The Washington times., 1911-11-24
Binford Girl Played Leading
Role In the Early
PARROT Trial.

chaiky, white. the cold sweat broke out
Mrs. owen,s appearance. as a witness
wss q surprise to the defendant. as It
| Was surprise to almost everyone else,
Only Ecr two brothers and Wendenburs
ana Scterer had known that at mid
night before Mrs. owen had arrived in
| cretly taken to Ben Owens home, and
| had beer brought ont In q closed arto-
mobile to the vicinity Of tho court
| In tine woods. quarter of mile
away, Mrs. Owens car remained until
Mendenburg sent messenger for her
| Then the car was driven close beside
Of sight, she remained until her name me
was called.
Like everyone else. including his
counsel, Beattie had believed the state
ment given out BY Luther Scherer that
! mrs; owen would not testify. that her
health would not permit, and that any-
how her testimony could be Of no great
/ consequence.
Gave Important Testimony.
When her testimony had been heard
about Beattie's habits, about what her
daughter had told her of her unhappi-
ness just after the birth of the baby, II
was deemed by all that Mrs. Owens
testimony had been of the foremost i'm
portance In establishing the motive for
| the crime.
1t was >fearful ordeal for her and
! she was a figure to rouse the pity of
face Of Henry Clay Beattie, sr., when
| he heard the jury cry guilty, guilty,
guilty" was more sad. more pitiable,
than Mrs. Owens when she took the
| stand and lifted her veil. Her face was
the color OF old salt and her pose re-
minded woman correspondent of rho
Times OF St. Gauden's statue of Grief"
botS Ss u he suTss S.ar ST.
1t was when Mrs. Owen entered the
court room that for the second time
was heard the whole roomful of men
| draw In the breath with an audible in
! take. The third time was during spe-
cia! Prosecutor Wendenburg's closing
The Commemorative case in chief was
generally voted disappointing. There
had been too little novelty. for one
Beuiah iBnford had not been heard and
Ing blows WendenSurs was holding in
| reserve for his rebuttal. Mr.. Wenden-
burg guessed correctly that Beattie
would TAXI the stand himself; that he
| would make certain statements, state
ments which Wendenburg was prepared
| to disprove most convincingly. 1t was
in this generalship and in his closi'
showed that forecasts Of his ability had
/ not been overstated. Harry M. Smith,
| quicker OF mind. had had the advan-
| tage of the prosecutor In the cou
cross-examination Of Paul Beattie.
| The Defense's Case.
The defense began its case with evil
dence heretofore referred to. to the ef-
feet that a mysterious stranger had
been seen on the Midlothian pike. The
/ hox MI,
testified to this effect were followed by
e. H. Neblitt. who made his attack on
Paul Beattie about the gun being In
the cement house. and after Mr.. Beat
tie. sr.. had testified the decks were
cleared for the appearance of the
prisoner on the stand.
Henry Clay Beattie, jr.. took the wit
ness chair about II IN the morning
testimony when court rose for luncheon
at 1:16 p. m. He narrated in an even
tone Of voice the story Of the homicide
CURED, and he told Of his wife's death
with 50 little feeling that it was In
striking contrast with his tears of the
day before. when his father was mar:
his wife, and how he himself had found
Henry In the owen home after the
death death crying and kissing one Of her
shooting OF his wife by the alleged, as
sassin as calmly as II he had been har-
rating what he had had for breakfast.
Members Of the jury said after the
i trial that this circumstance had moved
i them good deal, and this fact, to-
gether with one other, had served to
strengthen conviction Of guilt arrived
at from other evidence.
Beattie Unmoved.
For four hours that afternoon Mr..
Wendenburg pounded away at Beattie
and failed to bulge him an inch. Forced
into ugly situations. Beattie would take
refuge in an II do not remember" !"
In a contradiction he could not be in
volved. Seeing that this line Of attack
would not win, Mr.. Wendenburg began
to lay the foundation for the rebuttal
evidence, and again he committed Beat
tie to statements which the inQuisitor
knew he could refute the next day,
And the next day he did so.
Beattie had left the stand feeling
pretty good. So felt his attorneys, and
his father and brother. none Of whom
realized fully what Wendenburg hai up
his sleeve. 1t came with cumulative
witness took the stand to swear that
Beattie had lied about aot having been
with Paul the night the gun was de-
livered, and witness after witness swore
against Beatue on other points in the
!: prisoners statement.
Rebuttal brought the case near its