Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-09-01
BEATHE ANXIOUS
To TAKE THE STAND
A Brother of the Accused Testifies---
Mysterious Message for
the Defense.


With woman on the Midlothian turn
pike the night of the killing. Lhe
rumor had it that Smith would prove
that the car seen by the JOY riding boys
standing by the roadside was not that
OF Beattie but that of Joy riding Rich.
mortd men. Detectives were sent to
Richmond by The defense.
A few strands OF the hair of plurd-
cred Louise Beattie we're founded
clotted iu the dried blood that still
marks the Beattie automobile. Auto
mobile experts for 10th the nefense and
the prosecution failed to find the hair,
but the prosecutions experts admitted
after their examination that they had
found the gruesome momentos of the
slain woman.
An attempt was made to keep the
discovery secret. The experts would
not say in what part of the car the
strands of hair we're found but it is
certain that if they we're in the great
clots of blood in the front seat of the
machine, the defense will endeavor to
use the circumstance as evidence that
the girl was killed in the automobile
and not in the road as the prosecution
claims.
It developed that the blood soaked
strands of hair were found underneath
the cushion of the right hand front
seat of the car. This was the chauffeur
seat where Beattie sat as he drove
home with his dead wife's body.
The common wealth will argue that
if the trip was taken as Beattie de-
scribes it with the girls body held in
the seat beside him it would have been
impossible for the hair to have been
left under the seat on which he sat.
Chesterfield Courthouse, Va, Sept.
IA trim calm-eyed young man,
tense but collected, today faced the
ordeal of his life when Henry Clay
Beattie prepared to tell his own story
in an effort to save himself from the
electric chair.
But the yonng Lothario of Chester
field county embraced the opportunity
to accept the entire responsibility for
his conviction or acquittai for the muir
der of his wife with cheerful willing
ness. There was just trace of anxiety
in the well-groomed figure that peered
through the bars of Chesterfield
county's little brick Jail as be awaited
the ordeal.
I'll be glad to take the stand ard
do something in my own defense,'' be
declared earnestly. II shall tell the
truth and I am certain that the truth
will clear me. Despite the great pref
udice and ill-feeling that has been
aroused against lue since the tragedy
l believe I can convince the jury Of
my Innocence.
And the strange youth who yester.
day wept as his sorrowing father testi-
fed and ten minutes later laughed
heartily at tie mental gyrations of
back country negro woman, smiled
confidently. But the smile showed
trace OF anxiety and the weeks OF life
behind iron bars showed their effect in
the deep lines drawn on the handsome
face.
Another event which was still on the
programme is the scheduled visit of the
jury to the scene of the crime. Just
when this will be taken was still un-
determined. IN attempt was made to
reach an agreement that the testimony
of Mira. Steger might be taken without
requiring the presence Of the prisoner
and the jury.
From his little cell in the jail behind
the courthouse Henry Clay Beattie
with the aged father, who yesterday
testified for him, was brought into court.
The sorroWing father had been with
his boy for two hours planning the few
remaining moves in his battle for life.
Smith and Hill Carter, Beattie's lawyers,
joined the conference which lasted until
court convened.
Smith declared that many OF his
witnesses had failed to appeared and
he delayed proceedings for half an
hour. Then he began calling char
acter witnesses.
Capt Alex Wright, OF the Rich
mond police force. who worked on the
case, was called. He!gave Ernest Neb-
lit, who yesterday attacked the story
of Paul, good reputation.
Douglass Beattie described the house
hold declaring THAT his Hazel and
two aunts lived there with his father.
Henry Clay Beattie, jr., and his wife
and himself
What were the relations between
Henry Clay Beattie, jr., and his wife
prior to her death?"
They we're both apparently happy"
said the witness. They usually
kissed when they met or parted"
Did you ever see any lack CT lar
mony between them?"
No, pever.''
Now the night of the murder what
was your first iDtimation OF the trsg-
edy?"
! I received a phone call from DR..
Mercer at the Owen house. My iather,
my sister and | went to the Owen
house. We had bottle of whiskey.
When We got there my father went in
first. l saw Henry in my fathers
arms, sobbiug and fondling the little
slipper. 1t was one of Louise's shoes.
| knew then that Louise was dead. /
couldn't stand it any longer, SO went
out. /"
| Douglas told.of smearing his. clothes
with blood in driving the blood-soaked
automobile the night of the crime. he
described the blood stains in the car.