Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1911-09-08
BEATTiE SOON
KNOW HIS FATE
That Jury Might Get Case Be-
fore Night Court Commenc-
ed Hour Early Today.
STRONG PLEA BY DEFENSE
Verdict Must be Either Guilty
or Not Guilty or They
May Disagree.
Special by United Press Wire.

spSCfui OU OTtteu fTSSS WTss
Chesterfield Court House, Va,
Sept. 8:-The fate of Henry Clay
Beattie; Jr., on trial for wife MUIR
der, will be placed in the hands of
the jury before sun down today. H.
M. Smith, his chief counsel, pleaded
for four hours today in his behalf
and was followed by Special Prose-
cutor Wendenburg. Wendenburg
said: 81 will be able to finish by 5
o'clock and believe the jury will
take the case at that time. Within
an hour l am confident that the YER
dict of guilty will be returned.
Hoping to place the case before
the jury before night, Judge Wat
son convened the court an hour
ahead Of the usual time. When
Beattie entered the court room, he
held a hurried conference with his
chief counsel, Harry M. Smith.
They went over the notes of Smith 8
speech together, Beattie suggesting
some changes.
eve are making good progress" :"
Beattie declared. II have not the
slightest fear that the jury will
bring in a verdict of guilty. They
may disagree, but If they do, will
certainly be acquitted on second
trial"
Argument For Defense.
In opening his argument before
the jury, Attorney Smith said: I'VE
are not afraid that you gentlemen
will bring In verdict of guilty, but
we do fear you may bring a verdict
of not guilty Judge Watson in
structed you that unless you are sat
isfied beyod reasonable doubt that
dangers of circumstantial evidence
been SO plainly shown as in this case.
The theory of the commonwealth
would make this intelligent, kind
hearted, affectionate youth Ounce,
a fool, a fiend in human form.
Henry Clay Beattie might have
committed this horrible crime in a
fit of rage" said Smith, but the
commonwealth would have you be-
lieye that this calm young man
planned and pondered over this
crime for days and slept over it at
night. They would have you believe
that with that horrible crime in his
brain he went about his daily life
for three days. It's inconceivable,
gentlemen Why the man who con-
ceiVed that crime was an idiot. He
chose his spot on the most travelled
road in Richmond"
Confirms New Witness.
Confirmation of the credibility Of
the new witness has been received
by him, Louis o. Wendenberg,
commonwealth prosecutor, declares.
This witness wrote to the prosecutor
confessing that he saw Beattie kill
his wife.
Under the indictment charging
Beattie with the murder of his wife,
but two verdicts are possible. The
jury may find him either guilty or
not guilty. There can be no YER
dict Of lesser degree of murder or Of
manslaughter. A third possibility
is that the jury might disagree or
that the case might result in q mis-
trial.
1t Is believed that Wendenburg has
sent orders to the chief Of police Of
Chicago, directing him to hold this
witness until he receives further or
ders. IN long conversation over the
phone Luther Scherer, chief of the
prosecutors detectives, received from
lawyer in Chicago, who had examin-
ed the withsss, sufficient verification
of the truth of tho mans story to cause
Wendenburg to act immediately.
Lawyer Wendenburg said that he
would make no move to reopen the
case for the prosecution and put this
new witness on the stand. He believes
that his case Is strong enough to secure
a conviction without this dramatic In
PRODUCTION of an eye witness story
at the last minute.
But he is preparing to have the man
In Chicago who so minutely described
the events Of the killing on the Mid
lothian turnpike brought on here to
be used against Beattie in case the
Jury in the present trial fails to reach
an agreement.
Case to Jury This Afternoon.
1t was learned indirectly that the
man whom Wendenburg wants held is
at the Great Northern hotel in Chi
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