Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-07-21
.B[OODA0UhDs TRACKING
mrs. BEATTE's SLAYER

Young Matron Murdered in Motor
Car While Returning to Home
in South Richmond
Richmond, Va, July 19.-The
scene of the murder last night of
Mrs. Harry C. Beattie, Jr., of South
Richmond, is today swarming with
police, detectives and bloodhounds,
but, beyond the finding of the gun
with which the crime was commit
ted, there is no clue.
The gun is an old-fashioned one,
single-barreled. The husband of the
young woman said he placed it in the
rear of his machine following the
taking of it from the murderer, and
that is must have bounded out as he
came out of his home in an effort to
get medical attention for his wife.
The gun had fallen out at railroad
crossing, while the machine was
speeding to the city, and was found
there. The weapon is in the hands
of the police, and it's ownership will
be traced. That is the only clue
to the man who did the shooting.
At sunrise this morning the blood
hounds from the state farm and
those from Henrico county jail were
taken to the scene and were at once
placed on the trail.
The dogs we're led to the sides of
the road in both directions and, while
they took the scent all right, they
refused to go into the woods, where
the murderer is supposed to have
fled after having the gun taken from
him by Mr.. Beattie. They followed
the main road. Mr.. Beattie says that
the man took to the woods.
Mr.. Beattie is almost crazed with
grief and is under the care of ply
sician
The shooting occurred last night
on the Midlothian turnpike, eight
miles from Richmond, while Mr.. and
Mrs. Beattie were returning in
motor car from Chesterfield county.
Mr.. Beattie was driving the car and
slowed down as he saw man walk
into the middle of the road, directly
in front of him. AS Beattie put on
the brakes the stranger cried, you
had better run over me-"
.You have got all the road" said
Beattie and then he put on the pow
err and started to pass.
Fired at Close Range
The man raised shotgun he was
carrying and fired at close range at
the couple in the car The entire
load entered Mrs =Beattie'e face,
blowing off the top of her head. Mr..
Beattie jumped from the car and
grappled with the slayer, who gave
him a smashing blow across the face
with the butt of his gun, leaving an
ugly mark. They fought for a mo-
ment, and as Beattie got possession
of the weapon the stranger disappear
ed. S~Ea4N1
- Springing back into his car, Mr.
Beattie was Mortified to find the
bleeding body of his wife lying
across the seat.
He tossed the shotgun into the
tonneau and started the car for Rich
mond, steering with one hand while
he held the body with the other. He
drove five miles to the home of a
friend and gave the alarm.
Mrs. Beattie was only twenty-three
years old. She was married a year
ago. She was the wife of depart
ment store owner and banker in
South Richmond. Every night for
the last two weeks the Beattie's had
been motoring with their baby, but
last night is was left home.
Father Learns News
Washington, July 19.-Robert Yer
non Owen, father of Mrs. Louise
Beattie, who was shot while automo-
billing near Richmond, first learned
of his daughters tragic death while
in the Union station restaurant when
a man sitting next him unfolded a
newspaper containing the story of
the shooting of Mrs. Beattie.
AS Mr.. Ovens eye caught the
headlines he started, leaned forward
to see the article more clearly, and
groaned: y
That's my daughter"
Seemingly crushed by the news,
he went out to a bench in the waiting
room, where le sat and sobbed pite-
ously for seve-a minutes. He later
took a train for Richmond.
DnNrn~ yHHranr~,~ Dr---