The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-09-12
NOTED TRIAL
Ends in Conviction Of Rich Young aan
for Numbering His Young Wife.
CASE WAS FOUGHT HARD

CASE WAS FOUGHT HARD
The Jury Which Was Composed Of
Farmers Sought Divine Guidance
in Reaching Verdict-Prisoner and
His Attorney Gives Notice Of Their
Intention to Appeal.
Twelve Virginia farmers knelt. at
dusk Friday night in the obscurity of
the small jury room of Chesterfield
court house, praying fervently that
they might pass judgment Alright on
Henry Clay Beattie, Jr., indicted for
the murder of his wife. Grimly
determined they arose a moment la
ter and silently, one by one, recorded
a unanimous verdict of guilty.
Pausing in solemn contemplation
for So minutes, weighing carefully
the meaning of their decision and
once more on bended knees beseech-
ing divine assistance that they might
not err, they filed into the hushed
stiffness of crowded court room and
with startling suddenness, IL voices
instead of the usual one Of the fore
man, spoke the solemn word guilty"
1t was almost shout.
The spectre Of death which stalk
ed the Midlothian turnpike July 1S,
last, when the life of Mrs. Louise
Owen Beattie was taken away with
the single report of shotgun, stared
hard at the young husband and, ready
to claim its victim Of electrocution on
Friday, November oath, next.But the
prisoner returned the gaze unswerv-
ing and unafraid.
The court of appeals to be sure,
will be asked to grant writ OF error
and a new trial. Young Beattie, cog
infant of the legal weapons yet at his
disposal, did not surrender. Instead
he consoled his broken down father,
white-haired and wrinkled, and COM
forted him as he whispered, Il have
net lost yet, father"
Unusual as has been the tragedy
and the grewsome stage where 1t oc-
Cured, the 12 juymen did not hesi-
tate to admit to their friend that they
stood in judgment not only over the
cold-blooded murder but upon his
martial infidelity ts..well. It perhaps
was the dramatic climax of Virginia
Justice which in the last half century
has swiftly sent to death such famous
murderers as Cluverius, Phillips, and
McCue.
At the close of q powerful argu-
ment by L. O. Wendenburg, the vol
untary assistant of the Common
wealth in the case, the suspense was
felt not alone in the court room but
in Richmond where thousands of peo-.
pie waited the outcome.
The Jury had for eleven days heard
evidence, for two days speeches, but
the words of Wendenburg rang in
their ears as they left the court room
to find their verdict.
"Let that man go free!" he crleu.
What. Let that man go free! Why
the motherhood of Virginia, the wo-
manhood of this nation, will shudder
in terror as the security Of its life is
threatened. Let this man go free!
The man who basked in the degraded
sunshine of another woman while at
his home young wife nursed his
child?
gentlemen, I merely ask you in
the name of justice to do your duty. y
Mr. Wendenburg concluded his ad-
dress a few minutes after p. m, a
brief respite was given the jury, and
at 5:2S o'clock it began considera-
ton of the case. For 5S minutes they
we're together in deep consultation, a
Jury of farmers, who each morning
sang hymns, and strove to forget the
story of dissipation, with it's filthy
chapters as related day after day on
the witness stand. What had been
generally predicted was true-their
minds were we'll made up before they
left the court room. w. l.. Burgess,
a square iawed man with an earnest
face, was elected foreman. They bal
loted and it was no surprise, they aft
erward declared, that all voted for
conviction.
They prayed that they might not
take a life in vain, and they opened
their consciences to one another for
nearly an hour, so that they might go
back to the court room firmly con-
vinced of their duty and of one mind.
In the court room sat Henry Clay
Beattie, Jr., the sporting page of a
newspaper spread before him. But
he did, not read long. He folded the
paper and concealed his face in it.
! Those who sat near the young man
Of iron nerve observed twitching of
his lips as though murmuring a
prayer as he sat with closed eyes
, awaiting the return of the jury. he
: raised his head for moment, drop
ped the paper and again began read
: ing. Then he whispered few words
| to his father and brother. 1t was for
them he felt and to them he counsel
,hnorfp1nocc