The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1911-08-29
Will Take
Stand In
Defense


CHESTERFIELD COURTHOUSE,
Va, Aug. 29.-From Henry Clay
Beattie, jr., himself will come the
story of his night ride with his
wife which resulted In the mur-
der for which the young banker
Is now on trial.
Attorney Harry NJ. Smith, chief
counsel for the defense, said this
afternoon that Beattie will surely
take the stand and attempt to set
at rest the suspicion that has been
woven about the case. Smith says
it will be much better for Beattie
to tell from his own lips the con-
versations and actions which many
others have been testifying about.
CHESTERFIELD COURTHOUSE,
Va, Aug. 20.--Attorney Smith
stated today that Henry Clay
Beattie, jr., would take the stand
in his own defense on the charge
of having murdered his wife.
Beattie probably will be called
this afternoon.
CHESTERFIELD G o U r T.
HOUSE. Va, Aug. 29.-An in
sanity defense for Henry Clay Be-
attic, jr., on trial for the murder
of his young wife. is believed to-
day to be probable. Weeks ago
alienists examined Beattie prepar-
atory to such a plea. but 1t was
not expected this defense would
really be necessary. The testi-
.mony of Paul Beattie. the ac-
cused mans cousin, however,
grips the case so strongly about
the young banker that insanity
may prove his only hope. r's
Beattie, his father and brother
are bitterly opposing the insanity
plea, but the lawyers believe that
1t will be absolutely necessary.
Henry Beattie appeared as deb
onair as ever today despite his
cousins testimony which holds
the following facts in the face of
the defense:
Strong Points I'm Case.
That Henry said he wished to
God he hadn't done it," and
wouldn't do 1t again for a mil
lion dollars"
That Henry said he would kill
Beulah Binford If she "opened her
mouth or said anything about this
affair"
That Beulah Binford said after
getting a note from Beattie, 81
reckon Henry Clay will marry me
after this
That Henry Beattie begged
Paul Beattie to stick by him and
refuse to tell about the purchase
of the shotgun with which the
murder was committed.
Attorney Attacks Cousin.
Such a grilling as has rarely
been heard in a Virginia court
room was given Paul Beattie here
today during his cross-examina-
tion by Attorney Smith, who is de-
Tending Henry Beattie.
Shaken as he was by the law
yer's merciless denunciations, Paul
Beattie stood to his guns, and
though he contradicted himself
in minor details, he stuck grimly
to his story that he had pur-
chased for the prisoner, his cousin,
the gun with which the latter is
accused of having shot his wife
to death on the lonely Midlothian
pike.
Carried Things to Beulah.
Paul said that during his four
years acquaintanceship with
Beulah Binford, "the girl in the
case" he Carried shoes and cloth
ing to her from Henry, but never
knew her on intimate terms.
Paul told Smith that Henry
did not insist on him keeping the
purchase of the shotgun a secret.
The witness denied that he is an
epileptic.
John Sandiffer corroborated
Paul's testimony about Henry
Beattie's telephone call on Thurs
day before the murder when the
latter asked his cousin to meet
him, after which the shotgun was
ordered.
During the cross-examination
Smith dropped the remark that he
would call the defendant to the
stand to give his own story.
Mrs. Claude Binford, Beulah's
mother, testified on the stand
late yesterday that the intimate
relations between Beattie and the
girl began four years ago.
Tells of Relatives.
"Beulah was 13 then" said
Mrs. Binford, "and they contin-
ued together for several weeks
until we sent her to school. +
wanted to send her to a house
of corrections but her father in
terceded for her. Beattie furnish
ed the money for her to go to
school. She remained there three
weeks and returned, renewing her
relations with Beattie. A year
child was born. 1t
died last year. They called 1t
Henry Clay Binford."
Henrietta Pitman, a friend of
Beulah Binford, testified this