The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-11-24
Declares in Presence of Spiritual
Advisers That He Killed
His Wife
MEETS HIS DEATH CALMLY
Onshaken TO Last, He is Executed at
f2S O'clock This Morning in
6 omy Chamber in
Richmond Prison.

Richmond, Va, Nov. 24.--Henry Clay
Beattie, Jr, before being electrocuted
today confessed to the murder of his
wife. His statement is as follows:
Il, Henry clay Beattle. Jr.. desirous
Of standing right before God and man.
do on this twenty third day Of No
Vember 1911. confess my guilt of the
crime charged against me. Much that
mas been published concerning the de-
talls is not true, but the awful fact.
without narrowing circumstances re-
mains For this action. I'm truly sor-
ry' and believing that I'm at peace with
"od' and am soon TO pass into His
presence this statement is made"
Beattie's statement was signed I'm the
presence of two attending ministers.
Beattie was electrocuted at 1928
O'Clock this morning.
one minute after the shock he was
pronounced dead. Hc went to the
death chair mistaken.
The death chamber was sombrely
bare, and the twelve witnesses watched
the preparations silently. The straps
and steel clamps danglcd from the
arms of the chair. The formalities
completed and the final summons read
TO the doomed man in his cell. Beattie
was escorted to the death chamber by
Warden Moods and deputies.
At signal The death chamber was
plunged into darkness save for a sin
sle light Immediately over the chair
This was so hooded that it outlined the
chair in a circle OF blazing radiance. so
intense that the remainder of the room
seemed utter darkness.
The Witnesses scarce could see each
other and the prisoner saw nothing but
the chair. Beattie took his place. the
prison surgeon and electricians ad
Iusted the straps, half dozen clamps
were quickly thrown into place and
snapped the cap was adjusted and the
attendants stepped back.
The warden raised his hand. Instant
" Beattie's body stihened with such
violence that the straps creaked with
.he strain the clamps ratified as though
-hey were castanets i'm The hands OF
Heath. then that which once had been
Henry Clay Bcatte, Jr, relaxed.
1t was just 1923 o'clock when the
ihock was applied. A minute later
5eattie was dead surgeon. with a
'tethoscope. listened for another faint
beating of the heart that less than six
" seconds before had lived. He step
ped back and said. He is dead The
filed out. one or two were
CHASTITY pale as they stepped into the
'arly morning light.
No member OF the Beattle family
we're present at the execution After
he legal formalities were compiled
with and the witnesses gone. Beattie's
BODY was removed from the chair to
he mortuary room adjoining.
The coroner arrived shortly after
ward and preparations were made for
he removal Of the body. The elder
Seattle last night sent To tho UNDER
aker brown suit which the son had
worn when the jury declared his guilt.
N this the body was clad for burial.
Dover. Del, Nov 24-R. V. owen.
ather of the murdered wife of Henry
lay Beattie, Jr, when given the news
# Beattie's execution this morninz, de-
lined TO make a statement.
We have not and will not discuss
he affair outside the family circle"
He, however, willingly talked about
3eattie's six months old son. now an
'rphan. The child receives much at
ontion from the family. and owen
ays they Intended To keep and raise IL.