Evening star., 1911-08-27
SHOWING ITS HAND
Prosecution to Develop Motive
in Beattie Murder.
DETECTIVE ON THE STAND
Defendant Exhibits Anger While
Listening to Testimony.
STORY TOLD BY SIX STUDENTS
Henry Clay Beattie's Automobile
Identified as One Discovered
Near Scene of Tragedy.

CHESTERFIELD COURTHOUSE, Va.
August 26-Considerable progres
was made today by the prosecution in the
case of Henry Clay Beattie, jr., who Is
on trial for his life charged with the mur-
der Of his young wife at lonely spot
on the Midlothian turnjike last month.
A number of important witnesses, in
Guiding one of the detectives who has
been prominent in the base from the be-
ginning. and several boys, the prosecu-
tion's strong cards. were heard. Just be-
fore adjournment Of the court, few min
utes before 5 o'clock this afternoon. an
application by Beatties counsel was made
to the Judge that the accused man be per-
mitted to go to Richmond SO that the
defense might have "a conference over
Sunday and save time In preparing
the cross-examination for the reconven-
Ing of court.
The request wars granted by Judge
Watson. and Henry Clay Beattie, jr..
was whisked back to Richmond. cheer
sers-by whom he recognized.
Revelation by Detective.
There were many tense moments for
the prisoner as the prosecution, through
the testimony of Detective L. L.
Seherer particularly. uncovered frag-
ments Of conversation which he is al
legged to have had with Beattie concern
ing Beulah Binford. the gill in the
case.
Plainly evident was the hand of the
prosecution today in endeavoring to
show the underlying motive for the
murder, the fear of Henry Clay Beattie.
jr-. that his father might learn of the
resumption of relations with the Bin
ford girl, and the alleged physical all
nent of Beattie at the time Of the
murder. The court. in fact, discerning
the intention of the prosecution to un-
fold this part Of the mystery. asked
permission from the lawyers of both
sizes TO defer the discussion of this
point on the stand until another oc-
casion. when other witnesses. including
Dr. Mann. whose information in this
connection was stricken out four days
ago, might be recalled.
The commonwealth drew tight the lines
of circumstantial evidence when II
brought TO the stand. consecutively, a
half dozen youths who were returning
from a dance the night of the murder
and stopped at the spectacle of the sta
tionary car the man working on the hood
and the woman standing on the running
board.
Beattie's Car Identified.
One of the boys. W. B. Sydnor, identi-
fed the Beattie car. brought to the court
house for first inspection by the jury
as the identical one. both as to make and
fittings, that he and his companions srjed
that night.
Sydnor was on the stand twice, but II
was not until the second time. which was
after the jury's inspection. that the prose
cution asked him whether or not the
doors on the car he saw were detached
from the machine. He remembered ex
actly that they were, also identifying it:
khaki-colored hood.
The defense attempted by a series Of
sharp questions to indicate that Sydnor
having made no reference to the doors IL
his morning testimony. was inspired dur
ing the luncheon hour to emphasize tha
point as the crowning feature OF hi
Identification only after the jury hat
examined che Beattie car and noticed th
CONSPICUOUS absence OF both doors. Th
defense insinueted that the prosecute
had called Sydnors attention to the doors
but the boy said he had remarked OIL
them before.
The six boys told the same story of tn
woman on the running board and fxe'
the hour OF their passage as almost coin
c.dent with the hour of the murder. AM
the prosecution. through Detectv
Scherer's testimony later in the day
added to this trend of proof the CLAIM
that Beattie's wife was not shot whil
seated beside him. as the prisoner, AYERS
but while standing in the road
Variance In Statements.
Close upon this was Detective Scher
ers narrative Of Beattie's alleged incon
sistent and varying conversations wit
him in endeavoring to explain the pres
ence of the pool OF blood in the road.
!. Detective Scherer's testimony laid tn
foundations for the future contention O
the prosecution that Beattie shot hi
wife while standing either on the runnin
board or in the roadway. and that tn
blood did not ooze through the footboard
or lower part Of the machine. but result
ed from Mrs. Beatties fall when she
near the car.
Besides pointing to the cumulative tes
timony OF the boys as to the presence @
BeatUe and his wife on the seciude
road. the prosecution. through +. I
Adams. another boy. scored a point whe
the youth told Of seeing man alone be