Evening journal., 1911-08-30
MUDDY ROADS CAUSE
DELAY In BEATTIE TRIAL
Motor Cars Stalled and Mules
Bring Judge and
Lawyers
Boys TESTIMONY UPSETS
PROSECUTIONS THEORY
BY Tho United Press.

BY Tho United Press.
CHESTERFIELD COURT HOUSE.
Va, August s0.-Under sodden drip
ping skies, the state Of Virginia weld
ed the final links of the chain Of cir
cumstantial evidence by which Il ex-
poets to drag Henry Clay Beattie, Jr.,
to the electric chair for the murder
Of his wife.
Today's work on the part Of the
state was extra labor, for the shrewd
commonwealth lawyers had accom-
plished theirs yesterday. But little,
shock-headed lad in corduroy breeches
and blue blouse, with remarkable
precocity, walked through the labor
ously welded chain of evidence as II
it were a rope of sand
Sixteen-year-old Alexander Robert
son, who had been running errands
about the court house, stepped into
the witness chair. banded words With
the keen lawyers, told his story with
the air of an expert, and utterly upset
the entire fabrication Of the case
against Beattie A moment later he
was again running errands.
The boy had determined to make
his own investigation of the case, he
said, and he had discovered what the
scores Of detectives who worked on
the case looked for IN vain, a series
OF blood spots from the scene Of the
crime, extending for about two miles
along the road taken by the murder
laden Beattie automobile.
Uncontradicted, the lads story
would prove that the dead woman's
blood could have leaked through tho
speeding machine This would utter
ly upset the we'll studied theory Of the
story that the blood spot in the road
proved that the woman was killed
while standing on the road and not
while seated in the automobile as
Beattie claims
Detectives Contradict Boy.
Today the state summoned a dozen
detectives to show that there was but
a single blood spot in the road and
at the scene Of tho crime.
With this testimony I'm, the state
plans TO rest its case. Beulah Bin
ford, the pretty, 17-year-0ld sweet
heart Of the accused man, If she takes
the stand at ALL will be called IN re-
huttal. But the states lawyers are
AFRAID or her as a witness
They fear a sudden shift Of senu-
ment in favor Of the man with whom
she consorted for years. might induce
her to do all she could to save him To
avert this they Will not call her un-
less 1t becomes absolutely necessary.
The scores of witnesses for the de-
Tense were on hand when court opened
today ready for the opening of Beat
ties battle to save himself A drizzling
rain had made the roads a sea Of mud
and the court house yard a swamp.
But, undaunted by rain or mud, the
usual crowd OF morbidly curious were
on hand to watch the grim battle.
Motor Cars Dltched.
A string of ditched and disabled
motor cars along the muddy roads
from Richmond to Chesterfield Court
House, bore mute evidence to the NOR
bid curiosity that has jammed the tiny
ocurt room. Motor cars failed TO over
come the difficulties resulting from
twelve hours of rain on Chesterfeld's
mud roads and the patient Virginia
mule was the dependable mode OF
transportation.
Held up in a mud hole in a brok IN
down motor car Judge Watson drove
up to the court house in farm wagon
behind two of these trusty animals
Just behind him, Harry NJ. Smith and
Hill Carter, attorneys for the defense
VINO had likewise been rescued from q
ditched machine, drove up in a farm
er's surrey half an hour after the regt-
lar hour for conyening court arrived
H. u Wendenburg, special prosecutor
IN charge Of the states case, got
stranded somewhere along the muddy
highway, and further delayed the trial
He had been two hours on his way
from Richmond.
Prosecution Delayed.
Court convened about three-quarters
Of an hour late with Wendenburg still
absent While waiting for the prosecu-
tion the court called and swore the
witnesses for the defense. Smith ex-
cused many of the witnesses he had
subp0enaed, declaring that certain
phases of the case which the defense
had expected 10 meet had not been
touched on by the prosecution"
Wendenburg finally arrived. nearly
an hour late, coming i'm a limping tax
icab.
Miss Louise Reeves, friend Of the
murdered woman and maid of honor
at the wedding of Henry Clay Beattie
Jr., was the first witness by the prose
cution. She was asked as to the kind
OF hair pin worn by the murdered wo-
man at the time of her death. She
identified the hairpin found at the
scene of tho crime as of the same kline
as those worn by the dead girl.
Under cross-examination. she admit
ted that thousands of women wore tbs
same kind Of pins.
Chief Counsel Smith. for the defense
announced that he wished to recall
Paul Beattie. The witness had beer
left in Richmond jail and an officel
was dispatched to bring him to the
court house.
Wendenburg then called Detective
Continued on Second Page.)