The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-29
DEFENSE IS GIVEN
SOME SEVERE BLOWS
BY COMMONWEALTH
CONTINUED from First Page. }

Beattie to show the most visible emo-
ton that he has yet displayed. For
the first time during the course of
the trial he was observed TO change
color, but only for a moment. but
1t was impossible to overcome the
startled expression of his eyes, those
indicators of the human feelings over
which he has shown such remarkable
control throughout the ordeal of the
past ten days.
The REORGANIZATION and the re-
examination of Detective Luther L.
Scherer had been concluded and the
chief investigator of the case Tor the
Commonw ealth had stepped aside
having successfully resisted the en-
deavors of both Attorney Harry NJ
Smith, Jr, and Hill Carter to shake
his direct evidence one fota Mr..
Scherer had resumed his place by the
side Of Attorney Wendenburg Tor the
prosecution, and both the attorneys
for the defense and the prisoner him
self we're looking In the direction of
the attorneys for the State, waiting
to hear the name of the next witness,
expecting il to be one of those printed
in the papers and known To all who
have followed the case, when there
WAS a slight noise at the side door.
leading into the courtroom within the
~ 90 '''' W." - ~ :,
eyes turned in that direction.
Mother of Victim Appears.
Silhouetted in the doorway were
Thomas +. owen and Ben Owen. un-
cles OF the murdered wife, who have
been prominent in the case through
out, and standing between them, sup
ported on either side was the fraii
figure Of a woman, garbed In the
deepest of mourning, yet she was re-
cogntzed Immediately by Henry Clay
Beattie. Jr, and the gentle stir In the
courtroom indicated that most OF
those present realized that something
unexpected was happening
rha name Of no witness had been
called. Vet II vas Immediately known
thai this Nas the mother Of the vic
tim OF the Midlothian turnpike trag-
edy-Nrs Robert Y Owen
t'alterfnp in her walk. in need of
The assistance Of the SUPPORTING arms
~ her nr6thers-tn-ia-w Mrs owen
VAS led TO the witness chair and
given a seal. Then she raised nor
Veil and the worn and troubled and
uatu-strtrken and grief.strirken fpa-
tsres If IN. naotbar we're rpypatod d.
reetlv Ia the tury sitting I'm fre,t ard
to those others in position to see. Not
once had she glanced In The dtrecti0n
nf Henry 'lHsN H4a.fAn I'D
she do So while on the witness stand
or in retiring from M .o,lrtro,p,
although she uassed a. close IA hto
that she eautd have reached o5it and
touched him had she desired
Henr, L. ,H,x.ted
Henry Reatttc after that arst
glance towards the door. was more
Vtsibb affected than ne had been
during the trial I'D To that time ius
he had felt assured thot btra yy4s
one witness whom he woaId NOT have.
To face. He had read In thu news-
lnpers thar thg mother df his stair.
vile would net be called Is the pro4e
eution, he had also read that shs had
left Newport News and returned To
her home In Dover. Deh more than
that. only three DAYS ago he had in
an effort at joe5lIarlty asked i1etee-
tive Luther l.. Scherer If she WAS IA
be called and had Received a reply IN
ii similar vein thar led him to believe
that she would not leo used.
She. he realized had the henrt con-
fldence Of her only daughter who had
disclosed her discoveries Of such u
delicate nature as 10 he used only In
court Of law. Sh. could ten OF
the determination Of her dsughter. 10
apply for a divorce and tharshv rA-
for the crime ana his reason for
wishing to silence her in the only
possible Way and save himself from
the parental wrath. for he knew Of
his fathers love for his " tfe aud had
experienced some slight indications If
what he might expect when that cod
loving and God fearing narents learn
ed of his BETRAYAL of his vows
These and other things paSsad
through his mind and were reya*}ea
iy the expressions on his face From
q look Of SURPRISE theirs came ouf,
Of ,uomen,arv CONSERVATION. Brief
II was aud tieating He was making
an heroic effort to master himself
and succeeded 10 The extent Of bring.
ing back for a brief period the sheer
that has been The princinal eharso-
teristic of his rauntcDauce since last
Thursday. when the tide began 10
set In. against him.
What passed through his mind m
man can say Ii IL doAbtful. even ii.
~ hi could ten ali This moment the
thoughts that came TO him a. he look
ed upon the frat! figure OF the mother
OF the woman whom he had prory7is-
ed To love, honor and protect tell a
story thai Was 10 be the most dam
aging he had Vet experienced In this
fight against the law for his life
In a gentle voice. with every word
an apparent effort. yet DISPLAYING a
remarkable spirit OF courage and de-
termination 10 tell what she knew and
answer the questions that had by
.F