Evening star., 1911-08-25
BEATT|E DEFENSE
LOSES TWO POINTS
Motions to Exclude "Dear
Kid" Letter andtQuestioninq
Indictment 0verruIed.
BIG CROWD ON HAND
TO GET SIGHT OF PAUL
Detective Describes Scene of Crime
and the Husbands Demeanor.
DISCREPANCIES BROUGHT OUT
Mandy Alexander, Old Negress,
Takes Stand to Testify Regard
ing Finding of Gun on
the Track.
Detective Describes Scene of Crime
and the Husbands Demeanor.
DISCREPANCIES BROUGHT OUT

Ing CluuluS Oh 0uu on
the Track.
CHESTERFIELD COURTHOUSE. Va,
August 2J.-The defense in the Beattie
trial met with two setbacks at the OPEN
ing of court here today Judge Walter
A. Watson quickly overruled a motion
TO exclude the Dear Kid" letter written
by Beattie to Beulah Binford and in
troduced yesterday. and followed this by
denying motion that questioned the
wording of the Indictment as to the
wound being in the face" instead Of the
skull or brain of the victim, as shown
by the autopsy.
Court convened at 1890 The crowd
was even larger than yesterday, and
hundreds gathered about the yard to
catch glimpse of Paul Beattie, the COM
monwealth's chief witness
The prisoner was dressed in a neat
blue suit having discarded the gray one
he has worn heretofore
George farrell. a Richmond detective,
was called as the first witness. Asso-
ciated in investigating the case with De-
tectives Wiltshire and Wrenn. who testi-
ned yesterday afternoon. farrell was put
on the stand to complete for the prose-
cution the description of the scene of the
crime, the prisoners demeanor and his
story of the bearded highwayman.
Said Man Ran Into Woods.
FARRELL related the prisoners story of
the roadway encounter, and stated that
Beattie said his wife's assailant ran into
the woods. Thomas Owen, Beattie's
defendant had told him the man ran up
the road.
The prosecution offered a map of the
crime-scene on the Midlothian turnpike.
the defense Immediately objecting to its
introduction. FARRELL was asked to de-
scribe where the blood spot was found.
About in the center of the road.
''How far from the left-hand running
board of the carr"
about twelve or eighteen inches"
WAS it possible for a human being in
1--WE object" cried the defense and the
objection was sustained.
Counsel asked the witness II there was
any blood on the gun found near the
scene of the crime.
"Yes, sir, there was" said FARRELL.
Describing the bloody car. the witness
testified yesterday that the blood could
not have run through the machine to
the ground.
did you see the accused weep on the
night of the murder?'
"No, sir. / did not"
Cautioned by Court.
The court cautioned the witness to ex-
press no opinion as to Beattie's grief, but
to relate simply what he saw.
Maj James d. Patton OF Richmond,
who went to the scene the day following
the murder with bloodhounds. testified
that the dogs failed to take any scent of
the alleged bearded highwayman. He
which differed but slightly from accounts
previously testified to. There was no
blood on the gun, he said. Beattie had
told him that he was not sure whether
the man fled along the road or through
the woods.
N W. Sydnor of Richmond. who took
a second set of bloodhounds to the scene,
followed Maj. Patton on the stand.
Did you find any footprints in the
ditch along the road?"
Yes. sir. there were three. pretty close
and to the west side of stump
Relates Beattie's Story.
Ibid you talk with the accused?'
The witness said he did. He related
Beatties account Of how his wife was
killed, saying that Beattie had told him
that the assailant fired from the right
Other witnesses had testified that the
man stood on the left.
Cross-examined by the defense. Sydnor
said ne had examined the stump and
tracks, but that the tracks might have
been made by some Of those who in
spected the surroundings.
Ibid you examine Beattie's shoulder
to see if there was any bruise that might
be made by the kick of a gun?'
Yes. sir. l did, and found no marks. :"
said Sydnor.
Mandy Alexander. an old negress. was
then called to testify as to the finding
of the gun.
She was dressed in blue calico and wore
a big straw hat. Beattie eyed her closely
did you find a gun on the railroad
tracks near where Mrs. Beattie was MUIR
dered?"
"Yes, SIR" said Mandy. with a drawl.
about or o'clock the morning after
the murder. l thought it was a track
walkers gun, picked 1t up, then let :
lay"
The gun was handed to her and she
identified 1t.
Pettigrew, white farmer, and had told
him of her find. Cross-examination failed
to shake her story.
Gave Gun to Farmer.
Jerry Reynolds, a grayhaired negro.
was next called. He had picked up the
| gun after Mandy had gone. but soon met
Pettigrew and turned ii over to him. The
negro held the gun in his hand as he sat
| in the witness chair and identified 1t.
Cross-examined by the defense, Jerry
! said he had seen no automobile tracks
| near the spot where he picked up the
gun. Beatties story is that he tore the
weapon from the highwayman's grasp
and threw it into the back part OF the
| automobile. from which it Jared out
while crossing the railroad track. The
prosecution will attempt to show that he
| hurled the weapon from the car with the
| hope that it might be destroyed by q
passing train
| 1t became known here today that
Beattie's lawyer had received a letteI
| from j. S. Minor. a contractor of Louis
| vile, KY, who says that two men whom
he can perhaps produce told him that
they were walking along the Midlothian
turnpike on the night Of July Is, when
they saw a man with gun stop an au-
tomobile. Such testimony would tend
to support Beattie's story Of the bearded
| highwayman. but from what could be
learned here today the defense places
little faith in the story. They declined
to give out Mr.. Minors letter, which
does not disclose the names of the men
.hsN fhAx. h. {IAv.