Semi-weekly herald., 1911-11-27
Chronological History of Case.

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Chronological History of Case.
July 1s-While returning to Rich
nond in a motor car driven by her
husband, Mrs. Henry Clay Beattie jr.
was shot and instantly killed Tho
shooting occurred on the Midlothian
turnpike, FIVE miles from Richmond.
Mrs Beattie was 20 years old and
had been married only one year. After
the tregedy the husband reSurned to
The home Of Tom" Owen, an uncle
Of his wife, with the ooIy Of Mrs.
Beattie, saying she had been shot by
tan, bearded man, whom they en-
eountered on the road.
July 2o-At the corone-'s inquest,
Paul Beattie, second cousin of Henry
Clay Beattie jr., confessed that he had
purchased shotgun for Henry and
subsequently three cartridges, and had
delivered them 20 his cousin day or
two before the murder The same gun
was picked up ON the road, where it
was said to have been jolted out of
the auto the morning after the shoot
ing and identified by the husband as
the one he had taken out of the hands
Of the strange man in the struggle
following the tragedy.
July 22-Arrest of Henry Clay
Beattie jr.
Aug. Indictment of Beattie,
based on the testimony of his cousin
and on evidence showing that he had
been attentive to Beulah Binford, a
girl Of II, for three or four years,
and that their relations had been re-
sumed after Beatties marriage to
Miss Louise Owen Of Dover, Del, and
even after the birth of their child,
which was three weeks old at the
time Of its mothers death.
Aug. 2l-Beattie pleaded mot gull
ty' to the indictment.
Aug Commencement of the
trial. Prosecution introduced evidence
to show that Beattie had taken the
gun bought for him by Paul and se-
cteted it along the Midlothian pike,
at the scene Of the murder, and had
there induced his wife to get out of
the automobile and shot her. Paul
Beattie testified that Henry, several
days after the murder, had confessed
to him that he had shot his wife,
saying; 'l'm sorry that did it.
wouldn't do it again for $1,000,0OO.
he defense bent every effort to break
down The testimony of Paul Beattie,
whom they described as moral
weakiing," and tried to ascribe Pauls
testimony to desire to escape from
ibe ugly fix" he was in. However,
Paups testimony was substantiated
in it's important features by other
witnesses.
Sept. 4-Henry Clay Beattie jr. took
the stand in his own behalf and on
cross examination held to his previous
statements in regard to his wife being
shot by strange man who held them
up on the road.
Sept. 8-The jury in the case re-
corded unanimous verdict of gull
ty.' This verdict was believed to
have been influence not only by the
strong direct evidence of Beattie's
guilt, but also by the testimony Of
mis- relations with his affinity" the
Binford girl, which was supposed to
have furnished the motive for the
crime. This young woman, scarcely
more than child, met Henry Clay
Beaetie jr., when she was but 13 years
old and two years later gave birth to
a child alleged to have been his son.
Sept. 9-Walter A. Watson, the trial
judge, sentenced Beattie to die on
Nov. "a.
| Nov. 13-The supreme court of ap-
peals of Virginia denied the petition
for a writ Of error.
| Nov. 15--The young wife murder
er's last hope Of escaping the electric
chair was wiped away when Governor
Mann declined to interfere with the
sentence and issued a signed state
ment in which he stated that he had
followed the case with the closest at
tention and declared his belief that
Beattie had had fair trial and mer-
tied the punishment imposed upon him
by the jury and court.