Evening journal., 1911-08-21
BEATTIE SAYS
NOT GUILTY
Trial Of Virginian for Alleged
Murder Of His Wife
Began TOday
DEFENSE SHOWS LITTLE
INTEREST In TIE JURY

BY The United Press.
CHESTERFIELD COURT HOUSE,
Va, Aug. 21.-Despite an earnest ef-
fort for further delay by his lawyers
Henry Clay Beattie iwss today ar
raigned for the murder of his wife.
Judge Watson denied an applica-
ton for another weeks delay and or
dered Beattie to the bar. Pale and
wan, as result Of his months inn
prisonment, but otherwise light and
debonsir, Beattie took his place in the
dock.
Then followed the usual motion TO
uuash the indictment, which was
purely formal and which was quickly
overruled.
Henry Clay Beatie. Jr., stand up"
shouted the clerk of the court, and
with a pale smile the accused man
arose, leaning heavily on the desk be-
fore him.
While the clerk, in a droning voice
read the blunt accusation in the in
dictment. the court rom was hushed
Beattie standing motionless, the CEN
ter of interest.
How do you plead?" demanded the
clerk.
mot guilty" said Beattie in a low
voice, and his fight for life was on.
When Beattie sat down, his chief
counsel, Harry NJ Smith, filed for
NAL demurrer to the indictment which
was Immediately overruled.
The bitterness with which the legal
fight for Beatties life will be carried
on. cropped out when Smith demand
ed that the defense be supplied with
list Of the commonwealth wit
nesses. State Prosecutor Wendenburg
agreed to furnish them, but astound-
ed the court by the following state
ment:
There is one incident in connec-
tion with this discussion of witnesses
which should be called to your honor's
attention. One of the witnesses for
the commonwealth man named
Jobn Josephs-had identified the de-
fendant as connected with certain
transactions.
An amateur detective, named Ridd
who has associated with the defense
threatened this witness. He told
Josephs: "You did not see Beatue
YOU are not sure he was the man
and if you say he was well send yor
to JAIL
Wendenburg's accusation was i'm
mediately disclaimed by counsel fol
the defense, but the prosecutor de
clared he would demand an. attach
ment for the young detective on
contempt charge. This caused quit
a sensation in the court.
Securing the Jury.
The tedious business Of securing
the twelve men who will umpire
Beattie's fight for life then began
The first talesman examined, n. W
Farley, aged 81, farmer was al
lowed to take the first seat in thu
jury box. He still remained subject t
peremptory challenge, however.
Within an hour, three men were II
the jury box. Following the accept
ance of Farley, r. Henry Cagrrintol
and Charles p. Wilkinson were al
few minutes later S. r. L. Wilson
was accepted. This put four in th'
box out of the first ten examined. Th
practice in Virginia provides for th'
swearing in of sixteen jurymen. Fou
of these the defense may remove b.
peremptory challenge.
The lawyers for the defense wer
seemingly apathetic in their examina
tion of talesmen. They asked practi
cally no questions Judge Watson
did practically all the work of ques
tioning the prospective jurymen.
It became apparent that the Sc
curing of a jury. which was expect
ed to occupy two or three days, woul
be completed within short time, pos
sibly today
A. L. Fetterhof, another farmer, wa
the fifth man accepted.
Irving M. Bass, Jr., about "a year
old, a farmer. was the sixth juro
accepted temporarily. The very mex
talesman, B. w. Fuqua, took th
seventh seat in the box.
Beattie Nervous.
Slightly pale. putting nervously a
his eternal cigarette, but with no Othe
outward sign of emotion, Henry Cla
Beattie today faced trial for the mur
der of his wife.
Chesterfield Court House, hid ava
IN its thicket of oak and Hemlock, wa
noisy and gay in preparation for tn
morbid fete-the biggest murder ilis
IN its history. The stringy-bearded tC
bacco-chewing farmers, came {
"oo't" today as if il were a fair wae
Eed their shaggy shins, discussed crop
and the weather as the pale anaemi
youth who has spent the past month j
Henrico county Jail was unloaded froI
an automobile, under heavy guard
take his place at the dock.
Beattie was as debonair as he ha
been since his arrest when Detectiy
Sherer led him from the automobile [
the court room. Seemingly enjoyin
the gaping-mouthed attention bestov
ed by the countrymen he swaggere
through the lane of men formed fo
him, smiling in a superior way.