Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1911-08-24
.BEATTIE CALM
AS TRIAL OPENS
Uncle Of Slain Woman Tells Of
Prisoner Bringing Murdered
Wife Home
BLOODY CLOTHES AND
GUN As COURT EXHIBITS

CHESTERFIELD COURT HOUSE,
Va, Aug. 2a-On the anniversary or
his wedding TO Louise Owen, Henry
Clay Beattie, Ir.. today began the real
battle to avert expiating her murder.
II the grim circumstances of tho
first anniversary Of his marriage
caused the man accused Of wife mur-
der the slightest emotion. he did noe
show il.
Calm, smiling and dcbonair hs
took his place ia the dock IN the lit
tie Chesterfield Court House today as
the first witness 10 testify against him
took the stand. The fact that tho
wife he married one year. ago lies
in her grave. tho victim Of a brutal
murder. and that he is accused Of tho
crime. seemed to touch no strings in
the steel-wired temperament Of tho
Indifferent young man.
He sat beside his father Most OF
the day the aged man kept his arm
| protectingly around his sons should
ers. They chatted together quietly
the accused son talking with anima-
tion, while the grey-haired father, his
face lined with the cares OF an erring
son, appeared more like the man
about to be tried than did tho
prisoner.
When Beaties father arrived at
Chesterfield Court House, he went ar
once to his sons cell Detectiva
Scherer had brought from Richmond
IL al.
Beattie brought home the body Of his
wife from her pleasure trip that end
ed in death. The gruesome exhibit
was wheeled up beside the jail.
AS Beattie and his father came
from the Jail to the Court House.
7 Special Prosecutor Wendenberg had
just finished an examination Of tho
car. Beattie strolled over and willis
his father lifted the darkly blood
, stained cushions. on which Beattie
sat while he carried the dead body Of
4, his wife home, the accused man peer.
y ed with curiousness at the stains OF
y the woodwork. He pointed at tn
- bloodstained floor Of the car, an
~ argued earnestly ~ low tone.-z,~i
- his father
\ They stood for probably five min
4 utes gazing az the blood stains. No
4 the slightest trace Of emotion showed
Vi on Beattie's face.
Case Is Called.
N When Judge Watson called the case
n of the State VS.. Beattie. the tiny sized
court room was jammed with the
e curious. Beattie became very atten-
j. tive and seemed a trihe anxious as he
listened to the roll call of the Wit
nesses for the State. The aged father,
= who sat beside him. famed himsele
and his accused boy with a large
: palm-leaf fan.
a All Of the ifty-four witnesses sub
. poenaed to appear against Beattio
: were called before Judge Watson.
! Many of them were recalled about the
grounds Of the Court House. and re-
!. lays of criers called the names from
every window and door They were
brought in in patches of five or six,
sworn and turned out into the yard
again.
Only Thomas owen, scheduled as
the first witness. was allowed 10 re-
main in the court room.
Neither Paul Beattie nor Beulais
= Binford. the states star witnesses.
d was brought out from Henrico county
p jail. They would not be needed to-
S day. Wendenburg said.
I- While the witnesses were being
= sworn, Beattie divided his attention
E, between those who will appear
r against him and the jury. He scru-
II tinized each juryman closely, occa-
T. sionally leaning over to discuss one
= or another with either his father or
IT his counsel.
q owen the First Witness.
a Thomas Owen, the murdered girls
uncle was the first witness. Com
N monwealth Attorney Gregory began
Ir CONTINUED on Second Page)
y