Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-05
PAUL BEATTIE'S VERSION
is SUPPORTED BY OTHERS
Cousins Were Together on Thurs
day Preceding Crime.
HAD NO GUN ON SUNDAY
Witnesses Discredit Neblitt's Story
That Paul Was Seen With
Weapon-Has Prisoner
in Hot Water.

CHESTERFIELD COURTHOUSE. Va.
September o.-After asking Henry Clay
Beattie. jr., indicted for wife murder, the
one question as to how he could account
for the translation of the same shotgun
from the hands of Paul Beattie. his cou-
sin, on Saturday night, to the hands of
the alleged highwayman on the follow
ing Tuesday night. the prosecution ended
its cross-examnation of the prisoner to-
day. The accused denied that he knew
his cousin Paul had gun on the sat
urday night in question or that he was
with him during that week
The commonwealth thereupon began its
attack upon the prisoner story.
Together Thursday Night.
The rebuttal was practically an attempt
TO corroborate Paul Beattie as to his al
legged meeting with Henry Thursday night
to arrange for the delivery of a shotgun
to his cousin the Saturday following
Several witnesses testified that they
saw the two cousins together Thursday.
and Mrs. L. J. Houchens. mother-in-law
of Paul. stated that Henry brought Paul
| home in a machine that same evening.
! a second point taken up by the COM
mcnwealth was an assault on L. II. Neb-
| litt's testimony that Paul had a shotgun
| on the bridge where he worked Sunday
| following the night of the alleged trans
| fer of the gun to Henry. Witnesses sus-
tanned Paul that he had no gun at the
! bridge that day. and one man said he
| was there during the time of Neblitt's
visit and saw no gun.
Prisoner Again on Stand.
| Beattie at $50 O'Clock today again took
| the witness stand. and Prosecutor l.. ..
WendenburG resumed his cross-eXamina-
ton. court convening at an earlier hour
| than usual so as to complete the pris-
| oner's testimony today.
Judge Watson announced that il seemed
! to the court that the case along its main
| lines had been developed carefully and at
great length and that it had reached the
stage where the court would be justified
| in placing some limit on counsel.
He added that owing to the two and
| half hours of direct examination and
| cross-eXamination of three and a half
| hours yesterday the examination of the
prisoner should not he a test Of physical
| endurance and that the court would per
nit an hour more Of croSS-examination
| and only half hour of redirect examina-
| ton.
Mr.. Wendenburg said lie only intended
| to ask one or two questions
Mr.. Beattie, he began, will you ex-
| plain how the same gun which your
cousin bought on Saturday night in
the woods on the Midlothian turnpike
that night?'
Il didn't know anything about the
gun. / didn't see it till the highwayman
raised it,
And will you admit that if your wife
hadn't suggested the ride YOU wouldn't
have been there
NO. My mind wasn't made mp as TO
| the ride when my wife suggested IL /"
well. how did the man with tho gun
know that you and your wife were going
| up the road that night
we protest. said counsel for the de-
| fense. and the judge sustained them
Excused in Seven Minutes.
| Mr. Wendcnburg here concluded his
| cross examination. Mr.. Smith said no
redirect examination was intended, and
| the prisoner was excused al 3:37 O'Clock.
| just seven minutes after he took the
stand.
| Only meager crowd was in the court
1 room on account of the early hour.
| Paul Beattie. cousin of the accused.
was brought to the vicinity of the court
house by the prosecution. and Mr.. Wen
| denburg said he intended to put him on
the stand in rebuttal.
The prisoner walked back to the bar
surprised at the breyity OF his eSamina-
ton asking Judge Watson As he rose
from the witness chair if there were not
additional questions.
ha al jo6
who remarked that perhaps he had been
overgenerous in his limitation upon coun-
sci.
Harry Latham was the first witness
called by the prosecution III rebuttal.
Latham was alleged to have stated thht
while with the prisoner preceding ths
murder Beattie Immediately after ieaNinR
a telephone said he was going to short
and Main streets in Richmond Paul
Beattie had testified that he met Henry
THURSDAY night at this intersection The
prosecution attempted TO show that the
telephone conversation concerned the al
legged meeting.
In his testimony. however, Latham
maintained that all he knew was that
Beattie had mentioned going to Short
and Main streets He knew nothing as
"a the nreyious telephone conversation or
who the accused intended to meet at the
corner.
Friend of the Accused
". r. Hart, who was with Latham.
was called. He said he had been friend
of the accused for fifteen years. On the
Thursday night preceding the murder.
Hart said, he overheard Beattie say on
tbe telephone "Will be there in fifteen
minutes" and that when he came from
,ha ,alenhone the accused explained he
was coins TO take Paul Beattie and his
wife out riding.
Mrs. A. Il. Houchens. mother-in-law OF
paul Beattie. next took the stand. Living
in the same house with Paul. she was
asLed II she knew anything about the
receip, OF telephone message from
Henry e Reattie. jr.. Thursday night
.It was Thursday night. July IL, about
O a'c,ork" said Mrs Houchens. when
answered the telephone and Henry Z.
peattie ir said he was on the way To
10 West End and asked for Paul |
called Paul and / heard Paul say, You
want me to meet you at Short and Main
in fifteen minutes. All right: I'll meet
f,o pattl