Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-08-30
DEFENSE ON IN
BEATTIE TRIAL
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testified that he had especially ex-
amined the place where Robertson
said he had seen the second blood
spots, and had satisfied himself that
there was no blood there. The cross
examination of Scherer was likewise
fruitless for the defense.
A boy, talking swiftly but clearly
yesterday revealed on the witness
stand, to the surprise of both de-
Tense and prosecution that he had
observed several blood spots along
Midlothian turnpike, where the crime
occurred. Hitherto it had been pre-
sumed no blood spot except one near
the place at which Mrs. Beattie is
supposed to have died existed.
Alexander Robertson was his name,
and he was the last witness that the
prosecution intended to call In the di
rect presentation of his case. He had
not been on the stand fifteen minutes
when Louis Wendenburg, common
wealth's prosecutor, announced to the
court that he would have to call sew
eral more witnesses because Of the
boys unexpected evidence. What the
boy had to say was that on the day
after the murder Of Mrs. Beattie he
had discovered another spot of blood
on the Midlothian turnpike than that
which has constantly entered in evil
dence as marking the spot where the
woman met her death. This blood
stain, about as big as a saucer, so the
boy testified, was about a mile and a
half nearer Richmond than that to
which many witnesses have testified;
it vas just about where the railroad
tracks cross the turnpike. On the face
of it this statement has little signih
canoe. But in the weight Of testimony
introduced by the commonwealth it
may nave great import. This because
the theory Of the prosecution has con
sistently beer that Henry Clay Beattie,
Jr., shot his wife while she was stand
ing in the road away from the auto
mobile In which she and her husband
had ridden up the dark country road;
that after a large pool Of blood had
collected where the murdered woman
fell Beattie had placed the body in the
front seat of the car and driven back
to town with it.
The prosecution has had many wit
nesses state that it would have been
impossible for the large pool Of blood
to collect had Mrs. Beattie been shot
while she was sitting in the car, as
Beattie alleges. On the day that the
Jury viewed the car wherein the homi-
eide is said by the defense to have &C.
o,,rra1 OF Tho SIpualttnn of Wpn6pn-
burg, every man made a close inspec-
ton to see II it was possible that no
blood could have dripped through the
base of the car to the road. Yet Alex
ender Robertson, when asked how far
from the blood spot he had been when
on the day following the homicide he
had picked up a yellow celluloid hair
pin already in evidence, answered by
asking, (which blood spot?"
The lawyers for the defense knew
what he meant by this query; they had
summoned him as a witness and had
intended to throw a surprise into the
prosecution by bringing out through
this boy that there had been another
telltale mark a mile and more away
from the first. This was TO have been
the support of their theory that every
thing might have been as Beatde
said, that when his wife was shot her
blood had dropped through the floor
Of the car to the road and that again
when he stopped outside of Richmond
to relight a lamp that had gone out
the same thing had occurred.
Attorney Wendenburg for the prose
cution, will now have to summon sew
eral witnesses to testify that 1t is
physically impossible that fluid spilled
on the front seat Of the automobile
should drop through to the ground.
Second In Importance to this sur
prtsing confusion forced upon the pros
ecution by one OF the most insignif-
cant witnesses was the statement
made by Harry Smith, Jr., chief
counsel for the accused, that Beattie
would take the stand IN his own be-
half.
In the opinion OF all that have been
following the case, there can be but
one story for Beattie to tell on the
stand. This will be the tale of the
bearded highwayman who suddenly
stepped from the shadows of Midlo-
THAN turnpike on the night Of July IS
and, without reason, shot Mrs. Beattie
dead. He will have to d~enounes as
falsehoods every detail of the story
told by Paul Beattie. his cousin, as to
having bought a shotgun and three
shells at the request of Henry Beattie,
and especially he will have to deny as
a fabrication Paul Beattie's recital of
the alleged confession of guilt
Among several witnesses summoned
for the purpose Of corroborating the
features Of the testimony given by
Paul Beattie wal Luther Wells, who
was best man at Beattie's wedding,
only a year ago,
He gave his evidence unwillingly.
Both he and John sandifeF, another
close friend of the accused, had te
admit that the second night after the
murder Beattie was SO axious to know
whether or not Beulah Hinford had
fallen inSo police hands that he called
Paul Beattie on the telephone to find
out If he knew anything about it.
The commonwealth will rest its case
without calling Beulah Binford.
ANY anafr, or happening, or cir
eumstsnce which is too small to
x.oIva n upnt ad worth whiIa ac an