The Washington times., 1911-11-24

nad Paul Beattie. She was "the woman
IN the case" and more attention had
even to the then alleged murderer. now
convicted and executed.
During the hot August days before
fns ,, trial , began: Luther scheres and
Binford a good deal of an enigma. 1t
seemed certain to them that II she would
tel only a part Of what she knew
Tsatdes Tsau ss,,a fate with the jury was sealed
him anyhow, and the upshot proved
them right. but they greatly desired that
Beulah Binford should take the stand
wh I'll Menry ns G her of ssr ss
with him when she was only thirteen
years Of age, OF his sending her to
Alexandria to the Sisters to school. Of
Which so he s%s ss ths oi
meeting him again laGt April in Nor
folk; Of their relations there: Of his
inducing her to return to Richmond: Of
Richmond. and Of h Chapter i in h The nar tras, @
edy of which the less said the better.
except to remark that 1t formed the
generally believed real motive for the
murder-Beattie's fear that his father
would learn all about his relations with
Beulah Binford and cut on his income.
Didn't Go on Stand.
All this the Commonwealth offered in
sccahAoAy sNAoo8u OShCI WITNESSES VI
through Henry Beatties letters to her
but It was desired to have these facts
affirmed by the girl herself. She did not
take the stand, az Az who followed the
case know. The prosecution did not
dare call her. The Commonwealth be-
lieved that Beulah Binford was so un-
certain q proposition as q witness that
1t was safer not to summon her to the
stand, for It was known that she was
still fond of Beattie, and It was learned
during the trial that the two had even
been corresponding when both were
the %edium m Of ne jail through
Accordingly Paul Beattie became the
stellar witness of the Commonwealth
both in respect to Importance Of evil
dence in itself and to interest in the
late one afternoon soon after the trial
had begun and he then told not only
what he had already testified to at the
inquest. but added that Henry Beattie
night after the murder. while sitting on
the side porch of Henry Clay Beattie.
II wish to God I had not done It. I
would not do 1t now for q million dol
lars"
The court room Of the little old but
historic court house Of Chesterfield got
its first vigorous sensation when Paul
Beattie told of this alleged oral confess
There was a sharp intake of breath
on the part of every one present, an In
halation in unison, so that II sounded
something like great big hiss, some
think like a gigantic sigh. Twice again
noted. when the whole court room thus
Sensation In Court.
Dn,,J pnat t%to hoI xoId tto oforv xo ho-
tween 300 and 400 men and half dozen
women. Most of the people present
heard the story from the inside Of the
densely packed court room. The rest
were at the doors and windows outside.
The blocking of these only sources OF
fresh air proved a trial and tribulation
he of the paint-brush beard and the
funny, cracking voice whose "oyen
oyez" always proved an inevitable
mirthmaker and as inevitably brought
down the wrath Of Judge Watson. II
ought to be added that Judge Watson
did achieve wonders in preserving 1u-
dicial dignity during the trial against
the most adverse physical condition.
This oral confession attributed 70
portions Of his trial testimony since re-
pudiated, or alleged to have been re-
pudiated, by him In the Balderston aff.
davit in Washington. The other part
was with respect to the delivery Of the
gun on the Saturday night before the
murder. The stellar witness for the de-
Tense. e. H. Neblitt, swore later in the
trial that he saw the next morning the
shot gun in the cement house by the
bridge, where Paul was employed as a
watchman. Henry Eeattie, on the stand
In his own behalf, denied fatty that he
had been with Paul that Saturday night
a. all, a denial said to have been made
against the advice of his own counsel.
and which on rebuttal the Common
wealth Overwhelmingly refuted.
Surprise for Spectators.
The genuine surprise of the trial fol-
lowed Paul Beattie's testjr ony. the
| next day Mr.. Wendenburg had just
finished examining a witness of no
great Importance. and Judge Watson, In
O somewhat bored tone, remarked:
"Call your next witness. Mr.. Wenden-
burg"
| Mrs. Robert v. owen" Instantly
stepped into tho court room a black
robed, black-veiled figure, who paused
! q second as she entered from the bright
| day outside. The figures eyes quickly
swept the court room. lit for the frac-
ton of a sec ond on the defendant. and
| never sgain rested on him.
Beattie was averse. apparently, &c
| lcob ing al the mother of the girl whom
| he had married. As Mrs. Owens somber
| figure entered the court room Beattie
glanced at her before she saw him, then