Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1911-08-28
MAY NOT CALL
BINFORD GIRL
Prosecution Fears Love for
Beattie and His Financial
Resources May Influence.
REVOLVING TESTIMONY
Another Motive Is Being Ad-
vanced as Cause for KILL
ing the Young Wife.
REVOLVING T.
Special bn United Press Wtrs.

! Special By United Press Wire.
Chesterfield Court House, Va,
Aug. 28-Beulah Binford, the girl
in the case, may not be called upon
to bare her pathetically morbid life
story on the witness stand during the
trial of Henry Clay Beattie, JT., for
| the murder of his young wife Revolt
| ing technical medical testimony was
expected as the greater part of the
| States contention that Beattie had
another motive for killing his wife
| besides his Illicit love for Beulah
| Binford.
Fear that love for the accused
man, or regards for his financial re-
sources might interfere with the Bin
ford girls testimony was the moving
cause Of the determination to avoid
calling her II possible.
When Beattle took his place at
| the bar this morning he looked more
drawn and anxious than at any time
since the trial began. He leaned
YEARLY forward on the desk before
him, gazing steadily at L. L. Scher-
er, as Carter began the cross exam
| ination of the detective.
Following the appearance of L.
! l.. Scherer on the stand, Mrs. r. V
Owen, a pathetic figure clad in
sombre black, took the witness
stand to testify against Henry Clay
Beattie, Jr., accused Of the murder
of her daughter. The defense
fought the introduction of this tes-
timony, but Judge Watson over
ruled the objection.
Mrs. owen then proceeded to tell
the jury about Beattie's domestic
relations.
A new witness has been discover
ed by the prosecution in the case,
one who is said to have asserted he
knew day ahead of time that the
murder was TO be committed. His
name is George Jones, a huckster,
and he is alleged to have given his
information in the presence of H. B.
Chewing, a well known contractor,
and another man, whose identity the
prosecution has not disclosed.
Later, when Jones, Chewing ano
Detective Scherer were together, Jones
denied having made any such remark,
but Chewning reiterated that he had
Jones showed uneasiness at being call
| ed as a witness and attempted to mini
| mize his assertion The prosecution,
however, is determined to inquire
| thoroughly into Jones' knowledge of
birofdf ffafiiEy III fas Il sa atb bdle iae
up its case largely around Beattie's
infa tuation for the Binford girl being
the alleged motive for the murder, the
state will attempt to impress that
point on the jury by producing wit
nesses to testify about frequent visits
Of Henry Clay Beattie, Jr., to certain
resorts with Beulah Binford.
The result of the first week Of the
trial has been serious for Beattie. He
must know also that all his lawyers
have to build on his defense is the
weird story of tall bearded man sud
denly stepping out Of the shadows Of
the forest on Midlothian pike and
without reason, almost without words,
as Beattie has told the story, Staying
his wife as she sat by his side in the
machine. Such Of the prosecution
case is before the court already as TO
indicate that when Beattie's counsel
attempts TO defend this story, which
is the only line of defense that seems
to be indicated now, they will be un-
dertaking the most difficult task in the
recent history of Virginia jurispru-
| dence.
As the case stands before the jury at
| this beginning of the second week OF
| the trial the prosecution has complet-
ed its task of pointing out the contra
dictions in Beattie's story of the muir
! der
Mrs. Paul Beattie will probably be
another witness for the common
wealth. She will tell how on the day
after the murder, when the shotgun
was found on the railroad tracks
where they cross the turnpike her
husband came to her and confided his
| suspicious. How much Paul Beattie
told her-in fact, how much he him
| self knew of the preliminaries to the
murder-can only be known when both
| the husband and wife go on the stand.
| Much has been said about the depths
| of the conspiracy into which Paul
| Beattie went with his cousin. 1t has
been limited that Henry hired his rela-
| tive to secret himself In the woods and
| fire the shot that killed Mrs. Beattie.
Sensational writer's have had it that
Paul Beattie is Of weak mind and that
he took pay from his stronger willed
cousin to become an accessory, If not
the principal in the crime. Probably
nothing in the direct or cross examina-
| ton will bear out this suppOsitlon.
The cOmmOnwealth's attorney will
| introduce letter Mrs. Beattie wrote
short time before her death in which
she told her father, Robert V. Owen
Of Dover, Del, of the inhdelities of
her husband and OF her intention to
quit him. Mr.. Owen had even started
| for Richmond to assist his daughter
In her difficulties when he read an ac-
| count of her death.
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