Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-09-05
Judge Stops Gross-Examination of
Prisoner. Nothing New Develop
ed Under Prosecutions Grill.
STICKS TO HIS STORY.
State Introduces Witnesses in Rebutal.
Decision In Reference to Beulah Bin
ford's Testimony Not Yet Reached.


Beattie, jr., calmly and confidentially
knew the die OF his fate and gamely
stepped back today to await the de-
cision.
A few unimportant questions con-
cluded the ordeal of the youth await
ing liberty or death for the murder
of his wife. Then after seven hours
of grilling examination that failed
to shake his story, he sat down with
out having departed hair breadth
from his original story.
Then the relentless prosecution be-
gan to batter with other witnesses at
the story which Beattie told yester-
day.
The particular point Of attack was
Beattie's declaration that he did not
see Paul Beattie the night Paul de-
clares he was commissioned to buy
the fatal gun. Half a dozen wit
and fatty contradicted the accused.
Beattie expected further grilling
today by Prosecutor WendeEburg,
but Judge Watson ruled against any
endurance test" of witnesses, and the
Commonwealth attorney asked only
a few perfunctory questions.
In his rebuttal he sought to break
down the prisoners denial Of meet
ing his cousin, Paul Beattie, and
him TO buy the shot
gun with which Mrs. Beattie was
murdered.
But seven minutes suited to
complete the ordeal OF Henry Beat
tie when court convened today.
Judge Watson cut short the cross
examination.
"The main lines Of this case
have been fully developed" he said,
land the court believes that it is
not necessary to make the examina-
ton of this prisoner a test Of endur-
ance. The time has arrived when
the court feels justified in placing
some Limitation on counsel.
Two hours and half on direct
and three hours and half on cross
examination has covered the case
very fully and the court will allow
one hour more of examination and
half hour on redirect.
Wendenburg declared he only
wished to ask a few questions, and
after endeaYoring in vain to secure
some sort of an admission as to the
ownership of the gun he concluded.
A sigh OF relief burst from the lips
of the accused man and he smiled
confidently as Smith waived his re-
direct examination. The ordeal past,
Beattie, with firm step, went back
to his seat beside his father, who
leaned over and kissed him as he
seated himself.
The defense Closes" announced
Smith, and Wendenburg began his
rebuttal.
Harry Latham was the first wit
ness Wendenburg called. He was
the opening of the attack of Henry's
denial OF the story of Paul regard
ing the Thursday night before the
crime. Latham declared that he
heard Henry Beattie call up a num-
Der on the telephone and say, Meet
me at Short and Main streets in
half an hour. I'll be there
Short and Main streets is where
Paul said he met his cousin. Yes
terday Beattie categorically denied
all of Latham's testimony.
Wendenburg' evident intention
was TO discredit this point of Henry's
story. and to then force the inference
that the whole tale was false. Smith
fought bitterly against admitting
Latham's testimony and at one point
the jury was excused while the law
yers argued.
Judge Watson admitted Latham 5
testimony and Wendenburg con-
tlnued his cross-examination. The
witness declared that he heard Beat
tie tell another young man standing
nearby that he was going as far as
Short and Main streets.
Smith then took the stand for ex-
animation and endeavored to show
that he had been thoroughly coached
by the prosecution.
Latham's story was not damaged
by the cross-examination and W. X
Hart was called TO corroborate him.
Hart said that he had been a friend
of Beattie's for fifteen years.
Hart saw Beattie at the same tine
that Latham did.
He told me after he telephoned,
said Hart, that he was going TO
Short and Main streets.
After Smith had failed to shake
Hart's story, Mrs. A. 3. Houchens,
mother-in-law Of Paul Beattie, was
called.
She declared that at nine O'CLOCK
on the Thursday before the murder
she answered the telephone at PaulS
home.
Il asked who it was and the man
at the other end said he was Henry
Beattie. He asked for Paul.