The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-11-24


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Beattie's confession was followed by
the following statement by the attend
mg minister's
THE statement was signed in the
presence of two attending ministers
and Is the only statement that can and
will be made public by them.
"Beattie desired to thank his many
friends for the Kind letters and cx-
preston of interest and the public for
whatever Sympathy WAS felt or express
cd ....,....,t.-
No member of the Beattic family
was present at the execution nor at
the penitentiary when the death
march was begun.
The preparations for the reception
of Douglass Reattie, the brother of
the doomed man.. had been made in
the superintendent'ss Office, but the
young man did not appear. The fail
ure of any member of the family to
son authorities for they feared their
charge might break down at the last
moment. ''t...--.
Rcattic passed fairly peaceful
;;ht. although llfs: sleep was broken.
When he arose this morning he. dress-
ed with his usual care and ate sparing-
4 lr. -flt' did not appear either nervous
or apprchensive. although he was in
cessantly under the eyes Of the guards
who had redoubled their vigilance in
the final moments. SO the law might
not he cheated. ..,.......
During tn" reading of the death
warrant the doomed man maintained
his composlre. He stood without a
tremor. AS the superintendent finished
he might have been shifting his weight
from one foot to another. When the
deputy wardens fell in on either side
Of him he bowed his head a moment.
~ am ready. gentlemen" he said sim
ply and the death march was begun
Just before Superintendent Wood
and his men appeared. Rev. DIR. Fix
knelt in prayer With the condemned
man. ''''t
Throughout the forenoon the city
had been rent with rumors that Beat
tie had confessed. These were de-
MED at the penitentfary where, in
connection with the announcement of
the death 1t was said the condemned
man made no. statement.
The attending ministers would not
discuss the case in any way until they
had visited Beattie's family in South
Richmond and had their permission
to make the confession public. The
confession was evidently made at the
eleventh hour when Reattie became
convinced finally that all hope of es-
Gaping the electric chair had passed.
Two days ago, Rev. Fix announced
that Reattie said he would not con-
feEs. This was ascribed to the fact
that Beattfe desired to spare his faith
er the blow of admitting his guilt
after his many protestations of inno-
cence to his aged parent. There was
fight between filial devotion and a
desire not to go to his death with
lie on his lips. File was urged to con-
fess by his spiritual advisers and at
last broke down.
Story Of the Crime.
The crime for which Beat:ie was
executed was one of the most sensa-
tional In the criminal history of vir.
ginia. Interest in the murder was
countrywide owing to its unusual
Justice.
On the night of July 1s. last, Be-
attic drove his automobile to Rich
n,ond. carrying with him the body of
his wife which had a gaping shot gun
wound In the head. He declared
that tall bearded mar had accosted
him on the Midlothian turnpike. Ave
had requested the man to make
room TO- him in the road the strang-
er without warning had firel the shot
which killed Mrs. Beattic. He added
that ne had grappled with the man
but was overpowered and that the
murderer had fed leaving the gun
behind. This story Of the crime was
maintained by Beattie to the end.
E For a brief time Beattie's story
was given some degree of crcdence,
but within a day or two suspicion be-
gan to point to him and he was kept
under the closest surveillance. Blood
hounds. taken to the scene of the
crime. refused to leave the place. cir
cling around the bloodspot on the
road.
Beattie it eventually transpired had
thrown the shotgun into the tonneau
Of his automobile after the shooting
but in passing over some railroad
tracks not far from the scene It had
been jolted out and was picked up
later by a negress. This gun, which
Beattte alleged had belonged to the
mysterious highwayman. proved the
means Of sending the young man to
the electric chair.
At the coroner's inquest the weapon
was identified by Paul Beattie, a sec
ond cousin of young Henry, as the +,
weapon he had purchased for Henry
with money furnished by the latter.