Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-11-24

Beattie entered the house and ar
rested him. Al the afternoon session
OF the inquest Beulah Binford took
the stand and told of her relations
with Beattie. She told OF the renewal
of these relations shortly after Beat
ties son. Henry Clay Beattie. Sd, was
born, and her return TO Richmond
from Norfolk, where she met Beattie.
The Coroner's jury after brief
consideration held Beattie for the ac-
lion OF the grand jury.
On August IA. the Grand Jury re-
turned an Indictment against Beattie
for murder in the first degree, and on
August q. he was placed on trial
and then ensued one OF the stranS-
est. bitterest legal battles that Vir-
ginia has ever known.
Out in the little Chesterfield coun-
tx court house, fourteen niizs from
Richmond, five miles from a railroad,
Il courteous, kindly Southern gentle
man. Judge Watson. took charge OF
the trial District Attorney Gregory
assisted by Louis 0. Wendenburg.
one OF Richmond's leading criminal
lawyers. conducted the prosecution.
and Harry II. Smith and Hill Carter
made the fight for Beattie's life.
The physical facts surrounding the
crime and contradictory nature OF the
stories told by Henry Beattie. his un-
faithfuness 10 his wife. and the story
Of his cousin Paul, were the founda-
tions upon which the state rested its
case. The father. sister and friends
OF Beattie took the stand in a vain
effort to establish for him reputa-
ton that would convince the twelve
Chesterfield county farmers who made
up the jury that he was incapable
of the crime charged against him.
Throughout the trial Paul Beat
tie. the star witness for the prosecu-
ton, and little 1I-year-old Beulah
Binford. sweetheart Of the prisoner.
were kept locked up in the Henrico
for two days, but the 11-year-old
girl was never taken 10 Chesterfield
court house 10 tell her story. She
had been summoned as witness BY
the prosecution but the shrcwd law
yers believed that her attachment for
Henry Beattic would make her an
undesirable witness. and she was ner-
er placed on the stand.
In her stead her mother. big.
middla-aged woman told Lhe Story ot
her daughters relations with Henry
Beattie: his love for the girl and
his renewal Of their intimacy after
his marriage After three weeks of
taking testimony and argument. the
twelve Chesterfield county farmers
retired one evening to the jury room.
knelt down and prayed for Divine
guidance. discussed the evidence.
knelt and prayed again, and then
filed into the court room with YER
dict Of guilty. Judge Watson i'm
mediately pronounced the death SELL
tence, fixing November "a. today. as
the date Of the execution.
An appeal to the higher courts
failed. and Beattie fixed his hope on
an application for pardon, reprieve or
communication of sentence to Governor
Mann. After a short consideration.
however. Governor Mann. in a scath-
ing statement, declined TO grant the
pardon. and expressed the opinion
Boattie was attempting to escape the
penalty of crime of which he knew
he was guilty
After a long consultation with the
Beattie family. the Rev. Benjamin
Dennis. spiritual adviser Of the ex-
ecuted murderer. announced that lat
er in the day he would make public
a statement prepared by Beattic. 10
be issued after his death.
II want it understood that 7 do rot
admit by this statement that Beattie
made a confession" said the Rev.
Dennis.
Detective Luther Scherer. who
worked up the case against Beattie.
however. declared that the statement
would be a confession Of Beatties
guilt
Shortly before noon the spiritual
advisers of Henry Clay Beatie issued
a confession which he made shortly
before going 10 the electric chair.
He said that many of the details were
wrong. but that the main fact of the
murder.
Members OF Tar Party Sentence.
Lincoln Center. Kans., Nov. "a
Everett G. Clark Watsong Scranton,