The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-09-01
Defense Receives Mysterious
Telegram, Purporting to
Contain Information, Re-
futing Joy Riders Story.
MURDER WITNESSED
is REPORT CURRENT
Reported Man and Woman
Will Testify Beattie Was
Working with Auto When
His Wife Was Shot.
National News Association

(National News Association)
CHESTERFIELD, Va, Sept. 1.-The
trial of Henry Clay Beattie, Jr., for
the alleged Staying of his wife came to
a sensational and mysterious halt for
nearly an hour today when tie .ttor.
neys for the defense received 4 tele,
gram delivered over the telephone,
containing Information of alleged vita
importance to their clients case. The
incident caused the greatest excite
ment since the beginning of the trial
Later it was reported that the in
formation which had caused the SEN
sation came from a man and women
who signified their willingness to tes-
tify they we're in a halted automobile,
near the scene of the murder that
night and approximately at the same
time the murder was committed and
that the man was tinkering with the
mechanism of the automobile. while
the woman stood on the running board
Such testimony would refute that of
Richmond joyriders who testified see-
ing Beattie and his wife thus engaged
with the halted car, shortly before the
murder was committed.
II this report is correct, it is believ-
ed that it will be the purpose of the de-
fense to point out that it would have
been impossible for Beattie to have
shot his wife while working with the
car.
Douglas Beattie on Stand.
In addition to witnesses to prove
the good character of Henry Beattie
and OF witness hewlett who testified
to seetng Paul Beattie with shotgun
the day after Paul testified he had de
livered 1t to Henry, the most import
ant witness of the day was Douglas
Beattie, brother of Henry, who tes-
titled as to the harmony and happiness
in Henry's married life and detailed
events subsequent to the murder when
he explored the Midlothian road way
in an automobile and saw blood spots
other than those at the place of the
crime. {
Douglas Beattie spoiled his other.
WAcS oIAOAG tCotAulOAy LII tuC uCACuoG
this afternoon by admitting on cross
examination, he had washed blood of
one side of the automobile, fearing ii
would incriminate his brother, Henry
AS soon as court opened the defense
called various witnesses among them
Alexander Wright. the Richmond po
lice captain. He testified to having
seen Paul with gun the day before
the murder. n. C. Broadhurst, the next
witness, swore to the excellence OF
Henry Beattie's and Nevlett's reputa
tions
A. p. Jones was another character
witness. and then Douglas Beattie, a
brother of the prisoner. was called
Taller and heavier by many pounds
than his three year younger brother
Douglas first told of the members ol
the household in which he and Henry
lived xup to the time of the murder.
eeatties' Were congeniai.
Both Henry and his wife were per
fectly happy" he said. Henry kissed
his wife when greeting or parting.
never saw the slightest, lack of har
mony between them in their married
life.
Il first heard of the trouble through
DIR. Marcer and l. gathered from hin
that Henry had been shot.
"My father and I went to Ton
Owens house with bottle Of whis
key that had been 'phoned for. Henry
was in the room to the right of the
hall My father and sister went il
first When I entered Henry was cry
ing and sobbing and fondling one o
Louise's pictures in his hands. 1t wa.
too much for me and got out
II did not examine the automobile
until was asked to run it up the roat
to hunt the gun. There was a cover OF
the left seat. sat on it and got m,
clothes full of blood There was NJ
cover or blood on the right seat
The prisoner kept in constant toucl
with his counsel and prompted Attor
ney Smith on most of the question.
that Cotter put to Douglas Beattie.