The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-08-25
BEATT|E'S PLANS.
Line on Defense to Save
Young VirginianL Leaks Out.
MAY GALL CATHOLIC PRIEST.
Attorneys For Man Accused Of Muir
dering Wife Will Attack Veracity
of Paul 6eattie's Testimony With
View Of Diserediting Story.

Chesterfield Court House, Aug. o.
The immovable calmness of Beattie in
his fight for life is strikingly illus
trated. During the court recesses he
holds jocular chats with friends who
gather about the window of the little
room where he is confined. In the
course of one of these conversations,
one of his friends, an insurance agent,
Remarked:
Henry, you had better let me sell
you $4,000 worth Of life insurance"
Better make it 100000" came back
the reply, 'I'll probably need it,"
And the gathering laughed, Beattie
joining in heartily.
Beulah Binford has not appeared
here yet. She may be called as a wit
ness during the trial, but as yet the
pretty "girl in the case" remains in a
cell in Richmond, surrounded by pic.
lures of Beattie-she has no less than
forty-ipe in the jail-reading the news.
paper extras and protesting confidence
of his acquittal.
Although the Binford girl is not pres
CAiA5 lld1lltu SlSltI VI uSIS dDlJeuTeu
on the courthouse lawn and was
center of interest.
Paul Beattie, the prisoners cousin,
who has sworn that he purchased the
gun with which Louise Wexford Owen
Beattie was shot, is under instructions
to be ready to make the journey by
automobile to Chesterfield.
Tho ctaP xuitpase, for tho
Paul, has said little since his incar.
ceration, but on his testimony the COM
monwealth hopes to send his twenty
six-year-old cousin to the electric chair.
The Binford girl may be called as q
witness as the trial progresses.
To Virginia's credit it is noted that
not one white woman was in court
when the prisoner was indicted, and
barring those who may be called as
witnesses, few of the women have
so far attempted to crowd into the
little courtroom during the trial.
1t became known here that Paul
Beattie will be the weak spot in the
case of the prosecution, at which
Harry M. Smith and Hill Carter, two
of Virginia's ablest lawyers, will aim
the big guns of their defense The fact
as claimed that Paul did not tell the
whole truth in his story of buying for
Henry the second hand shotgun with
which the killing was done will form
the basis for the case of the defense.
A Catholic priest may become the
lever with which the defense will try
to pry Henry Beattie loose from the
death clasp of the electric chair. 1t
has become known that the day his
cousin was indicted Paul Beattie, who
is Catholic Summoned priest to his
cell in the Henrico county Jail. Locked
in his bosom that priest carries the Sc
cret for which the attorneys for the
defense might give all the wealth they
could command.
The heavy pail of the confessional
surrounds the story that Paul Beattie
told the priest. and it is beyond the
pale of the law.
But the lawyers for the defense may
call the confessor to the stand and
place before the jury the moral effect
of the priests refusal to tell the story
related by Paul Beattie. The strength
of this course with jury of farmers
can only be conjectured
Seven jurors had been accepted when
court opened today. The examination
of Others is progressing slowly and it
Is probable that the jury will not be-
gin hearing evidence before tomorrow.