Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-09-09
BEATT|E IN SHADOW
Of ELECTRIC CHAIR
Convicted Mans Cynical Indifference
While Entering Valley of Death.
Father in Collapse.

The inability OF the stern-faced,
religious countrymen, Who went about
their work OF settling the question OF
life or death, by kneeing on the floor
of their jury room in silent prayer.
to understand the low moral tone of
city life, with its sordid Immortality
vas quoted by Beatte today as the
cause Of his death sentence.
"A country jury cannot understand
how fellow gets mixed up With
women Of the world" said Beattie in
his cell today. In city these things
are known and common. Beulah Bin.
ford had much to do with that verdict.
More than the real facts and evidence
about the killing, it was this phase OF
my case which convicted me.
Those men could not realize how
hard tried to get rid Of her. just
drifted along with hope against hope
that | could break off with her, but /
could not. no matter how hard / tried.
Then ] think that preiudiced news
paper accounts phbl,s.ieI heforo II
jury bal a chance to hear the eridor
il the case vas anatter weishty a.
vantage. | think the jury had decided
an opinion in the uattt:r which va
nercr changed.
Under the courts instructions 10
the jury, cannot conceive how they
could have returned verdict of guilty
if they based their verdict wholly upon
the evidence brought forward against
me by the state.
Il fully expected a hung jury. !
knew that some o! the jurymeu had
grounded opinions, but | thought
others would be guided by the cour,
instructions and the want Of evidence
against me-"
I think it was very unfair verdict
and have not lost hope yet. l do not
see how either the prosecution or the
court would want to send an innocent
man to his death for the crime OF
another
i Chesterfield. Courthouse, Va, Sept.
9.-The wages Of sin is death and
with a cynical Indifferent smile on
bis lips Henry Clay Beattie, jr., today
sat ID the valley OF the shadow OF
deatl to wait t,,e day when he must pay
the penalty for the murder OF his
young wife.
The prisoner stood stiff and silent
after the reading of the verdict yester-
day evening and seemingly dazed for full
ly two minutes. Then he sank into the
seat beside his aged gray-haired father
who sobbed convulsively as he threw his
arms around his condemned son.
Not a quiver OF emotion or fear
dstorts the sharp featured face Of the
Young man of 26 whose bright future
has been darkened by the shadow
OF crime and will soon be shrouded
in the pail OF death.
, But an aged father, broken and
sorrowful, his whole life shattered by
his sons plight is the figure OF sad.
ness of the case. Today, with bis
other son and his seventeen-year arold
. daughter he sat in bis sorrow-stricke
home in state of almost total col
lapse. For three weeks be has sal
beside his son while he made his fight
for life, cnunseling, encouraging and
!: comforting him.
Last plight he babe him farewell
after twelve stolid, strong moraled
Chesterfield farmers had pronounced
the doom OF death with comfr 1T and er
couragement gone from his soul. But
the calous boy, facing Ger tain death a;
calmly as he faced bis fight for life,
smiled With bitter smile as be kissed
the tottering father good bye.
A respite until November "a was the
best the earnest lawyers could do fol
their client. Judge Watson granted a
stay Of execution until that date, to al
low the prisoner time to file an appeal.
But all Virginia is satisfied that the ap,
plication will be denied. Througho ut
the trial Judge Watson and the shrewd
attorneys for the prosecution leaned
over backwards in favor OF the prisoner,
and the result is that today the keen.
witted attorneys for the defense search
ed in vain for an error on which they
could with any degree OF confidence
base their demand for a new trial.
| In the darkening court room Beattie
sat stunned and silent while his lawyers
made the futile motions to set aside
the verdict. These were promptly
overruled.
The defense then asked stay OF &c
davs in which to file an application fol
5 an appeal. Wendenburg argued against
5 1t and suggested stay OF sixty days tc
bring the case before the Court OF Ap
, meals in November. Judge Watson
however, granted the request Of the de-
tense.
Today Beattie expressed the same
calm confidence that he has haC
throughout the trial.
Il have not yet lost hope" he de-
clared. IF that jury bad given then
verdict solely on the evidence relating
to my wife's murder, and had followed
, the instructions of the court closely
l would have been acquitted beyond
doubt But they were impressed By
the story of my relations with Beulat
Binford, and they convicted me solely
on that point. had admitted my re-
lations with the girl, and without re-
gard to the testimony as to the murder,
they convicted me. But hope the
Court OF Appeals Will look at the mat
ter in a different light"
1t was determined today that Beat
tie will be allowed to stay in Chester
field Jail for at least another twenty
| Yo,,r ho,1rr