Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-09-12
Virginian, Convicted Last
Night Of Wife Murder and
Sentenced to Chair, Has 2
Months Left to Fight.
APPEAL TO HIGHER
COURT NEXT MOVE
Lawyers Discussing Case,
However, Cite Precedents
to Show Little Chance Of
Granting New Trial.

Chesterfield Court House, Va, Sept.
"a heavy guard patrolled the little
stone Chesterfield jail last night ana
today, and the guardsmen were the
only persons Henry Clay Beattie, Jr.,
convicted last night Of the murder OF
his wife, saw as he looked out from
the bars Of his cell.
Some time today, it was expected
that Beattie would be taken to the
state penitentiary in Richmond to
await his electrocution, November "a,
or the granting of a new trial by the
court of appeals, which meets early In
that month. Many lawyers today, who
discussed the possibility of a writ OF
error, were of the opinion that 1t would
not be granted.
The court of appeals, the asserted,
set precedent in the famous McCue
case of 1904. .,-
Expressions of sympathy were heard
everywhere for the aged father OF the
prisoner, prominent merchant and
highly respected citizen. His grief to-
day was neartrending.
It was the theory of the prosecution
that fear lest his father might learn
from the lips CT Henry's wife Of his
renewed indiscretions with the Binford
girl, that prompted young Beattie to
commit the crime and fabricate the
tale of the. bearded highwayman.
eeattie Scores Girl and Jury.
Severe reputation of Beulah Bin
ford as a girl from whom he vainly
tried to detach himself, and the direct
imputation that the jury judged him
more for his indiscretiCns than the
tragedy itself, came today from the
lips of Henry Clay Beattie, Jr, con-
,victed last night Of wife murder. Any
other jury composed of city folk with
mundane views would have been more
merciful was his bitter lament.
"Fearflllly unfair he muttered In
his cell, when asked his opinion of the
verdict, "Beulah Binford' he added,
Figured largely in the verdict, more
largely than the testimony of the kill
ing. These country folk cannot unuer-
stand how a woman of the underworld
can be crazy about you They don't
know when that happens how very
hard it Is to get rid of her.
Had this case been tried In any
court, where these things are not un-
common, this morning would have
been a free man. Interpreting Judge
Watson's instructions to the jury, !
cannot see how the verdict could have
been other than not guilty. l believe
the jury was influenced by the one
sided newspaper. reports before had
chance to present my side of the
case. wanted to give out statement
as soon as I was arrested, but Mr..
Smith, my lawyer, advised against
this.
Il have not given up hope, because
cannot feel that an innocent man will
be permitted to suffer for this hideous
crime"
Jury Out Less Than Hour.
It took the jury, which for days has
listened to the evidence in the case,
only fifty-eight minutes to decide that
Beattie shot his young wife to death
on Midlothian turnpike on the night Of
July 18 last, The members all knelt
in prayer before they brought in their
verdict.
The jurors reported twice. The first
time they simply brought in the YER
dict guilty" They were ordered to
specify the degree of guilt and after
retiring for short time returned with
the announ cement that carried with 1t
condemnation to death.
Beattie gave little evidence of emo
ton as he heard the words that sealed
his fate. The court of appeals Is to be
asked to grant writ or error and
new trial, and knowing the legal
weapons still at his disposal the con-
demned man whispered to his sobbing
father, who sat beside him, II haven't
lost yet"
Even when Judge Watson pro
nounced the death sentence Beattie
was unmoved.
The judge stated as preliminary to
passing sentence that he desired to
add nothing to the anxiety OF the con.
victed man. Then he said:
"The jury has found you guilty In
the first degree, and, therefore, your
life is forfeited and the Judgment OF
this court is that on November 24|
you be delivered into the custody of
the superintendent of the penitentiary
and that between the hours of sun
rise and sunset your life shall be ex-
and may Gcd have mercy
on your soul"
Beattie's father buried his face in
his hands and appeared overcome. The
prisoner spoke gently to him and then
smilingly shook hands with several &C