The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1911-09-07
SURE
HE'LL Be FREE
IN A FEW DAYS
a EXPECT TO BE HOME SUNDAY"
SAID THE PRISONER
YESTERDAY.
Virginia's Alleged Wife-Murderer.
Self Possessed and Calm. Awaits
Decision of the Twelve Men Who
are to Pass on His Fate.

Chesterfield Courthouse, Va, Sept.
6.-"I expect to be home Sunday. l
feel that my story has impressed the
jury, and believe they viii give me a
square deal"
This was the confident remark of
Henry Clay Beattie, Jr., indicted for
the murder Of his wife, as he sat in
his cell here today. gazing in retro
spect at the eleven days of evidence
taking which was brought to a close
last night.
uneasiness or nervousness We're not
visible in his countenance or manner.
He possessed the same outward calm
that has characterized him either in
the prisoners bar as he heard witness
after witness testify against him, or
in the witness chair when he himself
recited in matter of fact way the
story of his indiscretions with Beulah
Binford, and the brutal attack of the
alleged highwayman which caused the
death of his wife of year.
Curious Crowds Dispense.
The courthouse and its pastoral vi
cinity was clothed in peaceful quiet
today, the crickets and katydids con
tinued their chirping, unhampered by
the noise and hustle of curious
crowd. The twelve men of impassive
face in whose minds is locked the Sc
cret Of Beattie's future life. arose as
usual with the break of day and after
breakfast in the tiny hotel here.
strolled on the green, singing. not a
song of mirth, however, but the
strains of religious hymns. and the
prisoner, not far away, heard them.
Their friends call them earnest.
God-fearing men, and declare they
are of the kind to weigh evidence
carefully They now have heard all
the evidence and it remains only for
counsel Of both sides to knit together
the reyelancy Of the various testimon-
les into consistent argument. Upon
the argument it is generally conceded
much will depend, as the defense ex-
poets to make its strongest plea on
the dangers of accepting circumstan-
tial evidence.
The prosecutions main broadside
win be delivered along the same lines
as characterized its rigid cross exam
ination Of the prisoner, and will predi-
cate one question-how did the same
gun which Paul Beattie bought for his
cousin Henry on July Is, come to- be
in the hands of the alleged highway
man on Midlothian turnpike on the
night of Tuesday, July Is?
The defense has admitted by its
witnesses that Paul purchased the
very gun which later was identified
by Henry as the one that killed his
wife. but his only reason for the
admission was that there was blood
on the gun and it was found not
far from the scene of the crime. He
has denied, however, that he saw or
knew of the gun before the highway
man leveled it on Midlothian turnpike
because Beattie's car almost collided
with him.
Paul Beattie Attacked.
The defense has attempted to pune
ture the story Of Paul Beattie, the
cousin of the accused, who not only
told of the purchase of the weapon,
but the alleged confession Of the
prisoner to him Of having committed
the crime. The defense, by numerous
witnesses, endeayored to impeach the
veracity Of Paul as to his having
transferred the gun. to Henry on Sat
urday night, July Is, and by one wit
ness, z Fl. Neblbitt. charged that Paul
had shotgun with him on Sunday
July 16, at the bridge where he was
employed as a watchman. The com
monwealth introduced several wit
nesses to combat the testimony Of
Neblitt, who today was said to be
himself on the verge Of admitting thai
he was mistaken. To intimate friends
he already is said to have made such
a declaration. Other points in Pauls
story of his meeting with Henry have
been attacked, but the commonwealth
considers that his story. nevertheless
remains intact in its main features.