The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-16

bordensr was asked rs Mr.. Beattie
lef, the door of the prison.
No one can tell at this stage OF
& the proceedings. There is no one
who for moment believes that Mr..
Battle thinks his son is guilty OF the
horrible crime. No one would wish
him {. SO believe.
Bcattic Keeps Up Nerve,
This young man is most re-
markable one. said superintendent
Mood. after Mir. Reatse had PASSED
out OF sight Although he Ia, SO Iar
as | have been able to sec, Just like
all other criminals. lie has done
nothing out vf the ordinary. since he
has been here, 10 my knowledge, ex-
sept 10 keep up that indomitaiae
nerve Hc has never, so Tar as
know. asked about his little babe, nor
has he, TO my knowledge. expressed
regret AZ the taking away OF ms Vile
Il cant imagine a man with the
sitspos.iiou displayed by Eeattie. That
is the only different. | see between
him and the average criniEai' otheF
men scat here for murder or DINER
crimes, display a feeling Oh human
interest in come things. but this man
never has. 10 my knowledge. display
cd interest in anything or any one
but himself.
This report OF getting meals from
ia. outside is without toundatioA'
said MIR. Wood. give hin. Nha'
.ait hospital fare. which CONSISTS "a
eggs. steak, chicken, milk. Tplt.
.iapies, or anything that he may rec
like eating. Tie seems 10 ne P''
Is satisfied with ms anu mas f''
asktd Ter anything else.
Bed Of Condemned Man.
slI. seems to lc cont VFta ole ana
SATISFIED wi.h his surroundings und"r
the circumstances. Ills bed rs u Sun
sie iron frame. with a mattress an"
sheets. ami pillow within MS iatttI
brought him from nome nc pfit'N
,,}d not come from the 1ai} as mas
beef. stated. The room IS about nine
bV twelve feet! large enough for some
exercise and the light ana Ventilation
seems to he good.
w q built these cells when | vas on
the Penitentiary Board, and 1t vas
our idea 10 make them as eomfor'ahle
as possible consistent with the eN~
.xencies We felt that when man
was sent here TO be efectrocuted, ne
might be allowed some little things dif
ferent from the man who Is Just
transient, and with this human
tartan idea in mind We had the cells
constructed To that end ---
Death Row in Basement.
basement ofthe east wing of the pen
itentiary There are nine cells. five
Que one side Of a comfortable roomS
corridor an dfour on the other she.
In one of these Beattie has been
spending his last days. He is the
only condemned man at the prison.
The guards who have been watching
over him are not al ali inclined to
be silent Neither are they 1oquneious.
But they give the prisoner all the lee
way for conversation that ne may wish
10 take advantage Of.
Il have seen Beattie but once said
Superintendent Wood. THAT was the
morning he came cut mere from the
Jail. have not seen him since. I
make IL a rule not W get too closely
in touch with the prisoners. 90
not expect to see Beattie again. until
the cath. unless he sends for me. Not
long ago one OF the condemned men
sent for me u was short while
before the day of execution, and every
one around here thought ne wanted to
max a confession. But he didn't He
body 10 his Wife. ! promised to do
so, and did
Condemned are Cool.
las a rule" continued the superin-
tendent. the condemned man on his
way to the chair seems TO lie the cool
est or aii tHpse present re mas Mt
lie to say. Just goes toward tho chair,
and II takes but a minute to complete
the details and nll la over. One man
did wave his hand TO the others In
the row, and said Good bye. BOYS
and another said, I thank YOU, Mr.
Wood. for your Kindness to me" but
that IL about all they say or do.
And all alone with the visions Of
hts past career and the pirturing of
that awful crime on the Midlothian
turnpike before him, with possibly
visions cf the future. Henry Beattie
lies In that little nine by twelve cell
IN the basement ~ the east wing.
While on the outside sits a grim
guard smoking his pipe In Silent med
.tation. Outside the bell of the pra-
on tolls the hours and each one Of
them carries Beattie closer and closer
to the gloom OF the early dawn OF
November cath.