Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-08-28
BEULAH B|NFORD
MAY NOT BE CALLED.
Alleged Motive for the Murder
Revolting---Mrs. Owens on
the Stand.

Oh d6uTy Olay DedItle, Ji., iOi Luc
murder OF his young wife.
| The prosecution admitted today that
it had planned to establish the grue-
some motive which it is charged urged
Henry Beattie to slay his wife with
out calling the vivacious, carefree child
soul in the girl whose illicit love is as
signed as the cause of the crime. And
the astute attorneys, Wendenburg and
Gregory, who are smoothing the path
that may lead Beattie to the electric
chair, planned to enter their proof Of
motive before court adjourned today.
Revolving, technical medical testimony
was expected as the greater part OF the
states contention as to motive.
Fear that love for the accused man,
or for his financial resources might in
terfere with the binford girls testi-
nony, was the moving cause OF the de-
Termination to avoid calling Der ii pos.
sible, aud the opportunities her taxing
the stand would give the defense in
their final argument, when they might
impress the jury with the sentimental
impropriety of conyicting Beattie on
his sweethearts' testimony.
After Sunday that was far from a
day OF rest, the hard working lawyers
for Beattie appeared today prepared TO
attack Detective L. Scherer, who on
Saturday drove home point after point
against Beatte. Scherer laid the foun
dation for the proof of motive. All
day yesterday Harry NJ. Smith and Hill
Carter conferred with their keen -witted
client in Richmond Jail. Last evening
they drove out to the scene OF the crime
and went over the railroad crossing on
/ the Midlothion turnpike where the gun
I was found Sherer had testified that
Z the gun was at distance from the
road which would make u iupossibIr
: for it to have julted f,om th> murder
/ laden anru a. Beailie drove bis wife
| home. Tnc prosecution claims that
| Bealtie threw the gun tr ~ III. car.
| ceasing y.sIc day viewing Scherer's 5
testimony. He Sad related ha a
dozeu conversation with Ee4ttla IN
which the accused man admitted his
relations With Beulah Blufu, and bis
Wits knowledge OF the resumption OF
those relations just p,ioi I" lie E'lling.
These Beatt,e and his lawir, t'rreshed
over, seeking possible haw,, through
which they could break down the OBJ
viously damaging effect Of the detec-
tivc's testimony.
The brief space Of forty-hve minutes
sufficed the defense for the cross ex-
animation of Scberer. None Of the
damaging testimony he gave on Satur-
day regarding Beulah Blnford aud the
alleged motive for the crime was touched
on in the cross examination. Evidently
| the defense had no desire to impress
the details of the story of tie relations
between Beulah Binford and Beattie.
| On redirect examination Wenden-
burg after an involved legal argument
was allowed to question Scherer to show
that the drip pan under the Beattie
automobile was caked with grease and
dust so that no blood could have gone
through the bottom of the car. The
defense fought strenuously against this
testimony but Wendenburg worked
around in circle until he placed it be-
fore the jury.
| The bent black clad figure of Mrs.
IR. Y. Owen took the witness stand
today.
The accused man bent lower over
the desk before him in his tiger crouch
attitude as the soft-voiced heavily
yelled woman took her place before
the Jury. He steeled himself and sat
up straight, with straining eyes fixed
Ion the little black clad figure and
twisted his clenched fingers before him.
After asking Mrs. Ovens as to her
visit to her daughter for two months
prior to her death, prosecutor Wend-
enburg asked:
State what you can as to your
daughters living happily with her
husband during that time.
The defense startled, into activity, be-
gan legal fight to prevent the adnis-
sion OF this line OF testimony. Wenden-
burg fought bitterly and at last the
little pale-faced mother bent forward
tearfully.
She seemed sad and had frequent
crying spells.
Another argument ensued and with
both sides arguing earnestly about the
little woman she declared that her
daughter had not told her the cause oi
her sorrow.
| Did she ever show you any of her
husbands clothiDg?" demanded Wen
denburg.
| Smith was on his feet With an OBJ
| lection in an moment, but the little
woman slipped in an answer.
| Yes she showed me some OF bis
uuderclotlng." and she hid her face be-
hindlher fan
| WeDdenburg asked as to the condi-
ton of the clothing
| Here bitter argument followed 10
the course of which Judge Watson ask
ed Wendenburg what this line was ex-
pected to develop.
We propose to show the reason for
the sorrow of the dead woman, said
Wendenburg.
| Here Judge Watson said that the
admissibility OF this line of testimony
would have to be argued in chamber;
away from the jury.
The prosecution then deferred thi:
line of questioning to ask Mrs. Over
whether Mrs. Beattie had not refused
to 90 out alone with her husband jus