Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-08-28
Mother Of Murdered Girl
Suddenly Called to
Witness Stand.
BLOODY CLOTHING IN
ROOM AT SAME TIME
Prisoner Startled at IMAM
nounced Appearance of His
MOther-in-law.-
CHESTERFIELD couRTHouHn,

CHESTERFIELD COURTHOUHD,
Va, Aug. 2S.-Suddenly and without the
faintest intimation hitherto during the
trial the prosecution today confronted
Henry Clay Beattie. 1r.. with Mrs. r.
V. owen, mother Of the woman he Is
alleged to have murdered.
In taxicab whose arrival was timed
to coincide exactly with the moment
Sheriff Gill exhibited In the courtroom
the clothing worn by Beattie on the
night of the murder, Mrs. owen came
to Chesterfield, her presence In this
vicinity having been well kept secret
by the prosecution.
Quickly and without the usual per-
functory questions incident to the In
PRODUCTION of new witness, Prosecutor
Wendenburg questioned the woman as
to her knowledge of the domestic life
of the Beatties. and brought to surface
q point intended as reveiant to the al
legged motive of the murder, namely.
that Beattie's physical condition, due
to dissipation, had caused much un-
happiness to his wife, The witness
said that on the night of the murder
she had cautioned Mrs. Beattie not to
go out alone with her husband
The prosecutions idea for today ap-
parently was to prove that Beattie
killed his wife because of his fear that
his father might learn of his condition
and cut him off from the family.
The testimony of Mrs. Owen took
Judge Watson as well as the crowd In
the court house by surprise and imme-
diately the court suggested a recess
and a conference. with counsel of both
sides, jury and prisoner to discuss
further testimony along this line.
Came tn Unannounced.
Mrs. Owen had come from Dover,
Del, last night with her husband. who
accompanied her to the court room.
She stepped from a taxicab into the
court room and took the witness stand
without word being spoken. the Gus
tomary announcement of a witness by
the sheriff being dispensed with by
previous plan of the prosecution. The
prisoner raised his head in surprise.
recognized the woman and his head
dropped At first he endeavored not to
look in her direction, but as she spolee
so feebly as hardly to be heard ten feet,
he nervously whispered to Lawyer
Smith beside him. ASK her to speak
louder, l can't hear"
Mrs owen is said to have been her
daughters confidant, and is believed to
have known of Beatties relations with
the Binford girl. on the stand Mrs.
owen told how she arrived at the
Beattie home on May %. of the birth
of the Beattie child on May 81, and
hinted at the tribulations of her
daughter caused by Beattie's relations
with the Binford girl.
1t was learned that the prosecution
expected Mrs owen to testify on
direct examination late today that
from Henry Clay Beattie, jr.'s actions
when he brought his dead wife home
she suspected him of the murder. Out
side the courtroom 1t was rumored that
Mrs. owen even asked Henry Clay
Beattie, jr., questions practically in
quiring If he did not commit the deed.
Mr. Wendenburg wasted no time in
starting his examination of Mrs. Owen.
Your name" he asked Simultaneous
ly as Beattie's clothes were brought In.
Mrs r. V. Owen"
"Your homer"
Dover Delaware"
"You were the mother of the dead
woman2"
yes"
II wish you would tell the jury all
about your daughter living happily
with her husband" said Mr.. Wenden-
burg to Mrs Owen
"She was sad and had frequent cry
ing spells"
The witness spoke in a low, weak
voice. AS she faced the jury she lifted
her veil, showing a pale, wrjnkled face,
but did not look at the prisoner
"Do you know what was the cause Of
Mrs. Beattie's sorrowY'
II do not know. She did not tell me-"
"Did she show you anything as a
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