The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-22
FOUR CONFESS
BEATT|E CRIME

Continued from first page.)
perSon.- for the major could hardly
decipher. IL.
Not "A single confession has come
to Beattie since he was removed from
the Richmond city jail to his death
cell in the penitentiary two weeks ago
to-day. Prior to that time hardly
day went by that he did not receive
a confession or two.
Speculation continues rife as to
Beattie's real state of mind. despite
the fact that the prison officials in
, sist that he Is Just as nervy and in
different as ever.
Certain 1t Is, however. that he VIII
come very near to collapsing at sight
of the terrible death dealing electric
chair Friday morning. II nc does not
collapse before
FIX Comes Back.
The Rev. J. J. Fix, chief spiritual
adviser to the condemned man. re-
turned to the city last evening from
trip to Kentucky on church busi-
ness, after an absence of five days.
| He will resume his visits to Beattie's
| Cell this morning and from now on
!
possible. Mr.. Fix came back some-
what disappointed at the news that
| Governor Mann has determined to in
| terfere In no way with the dictates OF
the law.
The case Is positively closed, so
| far AS l am concerned" declared the
| Governor yesterday with much en-
phasis, and no one who heard him
| doubted his words.
1t was limited yesterday that the
Governor had recently been seriously
| considering the Idea OF reprievins
| Beattie for a few weeks il u confess
sion had been forthcoming from HIN
before the day appointed for his ex-
| ecution. However, II was never sus-
| pected for a moment that the Cover
| nor had ever put any such propo-
sition up to Beattie.
| Did Beattie Weep?
| The report was going the rounds
! yesterday that Beattie for some time
/ before being removed from the city
| Jail to the penitentiary was subject to
| nervous breakdowns, which caused
him to weep copiously at dead hours
OF the night. lamenting his fate and
disturbing occupants Of adjoining
cells.
| One of these occupants was Louis
l.. Gregory. the defaulting railroad
| cashier to whom the reports are at
I tributed. Gregory. who is now WELD
/ ing the needle in the tailoring do
| partment of the penitentiary, Is un-
derstood to have remarked to friend
/ recently that tho public was very
| much mistaken II it thought Beattie
was still holding up like a man or
}. iron Gregory IL said to have then re-
| lated his experience with Beattie IN
| the city jail.
/ Mr.. Luther L. Scherer, who direct
| ed the sleuth work for the prosecu-
/ ton In the Beattie casu. was seen
Yesterday en- route through the Capt.
toll grounds with Il heavily laden port
manteau under his arm. He was NOV
I ing toward the State Capitol build
I ing
! ScIlereF Laughs.
I Asked later II his mission had any
/ connection with the Beattie case. he
laughed. Then he added that news
paper men could som etimes be on the
I wrong trail. It developed that Mr..
Scherer had business with some other
department OF the State government
4 than that OF the executive offices.
i IT am through with the Beattie
case" ne said seriously. There is
nothing more to be done"
Newspaper men nre fiocking TO
Richmond from many parts Of the
country. notably from New York. This
I means that they are preparfng FOR
the climax on Friday. 1t is doubtful.
| however. neither they will have n
easy a time rs GONE OF them perhaps
u are anticipating. No newspaper man
will be permitted I" witness the cleo
! trocutior. Neither viii the names OF
/ the ofYicial witnesses be divulved. The
| best the press boys will De able to do
will be pick up the news any way they
| can and trust to luck for the rest.