Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-08-24
bEATT|E's DEMEANOR
IS STILL UNCHANGED.
Accused Makes Inspection of Blood
Soaked. Automobile ---Fifty-four
Witnesses Present.

to Louise Wexford Owen, Henry Clay
Beattie, ,ir. ,todayIbegan the real battle to
save himself from the electric chair for
her murder.
Calm, smiling and .debonair, Beattle
took bis place in the dock in the little
Chesterfield Courthouse as the first wit
ness to testify against him took the
stand. He sat beside his aged father,
who threw his arms about his sons
shoulders. They chatted together
quietly, the accused son talking with
animation rshile the aged gray haired
father, his face lined with the cares Of
an erring son, appeared more like the
man about to be tried than did the
prisoner.
When Beattie's father arrived at
Chesterfield courthouse, he went at
once to his sons cell. Detective
Scherer had brought out from Rich
mond the blood clotted automobile
in which Beattie brought home the
body of his wife from the pleasure
trip that ended in death. The grue-
lsome exhibit which the state will place
in evidence was wheeled up beside the
ljail
As Beattie and his father came from
the Jail to the courthouse, Special
ProsecutorW enderburg hadjust finished
an examination OF the car. Beattie
strolIed over to it, lifted the cushions,
heavy with clotted blood on which he
sat while be carried the dead body OF
his wife over FIVE miles of country
road, and the accused man peered with
curious interest at the heavy DOT OF
blood beneath. He pointed at the
blood-soaked floor of the car and
argued earnestly in low tone with
his father They stood for probably
five minutes gazing at the blood stains
and not the slightest trace of emotion
showed on Beattie's face.
| Only Thomas E. Ovens, scheduled to
| take the stand first, was allowed to re-
main in the court room.
! Neither Paul Beattie nor Beulah Bin
| ford, the state star witnesses, was
brought out from Henrico county Jail.
They would not be needed today,
Wendenburg said.
When Judge Watson called the case
Of the state VS.. Beattie, the tiny toy
size court room was jammed with the
curious. Beattie grew slightly serious
and seemed a trihe anxious as he
listened to the roll call of the witnesses
for the state. The aged father who sat
beside hlm famed himself and his ac-
cused boy with large palm leaf fan.
All Of the "a witnesses subpoened to
appear against Beattie we're called be
fore Judge Watson. Many OF them
we're scattered about the grounds OF
the courthouse and relays Of criers
called the names from every window
and door, They were brought in
patches of FIVE or six, sworn and turned
out into the yard again.
When Thomas Owen. the murdered
girls uncle, took the stand, Common
wealth Attorney Gregory began the
examination. He led Owen through
recital OF the events OF the night of
the murder. Owen said that Beattie
called at the Owen home for his wife
with his automobile; he asked her to go
for a ride, Owen said and they left
Did she return? asked Gregory.
She did," said Owen. She was
dead"
Owen declared he was seated in a
window when the automobile returned.
Il heard voice shouting down the
road" hs said, and recognized it as
Henry Beattie. He was shouting my
God, Oh, My God. They have killed
Louise. l ran down aud was surprised
because l didn't see Louise When |
reached the car l found her body in a
heap Oh the floor of the front seat. 1t
was SO badly cramped that We had
trouble getting it out of the car. ;"
A gbastIy recital OF the condition of
the murdered woman's 3 body followed.
Owen declared that Beattie had call
ed at his house with the automobile and
had taken the dead woman and other
members of the family riding.
Beattie gazed steadily at Owen with
rapt attention throughout his testi-
mony.
When Beattie started With bis wife
on tile fatal ride Owen said he was
bound for a drug store ID secure some
medicine for Mrs Owen.
He insisted on going although the
doctor said the medicine was not need
ed until the next day." declared Owen.
Gregory led the witness through a
lengthy description of Beattie's ap-
pearance when be brought his wife's
body home.
would you recognize the clothing
be wore" asked Gregory.
Yes"
A big pasteboard box was brought in
and spectators and jurors craued
their necks as Gregory produced the
blood-soaked clothing worn by
Beattie the night Of the murder.
Owen identified the coat with the
blood stained back, the trousers, the
seat of which vas stiff with bood, the
shirt collar and tie worn worn by Beat
tie. He then identified a pair of slip
pers as those worn by the murdered
woman and the gun produced as the
gun identified by Paul Beattie at the
coroner's inquest.
As the gruesome relics OF the awful
crime were paved over by the lawyer
and the witnesses, Beattie sat with
glaripg stare fixed on O#en. He did
not glance at the blood clotted clothing
or the broken gun, but leaned his elbow