The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-14

u fer<her toward his uncoing than any
II ether wttnesss animate or inanirnate>
In their investigation OF the tras-
cay the authorities with Luther IL
( &oherer largely directing the aaesa
II promptly discarded as Incredible the
\ story Of the murder as told 10y Feat
+ tie, and II was pointed out to him
that the shooting could not have
4 taken place ia the manner described
u hs him.
III was likewise shown that his au-
tcrnohiie had 10 leak from which
=,r,h quantity of blood could have
\ cxcapea 10 the ground rs WAS found
nv III. investigators. His story that
Z his wife was shot while in the ma
+ chine MAS exploded, as the blood On
me ground indicated that she hisd
heru shot while outside Of the auto
mobile.
Events Move Quickly.
Then came the funeral ana the
caroner.s INQUEST No arrest WAS Vet
made. The public MS in a few II of
.xcttrnent. The authorities mace
definite assurances that an arrest was
certain Then Paul Beatue came out
with his statement that he nan NQF-
chased th~ gun from Neiast@in
pawn shop and had given Il 70 ms
cousin on the Saturday night before
the murder identifying the gun. Tue
coroner's jury held that Henry Clay
Beattie was responsible fer the death
of Louise Owen Beattie and n was
taken into custody lie Was duly in
dieted by the grand Jury az Chester
field county and. after Il fruitless ef"
fort on the part az has c@u0s@l Tor
continuance Of the case. ne was
brough; t. trial before image Walter
A. Watson of the Circuit tourt Of
Chesterfield county. aud twelve Jurors
from the Same county. at the August
terra.
Then followed one 81 the notable
trials If the country. Representative
Of all the great Eastern newspapers
and press associations we're present, The
local new spa pers We're numerous rep
resented and Chesterfield courthouse
hecan the ne9s center OF America iof
the tanse some fourteen or More teie-
graph and telephone wires being
strung 10 the hamlet by enterprisins
-y,@.sse-,4.+ -a.4;-4.sSs.- -4-
Over'e helm Accused.
The Commonwealth represented by
louia u. Wenden6grE and Common
wea1ths Attorney Gregory. gradually
unioiaad a case, which first enmeshed
ACCUSED and -.Asa-aHesIe ha4Tsaed
him by it's cumulative force. For the
defense, MessFs. ii. III. Smith and Hin
Carter parted the blows and made a
ported well with their regulations fer
legal attainment So httte evidence
of real defensive value, however. was
discoVcra be u break the force of
the PRESCRIPTIONS thunderbuits that
close observers ofthe trend Of evidence
became convinced early In the case
that a verdict Of guilty was the only
logical outcome of the trial For three
weeks the legal fight went on, the
various nhases Of the trial giving both
sides opportunity 10 show their metal
The verdict Was promptly rendered
After a prayer by a mem Der OF Inc
jury, asking for wisdom to see th.Ir
duty and strength ~ do 1T. the jury
men filed into the courtroom and rem
dered the verdict the result OF which
will be the takir~e Of the life of Henry
clay lSeattse. Jr that innocent hlood
may be avenged and Virginia deliv-
cred from tie stain Of this crime
During III course uftne trial the
defense noted many objections. every
point possibly being raised TOT use in
The procuring OF writ of error. itat
the rulings OF the court were such that
no exception could be taken which
would BE- Of value. Where there was
sefnttlla of doubt Inc prisoner WAS
given the fen benefit of it BY Judge
watson. ana there We're those during
the progress Of the trial ana When the
1eif that the judge had leaned even
too FAR In his determination to COM
init no error against the prisoner g
interests.
Wonderful Self Control
B@atue during the trial was A Won
der To all who Witnessed his rernarka-
bic self control and calmness under
fire. Few were the times when he lost
that seff- Possession which Some have
characterized IN hardness and others
aE indifference, He heard his past life
and its shame revealed without flush
or tremor. he handled the gun with
which the bloody deed was committed
without change of countenance. not
even the awesome minute that sealed
his fate with the iurys verdict caused
him to lose grip upon his sarves: and
I ne solemn words Of the Judge in PASS
Ing sentence, scene that will never be
forgotten by those who witnessed it,
did not cause him TO break down and
cry out IN anguish of soul. II was
afiiv when the mother Of his dead wife,
suddenly ana unexpectedly coming
into court like an aVengine nemesis.
surprised him did he flush and drop
his ewes. and when hts father took the
stand In his behalf he wept On AL
other occasions. So far as those whose
learn, he kent his sufferin~ to himself
and his emotions from public eye