Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-22
Henry Clay Beattie, IT,, Pre-.
pairing for Death. ~
TO RECEIVE COMMUNION
Writes His Chum That the Wages
Of Sin Il Death.
ADVISES LIFE OF RECTTTUDE
Gov. Mann Announces That Execu.
ton VIII Take Place Friday
Morning, as Decreed.

Morning, as Decreed.
RICHMOND. Va, November cc.-IYenrv
Clay Beattie, IT,. condemned to electro
cution at dawn day after tomorrow In the
penitentiary here for wife murder. will
receive communion this afternoon frum
his family's pastor. Rev. J. J. Fix Of the
Presbyterian Church. Present with the
Rev. Mr.. FIX will be Rev BENJAMIN Dem
MS Of the Episcopal Church, Beattie's
personal spiritual adviser. The pri on.rs
father will be tho only other per son par
tcipating In the communion service.
Douglas Beattie. Henry's brother. today
denied reports that he would be present
at the electrocution, or anywhere. near
the penitentiary at that hour. He de-
clared the stricken family was sorcy
hurt by the sensational reports that have
been sent out Of Richmond duranx the
past few days. No outsiders, thus far.
have been permitted to pierce tho solemn
veil OF decorum drawn by Virginia law
around the now prayerful prisoner and
the place Of. his physical expiration.
Writes Letter to Friend.
Crestfallen, hopeless. all his jauntiness
and boyishness swept away by the abso-
lutte knowledge that he must die next FRI
day morning. Henry Clay Beaitie. IT,, has
paused in his prayers long enough to
write a letter to hts former chum. his
boon companion on his escapadss In
Richmond and Norfolk. Billy Samp-
son, who a. a witness on Beattte's be-
half announced, that both he and Harry
ha h. trA I I~pS
the speed limit"
Totally unlike the fippant notes the
young fellows used to exchange In their
sporty days was this letter that Beattie
sent from the death house to the youth
who was his closest friend. The letter
Is all expressive Of the serious. religious
turn that Beattie has taken In the face OF
death. In II he does not confess the
murder of his wife. but an intimate
friend of the Beattie family declared
that this communication contained the
following paragraph:
Tho biblical quotation 10 all true.
Billy. that says that the wages OF sin
Is DEATH"
Beattie calls attention to his own ghast-
ly position up there In the penitfentiary
with ignominious death certainly con-
fronting him. and exhorts the deb0nair
and gay Billy Sampson to think betts1
and more seriously OF the right way Of
living.
Il Out Of the City.
Sampson has left the city and has
made no attempt to visit Beattie since
the latter was transferred from the city
prison to the state penitentiary and piacsd
in cell No. Of the death house. nor
would he have been allowed In 20 500
Beattie. for. save for his family. his law.
yers and two spiritual advisers, Supt.
Wood has .decreed that none others may
60 to Beattie In his death cell.
Since Beattie's conviction there has been
absolutely no communication between him
and Beulah Binford. The young woman
has made no effort to get permission to
make him a farewell visit, and 1t 10 doubt
full II Beattie would listen to any request
of that nature which Sc might proffer.
From sienderness Beattie's body has
faded to skin and bones. His large eyes
have grown larger and brighter and more
nervous In face grown deathiike In pal
whittier by the sprouting OF his beard For
weeks he has not been allowed the ssrv-
ice of a prison baroer. lest he kill himself
rather than be put to death by the au-
thorities OF the state. No knife and fork
have been allowed at his meals. HE
meat Is cut Tor him; he has fed himself
with q spoon.
Overcome by Grief.
His death watch has been increased
to three men on duty during the day
and two at night. Under this con-
slant espionage and In the dreadful
silence Of the death house Beattie has
occasionally given way to fits of weep
ing in self-pity. He turned to one Of
the guards once and said:
Here I am, here ! am; but there's
lots worse people than me In the world.
There's lots Of worse people than me-"
An "a Apeno n vr1e hi
and gave way unrestrainedly. half
to his grief.
Yesterday he quite solemnly cleared
his cell of all world belongings-the
books and magazines, the pictures that
he had cut out Of some Of the periodicals
and pasted to the wall of mis- cell. the
two fancy sofa pillows that he had
been allowed to have. All these things
he handed out to the guard, saying
that he did not want them any more.
that it resembled one that might be
used by an ascetic monk In time OF
penance.
He also asked that he might dispose
OF his belongings held in the prison
ONCE to several Of the guards ut the
during his stay there pending the ap-
peal of his case. In this manner he
of a raincoat, an overcoat q
woven silk cigarette case. an emerald
6Carkpln anu ou dIuctuySt 0u0 u
great bunch Of fancy neck scarfs and
colored silk handkerchiefs.
Early Hour for Execution.
Tho execution Of the wide-saaysr VIII
occur shortly after Z an.
The names. of those who have been
to witness tho execution are
withheld from the newspapers. The
prison board has declined to permit re-
porters to witness the execution. The
whole proceeding Is to be en- camera II
Beattie should make statement at the
chair in the nature OF @ confession or
otherwise II will probably be given to the
public.
His old father said yesterday: eff
Henry has anything to confess he will
confess It; l believe him innocent
am satisfied that my sons spiritual
preparation to meet his death is full
and complete"
There has been q rumor about the city
that the Beattie family had not yet
abandoned hope completely. although
ne saw nothing ahead for the son but the
leath which he has been sentenced TO SUI
Ter. 1t was declared that In the eleventh.
hour q sensational witness would be
brought forward whose story would be
30 startling that Gov. Mann would DO
to grant Henry q reprieve.
Gov. Mann made q statement yesterday
which he declares will stand as his last
word In the case: There viii be no in
reference on my part with the execution
II Henry Clay Beattie at the state peni-
he other day stands absolutely. There
,aa ocrY,rred yOs hing IN change IL ard