The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-05
Accused of Murdering His Wife, Young Virginian Describes Illicit Rela-
 tions With Another
DENIES COUSINS
 STORY OF HIS s.y-.e CONFESSION
After Reviewing His Wayward Life, Beattie Is Taken In Hand By Prosecution and Attacked With Whitening Fire of
 Questions

Chesterfield Courthouse, Va, September Although six weary hours, in scrowded and stuffy court room, Henry Qay Beat tie, Jr., indicted fo rthe murter of his wife, battled for his life today Evening shadows alone interrupted [ vigorous cross-examination by the commonwealth, Judge Watson ending the orleal by ad- 5ourning court to an earlieJ hour than usual tomorrow-9:15 a. m.--waen Prosecu- tor L. o. wendenburg will continue his rapid fire of questions. s.
 lone figure was young Seattle in the crowd that surrounded hin on all sides, even windows and trees commanding the court room being thick with staring faces. The prisoner sat for houfs, his manner cool and collected, unfolding the sordid ~ details of his relations with Beulah Bin- ford 17-year-old girl for whom the prosecution alleges Beatie killed his bride of year. But not alone the orgies of the four years before his marriage and those that preceded ths homicide, but the gruesome tale of the attack by the high wayman, the wild ride to the owen home at a speed of 50 miles hour with the lfeless blood covered body of his wife in the machine beside him, given to the jury in all it's horrible details.
 The prisoner by request of the prose- cution stood up to full length and donned the blood stained coat he wore the night of the murder and at tempted to explain why blood had not flecked certain portions of the garment if his wife had reclined against him in the way he described.
 + The clothes of the dead woman had been burned just before the arrest of Beatte, and as more than once there was occasion to refer to them, Prosecu- tor Wendenburg exclaimed;
 T wish to God we had them here.
 It was a day of extreme solemnity in the court room. The accused man sat in an arm chair, his head often resting on one hand while with the other he rubbed a knotted handkerchief over his u.Is and perspfrsng face. in the bar = sal his brother Douglas. and his white haired father. the latter at times GOV erlng his wrinkled countenance with d fan as~sone partcularly loathsome de- tails were recited by the son. When the end of the day came, the father as j. usual bent over the prisoner affection ately and kissed him.
 Prisoner Seems Calm
 Beattie answered questions readily in an even voice and without emotion. 6ACepI TOT tne neTNOuS lingering Ol HIS handkerchief and the characteristic vibration of the muscles of his cheeks, he sat like a school boy, expressions less as he narrated the story of the crime. In no essential did his version of the affair today differ from that which he gave at the coroner's inquest.
 The prosecution in its cross-exami nation gave particular attention to two points in the previous testimony of the prisoner. If the accused had, on the night of the. murder, light fastened to the rear of the machine, why. could he not sec the fleeing highwayman to the rear. of the car or if the pris- l oner had grapled with the assassin and lsucceeded in wrestling the shotgun from fhm, falling to the ground at the same time upon the sudden release of the weapon from the highwayman's hands, why did the highwayman flee with Reattie at his feet on the ground?
 squestions the prisoner evaded in his testimony, but tomorrow the prosecution will hammer away at them anew.
 Denial after denial came from the lips of the prisoner as Prosecutor Wen denburg questioned him concerning the alleged purchase of shotgun for him by his cousin. Paul Beattie, on the Saturday before the murder and the testimony of the latter as to the con- fession in which Henry is alleged to - have exclaimed:
 T wish to God I hadn't done it.'
 Besttie disclaimed any connection with the purchase of the gun and Knowledge of the transfer of any gun by Paul to him, declaring he never saw the fatal shotgun until the night it was raised by the alleged highway man on the Midlothian turnpike.
 Refutes Paul's Testimony
 He admitted little of Paurs testimony concerning his meeting with hivl. He said he was with his cousin only on the Saturday night before the murder and merely took him home in his car from the Beattie store in South Richmond. He emphatically denied he had been with Paul at any time within. the fortnight previous and on this declaration the 1 prosecution tomorrow will finger partic- ularly, as tonight Detective Scherer said ' four witnesses were to he produced who N Saw Henry and Paul together also on the Thursday night before the murder. N That it was his wife who Suggested the ride on the Midlothian turnpike after they were nearing the Owen home on their return from the drug store where they went to get prescription filled was the statement of the prisoner as to %ho occasion of the MI fatted ride. but when on cross examination Prosecutor Wenden- burg asked the accused if he would have taken his wife riding even if she had not suggested the spin Beattie admit ted that "his mind was not made up at that time" a - sfNS -.ssa cs.l..a ..
 The influence of Beulah Binford on | the case was conspicuous throughout the day Counsel for the defense twitted the prosecution for not putting the. girl on the stand since the state had subpoenaed her. Attorney Harry NJ Smith. Jr. of the defense. said he never had had an opportunity of even speaking with her as she was kept incommunicado in jail, whereat Judge Watson in surprise, declav- ell the defense. would have every oppor- tunity to confer with the girl. Counsel for the defense said he washed his hands of the girl.
 The prosecution intimated 1t would call the girl and when rehuttal begins to- morrow or the next day it Is practically <, certain she will'be called particularly to Hcorroborate the testimony of Paul Beat tie as to certain messages he says Henry S asked, him to deiyersto her.
 The prisoner deprecated the idea that he loved the girl The prosecution, how 6 ever, 3insistes that in the week before the -~---~-~-~---~-->~~- ---s " '>~>-----
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