The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-11-25

err man prompted by the same motive
will follow the course of Henry Clay
Beattie. IT,. in Virginia. When he
went to the electric chair yesterday
he carried on his soul the murder Of
his wife and his own perjury to save
himself from the consequences OF his
crime. That he confessed the one
and cleared the other before man did
not remove the crime. Whether he
could make his peace with God while
living a lie docs not concern us. 1t
is the here and not the hereafter
from which some wholesome lessons
can he drawn from the fate OF the
dead man.
To take human life. wen under the
mandate of the law and as a protec-
ton to society is a serious matter.
So jealous of 1t are the courts that
they require every element OF the
crime charged to be proven beyond
a reasonable doubt. But when 1t be-
comes necessary to execute the stern
decree of Justice It should become a
warning to the living as we'll as a
penalty for the dead. In his state
ment as to why he refused to grant a
respite to the condemned man Gov
ernor Mann used this forceful Ian
guage:
Nor do I question the wisdom.
1 might add the necessity, Of cap
ital punishment in cases where
human life has been quickly and
deliberately taken. On the con-
trary, I believe that this punish
ment is necessary for the protec-
~. l,.~
would not hesitate in a proper
case to agree to a verdict requir-
ing life for life.
The man who pays the penalty Of
his crime by FORGETTING his life. places
himself in the position. No n else
Is responsible.
The character Of young Beattie lent
itself nationally to the commission Of
such a crime as that for which he
died. Indolent. giddy and self-con-
ceited he believed he could bluff his
way through the law and escape even
detection. The silly story he con-
cocted about meeting a highwayman
who shot his wife when he was order
ed to let Beattie's automobile pass
was never believed by anyone. The
chain Of facts proved his guilt as COM
pletely as his confession on the Dor.
der Of death. During his trial his
s~elf-conceit was the predominant ele-
ment Of his conduct. While the Jury
was inspecting the automobile in
which he had shot his wife, he was
constantly prattling about the lack Of
care the officials had given the
machine. This was illustrative Of his
demeanor during the whole trial.
Born amid favored surroundings he
thought himself above the laws Of his
fellows. How much his estimate err.
ed can be told in a sentence. Il
caused his execution.
The sword Of justice was swife in
Its fall and sure in its stroke. Once
within the net Of the law, the results
came with ~bewildering rapidly and
certainty. These must have an ef.
Feet on the mind Of anyone who con-
templates a crime like that Of Beat
ties and cause him to ponder before
engaging In an act which will bring
such swift and awful punishment.
Human life will be'safer than before
In Virginia. There will be a more
wholesome respect for law which IN.
broken is as sweet and gentle as the
sunshine on the morning dewdrops Of
spring, hut broken, is as terrible az
the vengeance of heaven.
A few more courts as inerrant al
those which tried and reviewed Beat
ties case and a few more governors
with the fairness and frmness of Gov.
ernor Mann will MATERIAL reduce the
number Of murders, the reports Of
which daily fll the press. When the
laws certainty becomes as correct q
maxim as he laws delay, the number
OF crimes will be reduced, human life
Will not be taken for trines and
whins and caprices Of passion will
not be the guide Of moral conduct.
We believe the sympathies Of the
reading world goes out to the heart.
broken father who despite the way.
wardness and dissipation Of his sor
loved him still. But as Governor Manr
said:
While J synpathize very pro-
foundly with the father OF II. G..
Beattie. Jr.. and would be glad to
help him II / could do so With
proper regard for the public in.
terests. cannot with any consid-
Grafton for those interests inter-
fore with due execution Of the
sentence of the court in the Beat.
tie case.
From all this story of death an,
SORROW, there should come a powerful
influence for a more powerful deter
rent OF crime than the country ha