The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-09-07
COURTS CHARGE SLIGHTLY
FAvORS YOUNG BEATTIE
tcontl.a.a from P.se oae.l

strike down the woman on the road.
After she had lain still q few mo-
ments, the writer asserted the man
deliberately looked TO see IL she were
dead, and when he found that she
was still alive. put the shotgun to her
head and killed her.
Just what use the detectives will
make OF this evidence-if they secure
twas not quite plain. They declar-
ed today they would not attempt to
reopen the case.
The possible indictment OF Beulah
Binford, as accessory before the fact
vanished in thin air today. Detec-
tive Scherer, who was on the trail
of evidence that Henry Beattie visit
ed Beulah the Saturday night before
the crime and then carried the fatal
single-barreled shotgun with which II
Is alleged the murder was committed,
declared today that he was unable to
secure enough confederation to war
rant the indictment at this time.
With firm step and head held high,
Beattie today entered the court room
10 hear the fnal arguments In his
case. A larger crowd than usual was
on hand. and there were more women
In the court room than have appeared
since the beginning OF the trial. Judge
Watson warned the feminine auditors
that much of the testimony In the
case had been unit for their ears,
and asked them to leave.
The women, many of whom had
travelled miles to hear the argument,
reluctantly fled out.
Then Judge Watson began his In
structions to the jury.
After reviewing the law of murder
as generalization, deliberation and the
proof OF corpus deficit, Judge Watson
took up the proof by circumstantiaI
evidence.
In a case where the commonwealth
endeavors to prove the guilt OF the
accused" he said, the evidence proven
must show that the circumstances
and all of them are inconsistent with
every reasonable hypothesis except
his guilt"
On this point and on the question of
reasonable doubt the charge was very
favorable TO the accused. While these
points we're presented Beattie watched
the jury carefully. seeking TO impress
them by his steady stare.
The charge throughout was strong
for the defense and when Judge Wat
son concluded, Beattie, his father, and
his counsel, held another animated
conference, talking In whispers.
Then Commonwealth's Attorney
Gregory, clad In gray frock coat arose
to make the opening argument for
the prosecution. Gregory Is an old
fashioned lawyer, confederate vet
eran.
"Thou shalt not kill, says the scrip.
ture," he said. "On a dark night on
a lonely road a high-handed assassin
stained the highway OF this commun-
ity with the blood Of an innocent wo-
man. And propose to show you
that this man-husband of that limo
cent woman--was the only one that
could, the only one who did commit
that foul murder" And the aged
prosecutor shook his. finger at the
calm-faced prisoner. Beattie smiled
quietly.
Gregory's argument bristled with
quotations from the scripture and was
formidable I'm its legal verbfage. He
reviewed the testimony Of the wit
nesses who told OF seeing Beattie's
automobile stopped by the side OF the
road few minutes before the killing.
They saw no one else there" he
summed up. There was no other
man there. Only this prisoner. He
alone had the means and the oppor-
tunity for committing this helllsh
crime"
On the question OF motive, Gregory
said:
Here was the innocent wife un-
touched by sin or vice or shame.
proud In her motherhood, but this
man filed with the venom of corrup-
ton, OF vice, and of sin. left that innc-
cent woman with his own child on huf
bosom and took TO his arms the wpni-
an Of the streets. There's the motive
Beattie himself could not deny IT,"
This line of argument plainly al.
fected the home-loving farmers on tho
fury with their high respect for wom-
ankind and motherhood.
After an hour and half OF orator..
cal pleading, Judge Gregory concluded
his argument In a burst OF fervor. lie
demanded the vengeance OF the law
for the terrible crime which has
stained the fair history Of Chester
field county, and which has made our
peaceful community criminally notori-
Gus throughout the country"
During Gregorys scathing denuncia-
tion, the prisoner sat calm and un-
moved. not an eyelid quivering as the
lawyer demanded his life, in return for
that of his murdered wife. But a
sigh OF relief escaped him as Gregory
concluded and he relaxed visibly as
Hin Carter. arose to make the open
ing plea for the defense.