Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-08-29
.SORROA|HG MOTHER
OF MURDERED WIFE
ON WITNESS STAND
Commonwealth Endeayoring to
Make Beattie Cringe Before
Witnesses BroadSide Lev
eIIed at His Moral Conduct

the murdered Mrs. Henry Clay Beat
tie. confronted her young son-in-law on
tiaI accused of the crime. here today.
The sudden appearance Of the heavily
yelled old woman on the stand came
as a surprising turn In the murder
trial There had been no notice OF her
expected appearance by the prosecution.
She came in a taxicab whose arrival
was timed to coincide exactly with the
moment Sheriff Gill exhibited in the
court room the clothing worn by Beat
tie on the night of the murder.
without the usual perfunctory ques-
lions incident to the introduction of
new witness, Prosecutor Wendenburg
questioned the woman as to her knowl-
edge of the domestic life of young
Beattie and his wife and brught to-
the surface a point intended as rele-
want as to the alleged motive for the
murder, namely that Beatties physical
condition, due to dissipation. caused
much unhappinens to his wife. The
witness said that on the night of the
murder she had cautioned Mrs. Beattia
not to go out alone with her husband.
As predicted. the prosecutions idea
for today apparently was TO prove that
Beattie killed his wife because Of his
fear that hts father might learn Of his.
condition and cut him on from the FAM
ily
The testimony OF Mrs. Owen took
Judge Watson as well as the crowd mi
the court house by surprise ana i'm
mediateIy the court suggested . recess
and conference with counsel Of botn.
sides. jury and prisoner. to discuss fur
Their testimony along this line.
Mrs owen had come from Dover.
Del, last night. with her husband. She.
stepped from taxicab into the court
room and took the witness stand with
out a word being spoken, the customary
if being dispensed with by previous
plan of the prosecution
BATTLE EMBARRASSED.
Young Beattie raised his head In sur.
prise, recognized the woman and hin
head dropped.
At first he endeavored not to look in
her direction, but she spoke so feeblys
that he found il necessary to join the
row of heads on the bench to hear her
testimony. once he whispered to Law
yer. Smith beside him:
Ask her to speak louder: can't
hear
! WAS DAUGHTERS COMPLIANT.
Mrs. Owen is said to have been her
daughters coRfidant and IS believed to
have known OF Boattie's relation with
the Binford girl. On the stand Mrs
owen told how she arrived at the Beat
tie home on May p, of the birth or.
the Beattie child on May 81. and hint
ed at the tribulations Of her daughter
by Beattie's relations with the Binford
girl.
Mrs. owen sat calmly in the witness
chair while her gray-haired husband
tanned her Gowned in heavy black.
a thick veil gave only partial glimpse
of the woman's features.
When court recessed she was still In
/ the witness chair 1t was learned the
prosecution expected Mrs. Owen TO tes-
/ tify late today; that from Henry Clay
Beattie. Jr.'s. actions, when he brought
his dead wife home. she suspected him
SUSPECTS BEATTIE.
| Outside the court room 1t was rumor-'
ed Mrs. owen even asked young Beat
Tie. practically, if he did not commit the
deed.
timony thus far aimed against
Henry C. Beattie. Jr., indicted for wife
murder was planned by the prosecution
for today,s session OF court here.
The story of the motive has been as
sembled for the commonwealth for slnis-
sion through string of witnesses.
Besides arranging to have witnesses
on the stand who could testify concern
ling Beattie's relations with Beulah Bin
ford as indicative of his alleged desire
TO eliminate his wife. so that companions
ship with the Binford girl might continue
lunobstructed. the commonwealth was pre-
pared 10 pour into the record the testf-
lmony of physicians and others who
would tell of Beattie's alleged physical
Ills. showing that the prisoner feared his
wife might inform his father OF them
and that the latter then might disown.
i him. Evidence, too, had been stored up
To show that Mrs. Beattie knew of her
husbands alleged ailment-
UNDERWORLD SECURED.
From Richmond's underworld. the pros
ecution had secured witnesses to TESTIFY
as TO Beattie's visits to certain resorts
land as to his being seen at such places
lin company with the Binford girl. The
prosecution Intended to make a single ef-
fort to impress the jury with the testi-
ulonv regarding the motive and IL was
considered not at all impossible that Il
Inv the end of the day the apparent eff
feet on the Jury had been sufficiently
strong, the state would not revert again
in the trial to this line of argument. Such
a contingency would mean, 1t is admit
tied the possible elimination from the
ISIanQ OF 66ulaA NAC G@AA - ~@s~s
case, from whom the public. but neither.
1.-THE prosecution nor defense has looked
forward for dramatic testimony. 1t Is.
uofnted out that the Binford girl has
made many statements and given many!
interviews. their tenor so diversified as
to make 1t risky to hazard her as wit
ness.
WAS GIRL THE MOTIVE.
It is feared that by possible inconsis-
tent statements on the stand the effect
lof her testimony would be wasted and
lit Is reasoned by the prosecution in this
i respect that other witnesses and eyi-
dence such as is contained in letters or
previously has been admitted by the
lprisoner sufficiently establishes the fact
tof the relations between the Binford girl
and Beattie. The prosecution is inter-
.ested in the Binford girl only In so far.
as she might have furnished the motive
and numerous witnesses other than the
girl are available TO aid the common
wealth on this point.
Should the state today complete its
fight on the motive, it hopes next TO
have Paul Beattie on the stand. to begin
its direct evidence concerning the pur-
chase of the gun by Paul for Henry.
Paul Beattie was expected to be brought
again to the court house from Richmonk
L. - 0Izo ,f sr "a 81