Milford chronicle., 1911-09-15
BEATTIE GUILTY
Of WIFE MURDER
IUT AtteI 5S Minutes GOnViCtS
HIN 10 First l8gT8s
OVERCOME 81 VERDICT
= Have Not lost YETI He Tells
Frienas When Execution Is SCI : ~

Frienas When Execution Is SCI sst
Nov "a.
Henry Clay Beattie, Jr., was found
guilty OF murder in the FIRST degree al
Chesterfield Court House, Va The
jury had been out for only fifty-eigh'
minutes when it came into court witt
verdict OF guilty. No degree OF gull
was specified, however and Judat
Watson directed that the jury retire
again to consider the matter
1t seemed only a minute or two that
the jury was gone When they re-en
tereo the foreman announced that toc
Jury held Beattie to be guilty OF frs,
oegree murder in putting his wife t'
death on the night Of July is last. Tic
penalty is electrocution
The prisoner stood rigidly In the bar
as he hearc the verdict, his tace
flushed and his cheeks twitching nerv.
ously When ne heard the conviction
he sank into his chair and buried his
head IN his hands. For several min
utes he did not speak, and his father
beside him also covered his face with
his hands
The foremans announcement rang
cut in the quiet court room, The other
eleven jurymen simultaneously fairy
shouting Guilty."
Counsel for the defense moved to-
set aside the verdict on the ground OF
being contrary to law and evidence
and of misdirectiOn by the court and
because of various rulings on the evi
dence excepted to by the defense.
The court overruled the motion foi
new trial
Judge Watson stated that the tria'
consisted almost entirely of questions
of fact, and that no questions OF law
entered materially into the decision Of
the jury.
The defense asked for ninety days
to file a petition for a writ of error tc
the supreme court of appeals of Vir
ginia Attorney Wendenburg, for the
state, asked that the defense be re |
stricted to within a few days of the |
meeting of the supreme court in No
vember
Judge Watson decided that, in view
of the fact that there had been little
delay in the actual trial Of the case
The request of counsel for the accused
was reasonable and granted a stay ot
execution for Pinety days.
Judge Watson sentenced Beattie ia
be electrocuted at Richmond on Nov
"a Asked if he had anything to say
why he should not be sentenced, the
prisoner replied
q have nothing to say"
To friends Beattie said:
81 have not lost yet"
The judge stated as a preliminary
0 passing sentence that he desired to
i'd nothing to the anxiety of the con
'icted man He passed sentence as
ollOws
'The jury has found you guilty in
he first degree. and therefore your life
S forfeited and the Judgment of this
ourt is that on Nov "a yon he deliv
red into the custody Of the superin
endent Of the penitentiary and that
etween the hours OF snnrise and sun
ct youi life shall be extinguished;
nd may God have mercy on your
Dul
Beauies father buried his face in
is hands and appeared overrnme The ,
risoner smiliugy shook hands witli
sveral acuuaintances s
la sending the Jury back to fix the
egree OF guilt, Judge Watson an I
ounced that under the Virginia law
very murder was presumed to be
urder in the second degree unless
iherwise specified, and it was incum y
snt upon the defense 10 reduce it to .
I