The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-30

father. and not his wife. that Henry
Beattie feared. and that the real Sc
cret of why he killed his wife. rather
than divorce her or desert her, was
because he knew that his father would
turn him out of house and home and
oisinherit him at the mere suggestion
OF such thing. and Henry loved the
flesh pots and had no notion of going
to work
The Beatties are respectable folk.
and rich. They came to Richmond
from Michigan after the Civil War.
Louise Owen was an exceedingly
sweet and lovely girl. everything a
man might want in q wife To marry
her meant to bound up many rungs in
the social ladder for the Beatties, and
] old Mr.. Beattie was enchanted with
the match and urged It on. But Henry
was laggard in love. and only a few
days before the wedding. after a room
full OF bridal gifts had been received,
he went to Mrs. Owen and said that
he did not know whether he had best
so on with the wedding or not. ana
whether he was In condition to marry
or not. Mrs. Owen said. We'll wen
stop the wedding now" but he re-
piled. NO. 1t may be the best thing
for me and make a man OF me-"
Girl Wed Him With Eyes Open.
So the wedding took place, though
what Louise Owen saw In him to love
Heaven only knows. She knew all
about him. for tho Binford girl her
self told her of their affair. and they
we're afraid OF q scene at the we'd
ding.
You can't explain these marriages
OF good. pure girls with rakes of men
but YOU see them take place every day
There seems to be an actual fascina
ton for innocent little maidens in
black sheep. Perhaps they think they
can reform them. God knows. don't
Perhaps 1t is just one of the cruel mis-
| takes of life. Anyway. Louise owen
! and Henry Beattte were married and
1t turned out as anybody could have
foretold. He neglected her from the
first. and went back to his evil com.
panions.
AT the time OF the wedding old Nc.
Beattle had paid off the Binford gir]
and got her to leave town. but she
came back, and when Louise was kill.
ed he and she were fixing ND n fla,
where they were to live together. He
and she were together every night au.
toinS and carousing. while Louise sal
| lonely at home. waiting the coming OF
her baby. Louise lived with her faith.
ar-in-law. who was devoted to her an6
! very proud of her and the little grand.
! son, In which his blood was mingled
with the best blood In Virginia
stormy Scenes in Benttie Home.
She was too proud woman to tell
| what happened at home. but those
close to her knew that there we're man,
stormy scenes between Henry and his
! father. In which the father took
! Louise's part and told Henry round.
ly that If he didn't break off his con
nection with the Binford girl and trea,
his wife better and behave himsel,
properly. he was done with him and
would turn him out of the house.
This Is doubtless what Henry mean,
when he told Beulah Binford that he
would have to stay with his wife un
til the old man died: that II would
! cost him too much money If he didn't
But that after his father died they
would go off together.
There you have the motive for his
killing his wife. II he did Kill her. Love
of. the other woman and the greed OF
an Idle, lazy. dependent man who
4 wanted money without having 10 carr
1t, He knew Louise had gone to the
limit of what any woman can stand
that she was going to tell her father
of certain terrible things that would
render her living with him any more
! impossible. He feared that his father
wearicd with his follies. would cast
him out. lie saw disgrace. poverty and
hard work staring him In the face, and
tho only way to avert.it was for Louise
to die. and she did die. horribly.
Whether this story of the murder Is
/ corrct or not. only time will tell. bu,
1t supplies in way the motive 70,
what has seemed q causeleas crime
surprising that Henry Beattie did slay
his wife. and all Richmond believes
| that he did.
ANNUAL. MOUNTAIN EXCURSION Au.
gust srd, 10 AshevilIe and other Western