The daily sentinel., 1911-11-24
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BLACKSTONE BROS.
BEATT|E CONFESSES.
Continued from Page IL
Associated Press.

Associated Press.
Richmond. Va. Nov. o4.-The
crime for which Henry Clay Beattie,
Jr.. was executed today was one OF
the most sensational in ;he criminal
history of Virginia. Ihterest in the
murder was country wide owing to
its unusual features End the swift
movement of justica.
Told Long Story of Crime.
On the night of July is, last, Bea
title drove his automobile into Ricn-
mond, carrying with him the body {!
his wife which had a gaping shcr
gun wound in the head. lie declar-
ed that a tall bearded man had accos, e.
ed him on the Midlothian turnpike,
five miles from Richmond and when
he had requested the nan 10 ma; 2
room for him in the road ne strang-
er without warning had tired the shot
which killed Mrs. Deattic. He ad
ded that he had grappied with the
man but was overpowered and tina.
the murderer had fled leaving che
gun behind. This story cf the crime
was maintained by Beattie to the end.
Not Suspicioned at First.
For a brief time eBartie's stoiy
was given some degree of credence.
began to point to him aud he was
kept under the closest surveillance.
Bloodhounds, taken To the scene of
the crime. refused to leave the place,
circling around the bloodspot on the
road.
Threw Gun Away.
Beattie, it eventually transpireG
had thrown the shotgun into the ton
antnnnhila a
shooting but in passing over some
railroad tracks not far from the scene
it had been jolted out and was pick
ed up later by a negress. This gun,
which Beattie alleged to have belong
ed to the mysterious highwayman,
proved the means of sending .be
young man to the electric chair.
Gun Identified.
At the coroner's inquest, the wea-
pom was identified by Paul Beattie,
second cousin of young Henry, as
the weapon he had purchased TO-"
Henry with money furnished by tire
latter. Beattie was arrested immed
lately after the inquest. This was Oh
July 81, and on August 10, one month
and a day from the time of the muir
der. the trial was begun before Judge
Walter A. Watson, in the picturesqu.
little Chesterfield County Courthouse
sixteen miles from here.
Beulah Binford n Factor.
The jury was made up almost en-
tirely of farmers, ond on this fact.
4 Beattie based his claim that he had
been convicted, not for the murder of
mis- wife. but because of his relations
with Beulah Binford, notorious
young woman. He insisted to the
last that a jury composed OF city me-
would have freed him. Beattie was
defended by II. NJ. Smith, Jr, and
| Hill Carter. The prosecution was
conducted by l.. o. Wendenburg and
l.. NJ. Gregory.
Jury Prayed for Help.
The trial moved swiftly, though
many witnesses testified. and on Sep
TENDER s. after 5S minutes OF consiG-
Grafton and prayer the jury, in Choir
us instead of through its foreman, &c
clared Beattie to be guilty of the muir
der of his wife. Motion for a new
trial was denied and November "a
was set as the day for the execution.
Appeal Refused.
On November 10 the Virginia Su-
preme Court of Appeals refused to
grant an appeal on writ of error,
and two days later Governor Mann,
who had been appealed to for COM
mutation or reprieve, issued state
ment declarin that the interests OF
the people of Virginia demanded that
Beattie should die in the electric
| chair.