The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-04
BATTLES STORY.


j
town l never for one moment thought
I was the father OF the child and
Beulah Binford swore at the coroner's
inquest that she was not its mother
Told His Wife All About 1t.
An effort was made by counsel for
the defense 10 interrupt the prison
er's testimony for few minutes to
have Charles H kestIeberg testify as
u the number OF his car but the pros
ecution objected, saying il did not
want the examination of the prisoner
interrupted
How long before your marriage p
continued Mr. Smith. was the meet
ing in the lawyers office 2'F
About February. 1909
Well. when were your relations
with her broken OFF,
I'm the fall Of 1905 and I was
married nearly two years afterward in
How long had you been in love
with her?"
I reckon about Il to Il months
How did you regard BeuIah Bin
ford during the time you ran with
her"
AS every one else did-as a wo-
man OF the town
Did you have any love for her?"
Did any other men run with herr"
Yes"
What were the relations between
you and your wife up to the night of
~I never spoke a cross word to her
or she to me We always were af-
fectiOnate and I don't see how any
one could have been any happier"
Was there any reason for her to be
unhappy"
Not that 7 know Of
When you were married did she
know about the Binfor6 matter?r
Every one in town did. I told her
al about the effort 70 blame the child
on me too I made clean breast OF
Did you tell her of your trip to Nor
tions with Beulah:'
No.
was Beulah Binford the controlling
motive Of yoar going TO Nerfolk2"
Tell how you came 70 90 to Nor
The prisoner here corroborated the
story Of William H. Sampson. his
had first heard that the girl was in
Norfolk The prisoner frankly admit
ted the several rides with the girl there
5nd visits 10 various places
Before Court Opened
Chesterfield, Va. Sept 4--WhiIe
thousands Of care-free people through
out the country prepared for hOli-
days festiivty, Henry Clay Beattie's jr-.
remained silent in his cell early today
and awaited the hour for the cOnven-
ing of court when he was to tell his
own story Of the murder of his wife
on Midlothian turnpike last July for
which he stands indicted All day he
wSs to battle for his life. closing the
case for the defense
From an early hour when the glim-
mering lamp from his cell cast its
long beam OF light on the court house
nearby, the prisoner read and reread
the typewriter pages Of his own testi-
mOny at the cCrOner's inquest and pre-
pared to relate the identical story on
the witness stand today of how
bearded highwayman approached his
automobile. stopped IL and with
shotgun fred at Mrs BeaItfe. who sat
beside her husband on the front seat
of the car. Through the iron bars of
his cell Beattie could see moving about
on the green in front of him the |
twelve men 10 whom for him the story
viii mean electrocution or freedom
The gray haired father of the ac-
cused had made all plans to be first to
arrive at the jail and bend over his
son, embrace and kiss him the same /
afectionate greeting which he has
brought to his imprisoned son since
trial began.
Through the prison bars the accused
man reiterated his statement that he !
was confident Of aequittal-
God knows 7 am innocent of the /
murder of my dear wife-'' he said He /
spoke in a deep voice and his tone was (
both firm nd emphatic
''I m going to tell the jury ana every
body just how it happened" he con- /
iinued-
Confident of AcquittaI
''I was the only eye witness and I /
am confident everybody VIII believe /
what 1 say against the Circumstantial I
evidence that has been collected /
against me"
4 larger crowd than usual was
counted on to wend its way over the T
IL miles Of sandy roads to the historic 4
court house from Richmond and the 1
countryside. The prisoner was ex-
pected to go on the stand imm ediately /
after the couvening Of court and was /
ready to answer the questions Of cOun- /
sci carefully rehearsed with him yes I
terdav. After the direct examination |
by Harry NJ Smith. jr-. and Hill Car /
ter counsel for the defense, the ac- !
cused was to be kept on the stand all /
afternoon by the prosecution under
rigid ross-examination-
Beulah Binford, the so-called girl /
in the case" and Paul D. Beattie. a /
cousin of the accused. the two persons
on whom the commonwealth has re-
lied for the foundation Of its case. viii
not be brought here from the Rich
mond Jail until tomorrow when the
connmonw ealth will begin its effort to
Impeach the testimony Of the prisoner
Paul who said he bought for Henry
the gun with which Mrs. Beattie is al
legged BY the prosecution TO have been
and the Binford girl who is
alleged by the prosecution to have
been the motive for the crime, viii
be produced in the court room only to
controvert the statement of the ac-
cused and this is dependent on his tes-
timony today. The prosecution Is ex-
pected 10 occupy tomorrow in rebuttal
and for Wednesday the argument Of
counsel for both sides, including the
question of instruction TO the jury, is
the case probably going to
the jury on Thursday
Every available seat in the little
room early was occupied and large