El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-07-27
BEATT|E TRAGEDY IN RICHMOND
IS MYSTERY CRIME OF 4 CENTURY
Young Husband, Held for
Crime, Is Cool; Cousin
Who Accuses Him, Has
Collapsed.

Richmond. Va. July.-The coro-
ner's jury has held Henry Clay Beat
tie, Jr.. % years old. banker and
prominent merchant, for the murder Of
his wife. Louise Owen Beattie- Paul
D. Beattie. cousin Of the accused man,
and Beulah Binford. the other wom-
an in the case were placed IN Henrico
county Jail TO be held as witnesses for
the prosecution. owing to their ina
bility to give bond for their appear
ance.
Henry Clay Beattie, Jr. is a member
of the famous Clay family and his
wife was prominent IN the most ex-
elusive Virginia society.
The verdict of the jury says In
part:
I'VE find that the said Louise Owen
B. Beattie came to her death on the
night OF July Is. 1911. between 1o:45
and II o'clock on the Midlothian turn
pike, at point about three miles
west of Richmond and one fourth Of
a mile west of the negro church. as
a result of a gunshot wound. the
same being fired by her husband.
Henry Clay Beattie."
Paul D. Beattle, cousin Of the ac-
cused man, on the stand at the coro-
ners inquest. to testify to his pur-
chase of the shotgun with which Mrs
Beattie is said to have been killed,
collapsed. Physicians were called in
but it was Is minutes before he
could be revived.
Cousin bought Gun.
In his statement read at the corc-
ner's inquest, Paul said that he
bought a shotgun al a pawnshOp at
his cousins request three days before
the murder. He took the weapon to
Henry, who was waiting for him in
his motor car, he said. and his in
quiry as to what was wanted with
the weapon was unanswered
As soon as he learned of this state
ment, Henry sent a telegram to his
lutely untrue.
In Different Society.
Paul, 81 years old. is a street car
conductor. He has moved in a diff
ferent sphere of society from that Of
Henry. and the two havs never been
intimate.
Other Woman Testifies.
In her testimony before the coro-
ner's jury Beulah Binford contra
dicted Beattie in many particulars as
to the latter's movements during the
past few weeks and laid bare the de-
tails of her relations with the accused
husband She said she went motor
ing with Beattie the night before the
murder and was with him until mid
night.
The girl told of meeting Beattie
four years ago, when she was only IS
years old and of his sending her to
St. Mary's Academy at Alexandria
After being at school one month she
continued, she got lonesome" and re-
turned home.
The witness declared that her rela-
tions with Beattie were broken off
entirely before his marriage but that
she met him in Norfolk two months
ago and followed him to Richmond In
spite of his protests.
When did you see him last" she
was asked.
Monday night at $50 o'clock He
came to my house in West Main
street."
Cousin Taken to Hospital.
Paul Beattie attmpted to take his
own life Immediately after his arrest,
according to report. Why he should
do such a thing. when direct suspic-
ion has never been attached to him,
is as yet an insoluble problem 20
the police. The report given out is
that Paul was rushed to the City
Home under guard, and that the ply
sicians found him suffering from a
hemorrhage. The alleged attempt at