The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-09-01
EVIDENCE FOR DEFENCE
IN The BEATTIE CASE
COMMONWEALTH RESTS ITS CASE
IN CUIEF.
Defence Seeks to CorrobOrate Beat.
ties Contention That Highway
man Killed His Wife.

Chesterfield Court House, Va, Aug.
28.-Between gulps of intense emotion,
Paul Beattie, cousin of Henry Clay
Beattie, Jr., who stands indicted for
the murder of his wife, revealed on
the witness stand late today that the
accused told him twenty-four hours
after the murder how sorry he was 'he
had done it," circumstance relating
to the crime that the witness hitherto
had suppressed.
Coming as dramatically, and as IN
expectedIy as the pathetic tale an hour
before of Mrs. R. V. Owen, mother of
the dead woman, as to the domestic
infelicity of her daughter due to the
husbands loathsome condition the
brief but thrilling testimony given by
Paul Beattie created profound SEN
sation.
Paul Beattie at the coroner's in
quest, a nervous wreck, but today
strong and d;i srmined, poured out a
tale which cHnfessedly has troubled
his mind not only because he purchas-
ed the shot gun for Henry, but because
he did not until today tell all he knew
of the case. With quivering lips and
tear-dimmed eyes he set forth the
story against which his heart and
sympathy had for days been revolving.
Il hated to testify against my own
flesh and KIM he murmured as the
muscles of his throat pulsated "but
my wife, my child and the duty I owe
ITO my city forced me to do so.''
Profound Sensation.
The gasp that rose simultaneously
from the throats of those in the stufy
court room was strikingly audible and
for moment the crowd held its
breath, while Paul Beattie continued:
Henry had told me that he wanted
me to stick by him, but said to him,
this looks mighty black to me, and
you've got me into a lot of trouble
Henry then told me, I wish to God
had not done it. would not have done
it for a million dollars, but she never
loved me, she only married me fol- my
money!
Paul Beaktie paused and his plain
tive tone sank lower, but he did not
break down. A hushed stiffness pre-
vailed in the room as his next words
Were awaited, but he said no more,
and bracing himself in his chair, turn
ed his sharp chin toward the bench
where the prisoner and cousel sat and
looked fixedly at the latter in prepara-
ton for the cross examination.
Henry NJ. Smith, Jr., one of the
lawyers for the defendant, rose from
his seat, gazed hard at the witness
and in a loud voice confronted Paul
with the charge that at the coroner's
inquest he had not told the whole
truth as his oath required when he
omitted to make the statement con-
corning Henryis alleged confession to
him. Paul looked appealingly at the
counsel, and, hardly able to repress
his emotion, told how he had not been
able to clear his mind at the inquest
when he collapsed, or for some days
later, and that he had only recently
been able to force himself to give dam
aging evidence against his own kins-
man.
It was a late hour when this stage
OF the trial was reached and adjourn
ment was taken until tomorrow morn
ing when cross examination will con-
tnue. In the meantime Henry Clay
Beattie, Jr., was taken back to Rich
mond to permit of conference there
with counsel. The prosecution let it
be known that it had practically fin
ished its case.
Mrs. Owen on Stand.
From early morning when a moth
er, Mrs. R. V. Owen, stifed her pride
and in a choking voice, almost a whis-
per at times, told the jury the sordid
details of how Henry Clay Beattie,
Jr's., alleged physical ailment caused
his wife heart rending grief and hours
of anguish, the prisoner faced the
hardest strain thus far witnessed in
his fight for life.
Through the testimony of the moth
er of the dead woman, the prosecution
endeaNored to define the motive for
the crime, the fears that news of the
alleged ailment might reach Henry c.
Beattie, Sr., and cause a rupture be-