattie thereby ae-
counting for the iolting out IF the car
% the shotgun placed in rear seat
hv Reattie after the encounter with
tie alleged highwayman. The paeseeG-
ton attacked this line Of evidence on
REORGANIZATION. It contended that
The railroad crossing where Bea;tic
claims the gun must have been eject
"a from the ear was n smooth one and
thar the Jolt which might have result
90 from crossing the tracks where the
rails are exposed necessarily would
have tossed the weapon forward
from tic crossing instead of directly
sideways parallel with the track where
the gun vas found The idea of the
prosecution has been to indicate that
Reattie himself slowed down at the
crossing and threw the gun to one
side on mis- way 10 the owen nome
with his dead wife.
The defence sought 10 show that
being held up ny highwaymen while
uncommon occurrence and put on the
stand chauffeur who related an eX
pericene with a highwayman a year
ago The commonwealth attorneys
objected to the testimony as irrevel-
ant. Judge Watson ruled that unless
a great many instances could be
pointed TO. showing hold-ups OF a
similar character TO one described by
70 81, ,r.la
incident of the kind would be ruled
out. The defence announced that il
intended TO give other instances later.
Battles counsel attacked the dec
laration of sam Talley that he heard
on the night of the murder a shot
and the scream of a woman on the
Midlothian turnpike. Several witnesses
testified that the morning after the
murder when Beattie talked with Tai
ley and others nothing was said about
a woman screaming
An amusing incident occurred when
the defence put ON the stand William
Pemherton. a man of As years of age
TO attack the truthfulness and char
aeter ef Talley. Pemberton's own
mentality was questioned by Prose
cutor Wendenburg.
are you iiSht III yum lllilu ask
ed the prosecutor.
''What do you mean. am I craZy?"
Pemberton asked. We'll. no."
Didn't you have nine cats chained
in one room in your house once?" ask
ed the prosecutor. No"
well, weren't there pictures taken
OF those CATS" May be-
Here the witness figited and began
10 show signs of embarrassment He
turned on Mr. Wcndenburg savagely
exelaiming.
Look here. man, are YOU trying to
cross examine me? You are talking
out OF your head -
The witness continued talking rapid
ly, but his remarks were drowned in
the laughter of the court room and
even after Judge Watson had restored
CONTINUED on Page Five.)