The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-08-28
TELLS OF MRS.
DEATTIE's SORROW
Mother of Woman Found Dead
Mysteriously Gives Testimony
Against Accused Man.

CHESTERFIELD COURTHOUSE.
Va. Aug. 2s.--A black-ciad mother.
grieving for her murdered daughter.
took the center Of the stage today IN
the drama OF Henry Clay Beattie's
fight to escape the electric chair for
the murder OF his wife.
She was Mrs. r. ". Owen, brought
by the prosecution to prove the re-
voting motive they have assigned for
the crime.
She was led into the courtroom
from a curtained auto for a great sur
prise. Judge. Jury and spectators
leaned forward as she made her way
to the witness stand. Even Beattie
gasped and clenched his hands until
the nails bit deep into the flesh and
his prison rallor blanched to clear
er white. He turned 10 his lawyers
with an expression Of panic on his
face.
And the lawyers were taken on
their feet. The mother Of sorrow had
entered the courtroom where q mo-
ment before Detective Scherer had
rlated story like a nightmare. Un.
prepared for the significant testimony
which the questions of Prosecutor
Wendenburs drew from the soft
voiced mother, Beattie's counsel
sought delay.
Objections and arguments on every
conceivable point failed TO stop the
Gated that. her daughter had discov-
-
had contracted vile disease.
After asking Mrs. Owen Of her Wis
its with her daughter for two months
prior to her death, Prosecutor Wen
denburg asked:
State as far as you can all you
know as to your daughters living
happily with her husband during that
time"
The defense, startled into activity.
began a legal fight to prevent the ad:
mission Of this line OF testimony. Al
last the little pale-faced mother. now
permitted to answer the question.
bent forward tearfully. ,-e~-S-e-y-c.,
"She seemed sad and had frequent
crying SPELLS" she said.
No dramatic entrance ever charac-
terized murder trial than that OF
this unexpected witness. For week
II had been reported that she would
not appear. The states lawyers had
allowed the rumor to spread. She was
brought out from Richmond today In
a taxicab. The car drove up to the
little side door of the courtroom and
hrst as Detective Scherer LETT tho
stand, the little woman was escorted
into the room. Her appearance al
most threw the defense into a panic,
and they objected almost hysterically
to every question asked her.
Beulah Blnford may not be called
upon to bare her sordid life-story on
the witness stand during the trial OF
Henry Clay Beattie, Jr., for the muir
der of his Young wife.
The prosecution admitted today that
II had planned to establish the motive
which they charge led Henry Beattie
to slay his wife, without calling the
yivacious, care-free "other woman"
whose Illicit love Is assigned as the
cause OF the crime. Attorneys Wend-
enburg and Gregory who are smooth
ing the path that may lead Beattie TO
the electric chair, planned to center
their proof OF motive before court
adjourned today. Revolving, technical
medical testimony was expected as
the greater part of the states atten-
tion.
Fear that love for the accused man,
or regard for his financial resource.
might interfere with the Binford girls
testimony, was the moving cause OF
the determination to avoid calling her,
IL possible.
The possible opportunities afforded
the defense to impress the jury with
sentimental impropriety OF convicting
Beattie on his sweethearts testimony,
played q significant part.
After Sunday that was far from
day OF rest, the hard working law
yer for Beattie appeared to lay pre-
pared to attack Detective l.. l.. Scher-
er's testimony.
AN day yesterday Harry M. Smith
and Hill Carter conferred with their
client In Richmond jail. ] ast evening
they drove out on the Midlothian
Turnpike, to where the gun was found.
Scheref had testified that the gun
was at distance from the road which
would make 1t impossible for 1t to
have jolted from the death-laden auto
as Beattie drove his wife's body home.
The prosecution claims that Beattie
threw the TIN from the car. Beattie
and Ills lawyers worked without ceas-
ing yesterday reviewing Scherer's tes-
timony. He had related half dozen
conversations with Beattie In which
the accused man admitted his rela-
ton with Beulah Binford and his
wife's knowledge of the resumption OF
those. relations just prior to the kill
ing. These Beattie and his lawyers
threshed over, seeking possible flaws.