Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-11-24
YOUNG wife MURDERER
DIES IN CHAIR today
Execution Planned To Take Place
Early This Morning
NO CONFESSION YET
BY CONDEMNED NAN
Spends Last Day Quietly, Com
forted By Ministers and
Members of Family

Richmond, Va, Nov. 23.-Beulah
Binford. the seventeen-year-old girl
for love of whom Henry Clay Beattie,
Jr., is alleged to have killed his wife,
was reported to have returned to
Richmond today. Denial was made
by the police that this was so, but
several persons were said to have
recognized her on the street.
1t is reported the Beattie family
was afraid the girl would make
scene at the simple funeral which
will follow young Beattie's electro
cution Search for her is being made
despite a press dispatch from New
York quoting her employers as say
ing that she had no intention of visit
ing Richmond.
His Last Day of Life.
Beattie awakened at the usual
time: this morning, on what, by law,
was the last day of his life. To NOR
row shortly after daybreak he will
surrender himself in the death chair
in expiation of the murder of his
young wife. He slept, but tossed
restlessly, as though bad dreams had
been his companions throughout the
long night. There were no signs of
a breaking down this morning, the
prisoner dressing with the same fas-
tidious care that he has taken ever
since he entered the State peniten-
tiary and the death cell.
Rev. John ]. Fix put in an ap
pearance early and probably will re-
main with Beattie during the night.
The elder Beattie, Douglas Beattie,
brother of the convicted man, and
the attorneys who defended him in
the trial that ended in his conviction
of murder joined the minister soon
afterward.
Neither Beattie's attorneys nor
his relatives believe he will confess
before his life is taken. His spirit
ual advisers are of another opinion.
They entertain the hope, amounting
almost to conviction, that he will
do so.
: Consideration for Father.
eff he is guilty, l feel reasonably
certain he will acknowledge ALL" said
Rev. DR.. Fix. "To go to his death
with a lie on his lips would be sac
rilege, and Beattie is at peace with
his Maker
The fact remains, however, that
through all the ordeal attending his
trial and conviction young Beattie
has sought in every way to spare his
aged father as much as possible. The
elder Beattie is said still to believe
in the innocence of his son. 1t is
Question whether the condemned man
does not consider that he owes it to
SO much pain and SO much disgrace,
to go to his death with sealed lips.
1t is doubted by many that new
found religion will outweigh the
prisoners sense of that consideration
he believes is due his father and
prompt a confession
Faithful Unto Death.
While a not unnatural sympathy
is very generally extended to a pris-
oner robbed of life in the full flush
of manhood, yet the real solicitude
of the public is felt for the father,
who has suffered for a sin commit
ted by another, and whose heart is
broken in the winter of life. For
the past several days the elder Mr..
Beattie has been the recipient of in
Vulnerable communications from all
sections of the country expressing
sorrow and attempting to convey
hope to his crushed spirit. Every
letter is opened by him with tremb-
ling fingers, but the messages are
all the same, and in place of hope
sconvey miseration.
When the aged father visits the
steel cage in which his son is passing
the few hours now left of existence
to him on earth, the contrast between
the two figures is striking. The eyes
of the elder man are dull and lus-
treless and his countenance has tax
en- on the color of parchment. But
in the gloom of the prisoners cage