Evening star., 1911-08-26
.BEATT|E KEEPS COOL
Calmly Faces Ordeal in Trial
for Wife Murder.
CHUCKLES OVER EVIDENCE
Students Tell of Lone Auto Near
Scene Of Crime.
WOMAN ON RUNNING BOARD
Jury Inspects Car in Which Beattie
Conveyed His Wife to
Uncle's Home.
WOMAN ON RUNNING BOARD

CHESTERFIELD COURTHOUSE, Va
August 26.-Six high school boys, who
were returning from a dance at Bon Air,
eleven miles from Richmond, the night
of July 18, gave testimony today indi-
eating that a woman-presumabiy Mrs.
Henry Clay Beattie. jr.. was standing on
the left running board of a machine
which they passed shortly preceding the
murder of Mrs Beattie> and that man
crouched in front of the car. The prose
cution endeavored to shatter in this way
the contention of Henry C. Beattie, jr..
at the coroners inquest, that Mrs. Beat
tie was on the left-hand seat when she
was killed-Beattie being now on trial for
the murder of his wife.
The commonwealth, by its witnesses.
sought to prove that the pool Of blood
near the machine marked the spot where
the murdered woman fell from the auto
mobile, and that blood could not have
trickled through the bottom of the car. as
the defense has argued.
Car Carefully Examined.
The jury, at the request OF Prosecutor
Wendenburg, examined the car carefully
as 1t stood on the lawn outside of the
courtroom. Several of the jurymen par
ticularly inspected the portion OF the car
underneath the seat where the prosecu-
tion claims grease pan would catch any
dripping blood.
Incident0lly the m0rnfnD's fostinopu
Of the six boys brought out the fact that
one Of their number, F. B. Adams, who
went alone to the dance at Bon Air. saw
q man. unaccompanied, standing by a
machine near the scene where the murder
was three hours later committed. This
was in line with the idea of the common
wealth that Beattie placed a gun in the
bushes nearby SO that it would be avail
able when he was ready for the deed of
which he stands accused.
Court Delayed in Opening.
Muddy roads and balky automobiles de-
layed the arrival of the court officials
and witnesses and the days session did
not begin until 1926 o'clock Judge Wat
son rose from behind big vase of flow
ers, which adorned his desk, smelled
them a moment and raped sharply with
his gavel. He appealed to 1.-The Virginia
heat and keep their coats on in Difference
to the women present.
Henry Clay Beattie, seated beside his
father. eagerly read a morning paper 9
verbatim account OF yesterdays testi-
mony.
Testimony of Young Moseley.
second of the eight high school boys who
claim on the night Of the tragedy to
have passed a machine similar to that in
which Beattie and his wife were suppos-
ed to have been. was the first witness Oh
the day.
A. X. Briggs. one of the group of boys
testified yesterday that he saw mar
tinkering with a machine on the road
and that woman was standing on the
running board. he gave no detailed de.
scription of the persons he saw. The
eight boys had attended dance at Bor
Air and were returning in two machines
over Midlothian turnpike to Richmond.
Did you pass a machine on your way
to Richmond?" Moseley was asked by the
prosecution.
"Yes: one with a lady and man in it
1t was standing STILL"
What was the man doing?"
"Foolng with the hood
did you offer any assistance?"
"Yes; we asked If we could do anything
for them, but the man said, No."
Where was the lady?"
standing on the left-hand running
board
The defense then took the witness, Hill
Carter asking him IL he remembered the
exact hour of the trip to Bon AIR.
1T was after 10 when we left Bon
Air" said Moseley.
"Was your machine running rapidfy?"
"Well, I reckon it was moving little
for we got home about H.
when you later visited the scene OF
the blood spots was II near where you
remember seeing the machine stop that
night?"
"Yes. somewhere round there
Moseley was dismissed.
Corroborates Moseley.
w. B. Sydnor. another boy Of teh party
who said he was no relative Of ROLAND
Sydnor. the dairyman, who testified yes
terday. corroborted Moseley's story
adding that the woman he saw standing
on the running board wore a brown rain
| coat or duster.
Previous testimony had established tha
night Of the murder.
| Beattie listened intently to the declara
| tions Of the boys, leaning over the bench
| while he nervously fingered some papers.
| All the youngsters were well dresset
| and between the ages Of eighteen ant
/ twenty-one, and OF some Of the hes
known families In Virginia. Each Dor
kup well under cross.AxauainAtjon><t <telllD,