The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-08-30
BEATTIE WILL 60
ON STAND IN HIS
OWN BEHALF
To Refute Testimony OF Cousin
on Alleged Confession
MORE THAN ONE BLOOD SPOT
Boy Witness Aids Defence of Young
vlrglnlan Charged With Wife
Murder
Chesterfeld Court Ho

Chesterfield Court House, Va,
Aug. 30-Alexander Robertson
sixteen year old boy, talking swiftly,
but clearly, declared on the witness
stand yesterday, to the surprise of
both defense and prosecution in the
trial of Henry Clay Beattie Jr, for
the murder of his wife, that he had
observed several blood spots along
the Midlothian Turnpike where the
crime occurred Hitherto it had been
supposed that the only blood spot on
the road was one near the place
where Mrs. Beattie is supposed to
have been shot The defense also an
nounced in court yesterday that Hen
ry Clay Beattie Jr., the defendant,
would be called as a witness to re-
flute the testimony of his cousin, Paul
Beattie that he told him he wished
he hadn't killed his wife.
The revelation concerning the pres
ence of more than one blood spot is
in line with the contention of the
defense that all blood on the road ooz-
ed from the car in which Henry G.
Beattie Jr., alleges his wife was shot,
The prosecutions theory has been
that the large blood spot in the road
at the place where Mrs Beattie is al
legged to have been killed resulted
from a murder committed outside the
machine and not in the seat, as Hen
ry Beattie alleges.
The prosecution announced just be
fore adjournment of court at 4:3O o.
clock that after the introduction Of
several witnesses along this line II
would rest its case.
The Robertson boy, brother of a
reporter on one of the Richmond
newspapers has been employed about
the courtroom in carrying his broth
er's manuscript from the Court house
to a telegraph office near by
Henry c. Beattie Jr, the accused
and Paul D. Beattie his cousin, who
Monday on the witness stand told OF
an alleged confession by Henry Clay
Beattie. Jr, concerning the murder
were confined in separate cells in the
Chesterfield county Jail last night
Paul Beattie has hitherto been KEEP
in Richmond in default of bail but az
ter he finished on the witness stand
Judge Watson ordered his retention
in Jail here.
Paul Beatties story was not shak
en- on cross examination by counse
for the defense, but it became appar
ent yesterday that the defense in
tends to attempt to refute his test
mony by putting on the stand thu
prisoner himself.
Counsel for the defense announces
their intention of putting Beattie OF
the stand before court opened yestei
day morning. In explaining thei
reasons for the step, Mr. Smith said
1T is much better for a man I
give with his own lips an explanation
of a thing which half dozen othe
people have been testlfying about
Every one has observed Henry Cha
Beattie Jr., and noticed that he
the kind of man to want to reply t
the many conversations alleged
have been had with him to Paul Bea
tie and others"
Mr. Smith characterized Paul Bea
ties testimony as "overdone,' decla
ing that il was a plain case OF tn
witness Lying to save his shirt a
Il was evident that 'if Henry GA
Beattie Jr., were guilty Paul wa
just as much So
II had not been determined, M
Smith said, when the defendai
would testify.