The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-11-23
Wife Murderer to Die in Electric
Chair in Virginia Pri-
son Tomorrow
RESUME OF THE FAMOUS CASE
Governor Mann States Beattie Had
Fair Trial and Refuses to Inter
fere With Sentence.


ecution Of Henry Clay Beattie Jr.
who is 90 die i'm the electric chair at
the Virginia state prison tomorrow
eXpiating the crime of wife murder
Following is a chronological history OF
the Beattie case:
July 1S-While returning to Rich
mOnd i'm a motor car driven by hei
husband, Mrs. Henry Clay Beattie, Jr
was shot and instantly killed. The
shooting occurred on the Midlothian
turnpike, five miles from Richmond
Mrs. Beattie was 2S years old and had
been married only one year. After
The tragedy the husband returned 10
the home of "Tom" owen. an uncle of
his wife, with the body of Mrs. Beat
tie, saying she had been shot by a
tall-bearded man, whom they encoun-
tered on the road.
July 2O.-At the coroner's inquest,
Paul Beattie, second cousin Of Henry
Clay Beattie, Jr.. confessed that he had
a shotgun for Henry and
subsequently three cartridges, and had
delivered them to his cousin "A day or
two before the murder. The same gun
was picked up on the road where 1t
was said to have been jolted out of the
auto the morning after the shooting
and Identified by the husband as the
one he had taken out of the hands OF
the strange man I'm the struggle fol-
lowing the tragedy.
July 22.-Arrest of Henry Clay Beat
tie, Jr.
Aug. 14.-Indictment of Beattie, bas-
ed on the testimony of his cousin and
on evidence showing that he had been
attentive to Beulah Binford, girl OF
seventeen, for three or four years, and
that their relations had been resumed
after Beattie's marriage to Miss Lou
Use owen of Dover, Del, and even after
the birth Of their child, which was
three weeks old at the time of it's
mothers death.
Aug. 24.-Beattie pleaded mot gull
Ly" to the indictment.
Aug. 24-COmmencement of the trial
Prosecution introduced evidence to
show that Beattie had taken the gun
bought for him by Paul and secreted
L along the Midlothian pike, at the
scene of the murder ana had there
induced his wife to get out of the auto
mobile and shot her. Paul Beattie
estiiied that Henry. several days after
he murder had confessed to him that
he had shot his wife. saying: "Im
iorry that ! did IL. | wouldn't dc il
Igain for S1,OOO,OOO. The defence bent
very effort to break down the ;esti-
nony of Paul Beattie. whom they des.
ribed as a moral weakling," and tried
o ascribe Paul's testimony To desire
O escape from the ugly fix" le was
n. However Pauls testimony was
in its important features
" other witnesses.
Sept. 4.-Henry Clay Beattlc. J-.
ook the stand i'm his own behalf and
m cross examination held to his pre-
ious statements i'm regarl To his wife
eing shot by strange man who
eld them up on the road.
Sept. S.-The jury i'm the case re-
orded a unanimous verdict of guilty"
rhis verdict was believed To have been
Influenced not only by the strong ci-
ect evidence of Beattios guilt, but also
y the testimony of his relation with
is affinity" the Binford girl which
'as supposed To have furnished the
lotive for the crime. This young
ioman, scarcely more than a child,
net Henry Clay Beattie, Jr.. when She
'as but thirteen years old and two
ears later gave birth to a child alleg-
d To have been his son.
Sept 9.-Walter A. Watson, the trial
Idge, sentenced Beattie to die ON NOV.
T.
Nov. 13.-Thc Supreme Court Of APP |
calls of Virginia denied tho petition Cor
writ of error
Nov. 15.-The young wife murdercr's
Ist hope of escaping the electric chair
as wiped away when Governor Mann |
eclined to interfere with the sentence |
nd issued a signed statement In which |
G stated that he had followed the case |
18th the closest attention and declared
is belief that Beattie had had a fair |
'ial and merited the punishment Ina
osed upon him by the jury and ccur,.