The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-11-24

the confession.
 The news of the confession was re- celved with intense interest at the of | flee of Governor Mann. The Governor l had been so firm in his stand against any interference or respite that many called him mercileSs. This note from the death cell set at rest any doubt as to the correctness of his attitude. The family at the Beattie home, in Manchester, shut the windows and doors, preparing to receive, this after 1 noon. the body of the executed son and brother
 Richmond, Va, Nov. 24-Calmly smil- ing, almost indifferently. Henry Clay Beattie today paid his life for the life of his murdered wife. There was no indication of physical or mental weak ness i'll the youthful figure that strode into the death chamber and seated himself in the grim engine of death. Following the custom of the peniten- tiary, Beattie was sent to his death without any breakfast
 He was the calmest man in the death chamber when the execution took place, with clenched hands and teeth rigidly set. The prison guards were nervous. The clergymen trem- bled, but not Beattie. His nerve com pletely recovered, Beattie went to his death with as much sang froid as he displayed during the trial. The break down of two days ago could not have been detected in his manner, this morning.
 Beattle. first of all, saw the chair, shifting the range of his vision, he saw, dimly, the witnesses sitting at the other end of the room. Beattie's eyes swept the 12 men, His lips curv- ed into a smile. He seated himself in the chair and, in one minute every thing had been adjusted.
 Deadly Current.
 At the switchboard, in the rear of the room, a hand was seen to move into the circle of light cast by small electric bulb there. This hand pulled rent leaped into the body of the man In the chair. The hand was seen to throw back the lever to manipulate another and then the first one again. Lights were now thrown on in the room and Dr. w. T. Oppenheimer step brother. pr. St. Julian Oppenheimer. Dead" they said, in laconfc duet, and the guards began unstrapping the fig ure in the chair The witnesses arose and filed out. The body was carried into q chamber nearby to await the claim of the family upon 1t. }. No autopsy vyilt be performed on the body of the young man, but one would undoubtedly show simply that he died of paralysis of the respiratory centers and the heart. Rigor mortis began, as always after electrocution, unusually early. On this account, the body was prepared for burial at once after it had been carried from the death chamber.
 Brother Gets Body.
 Formal claim of the body was made H~~ rcr1o s1,A rpr face showed more emotion today than ever before. His is not countenance which easily reflects the feelings with in, but his grief today was too great for even fmmobile and unexpresion- able features to mask completely. The brother hurried into the superinten- dents office. speaking to no one as he went up the steps of the penitentiary. He remained inside a long time but he did not go to look at the body, now cold in death downstairs.
 No word of the funeral arrangements was given. Beattie's body was re- moved from the prison in an under takers wagon.
 His Final Struggles.
 Many believe that. in the final ter rible days while he awaited death, Beattie may have discussed the crime for which he was condemned, with either his family or one of his spirit ual advisers. But neither would admit 1t after his death.
 we must keep secret" said the Rev. J. J. Fix and the Rev. Benjamin Dem his after the youth had been put to death. Tt is enough for us to say that he went to his death with the ultimate consolation of religion"
 The execution was conducted with the precision of military drill
 The protection which the common wealth throws about such scenes was never better maintained and the only official announcement was that Beat tie met the end at 7:23 o'clock. There was no announcement as to the exact time the current was applied, when it was turned off or other details of the nature.
 As far as the commonwealth of vir- ginia is concerned, Henry Clay Beat tie, Jr., died at 7:23, paying the for felt that the commonwealth demand ed. It is understood that this was the time when the heavy current of cleo tricity struck and stilled the heart of the. youth who brutally fired a shot gun into the face of his baby's moth- CT. The newspapers in Virginia are prohibited by law from publishing more than the mere fact that Beattie was executed, according to a mandate of the jury and court.
 Iron Nerve Remains.
 After a night of untroubIed sleep, Beattie awoke to gaze from his bar red window on a sodden, raw, soaking world But impending death within and deep gloom without failed to shake his iron nerve. He prayed for a time with his spiritual advisers, Rev. Dr. J. J. Fix and the Rev. Benjamin Den nis Then came the last guard of the death swatch with the word that all was ready.
 Unfaltering in step and mien, Beat tie stepped between the two ministers and began the march to death. Across a little corridor, the strange process sion stood on the threshold of the room of death The musty, window less room was in utter darkness a moment before. But, just as the con- demned man stepped to the door, a blazing, reflected light burst forth from a cluster of incandescent globes above the polished oak chair with it's grim fittings. The lights threw a cir cle of weird illumination about the en- zine of death that intensified the darkness of the remainder of the room. Only the inflexible, grim chair stood in glaring outline.
 Across the room, in the solid dark ness, sat dozen men in wicker chairs. They were the official witnesses of the execution and they had been snug gled into the room before dawn No one saw them enter the prison and no one saw them leave.
 Beattie Prays.
 Beattie shook hands with the minis 4<x>, rN<><I