The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-11-26
BEATTIE ELECTROCUTED.

BEATTIE ELECTROCUTED.
! On Friday morning at 1928 o'clock
Henry Clay Beattie Jr was electri-
cuted i'll the State penitentiary at
Richmond, Va. He was the degen-
crate son of a noble sire. He had
deliberately planned to murder his
wife, Louise Owen, of Dover, Del, a
charming and accomplished young
lady, whose child at the date of its
mothers death was only three weeks
told.
This crime was perpetrated on the
night Of July is, on the Midlothian
turnpike, five miles from Richmond.
Beattie had taken his wife in mo-
! tor car for a drive in the country.
| She unsuspecting the intent of her
husband was radiant in her happi-
ness.
! Following the tragedy Beattie re-
turned to the home of an uncle of
his wife in Richmond with the body
in the car, Explaining that the fatal
shot had hfen fired by highway
man who had fled after the shooting.
At the coroner's inquest Paul
Ibeattie. a second cousin of the mur-
derer, identified the gun, which had
been found in the road near the
scene of the tragedy, as being the
one he had purchased for Henry
Clay Beattie Jr. few days before
the crime.
From this admission the links in
the chain Of circumstances were
quickly joined. On the trial it was
developed that Beattie had taken the
gun bought for him by his cousin
and had seereted it along the Mid
lothian road, and that on reaching
the spot he had persuaded his wife
to get Out of the automobile under
some plausible pretense and that he
had killed her as she stood by the
auto
In his defense Beattie had the best
of able counsel and besides he had
the influence of his father, man of
Imcans and prominence, gentleman
most highly esteemed.
The trial jury returned verdict
Iof guilty without delay. An appeal
to the Supreme Court ayailed no
Irelief nor did the Governor inter-
Ifere. The law was permitted to take
Tits course and justice has triumphed
lin case which If it had been tried
lin some states, perhaps Louisiana,
would have eliminated in a mistrial
1if not an acquittal by some over
sentimental jurors.
This execklion as recorded in Vir-
ginia is, as it is in England where
no guilty man can escape regardless
of his prominence in social or po-
litical affairs or the influence of his
kindred.
| In this case, as the murderer has
confessed, all doubt as to his guilt
lis removed. He has forfeited his
life as penalty for his crime?
What was his motive?
He had his affinity" Beulah Bin
ford, strip of a woman he had Sc
Iduced when she was aged thirteen
lyears, who bore him child.
Why should Beattie have planned
deliberately the murder of his wife
when he could have continued his
relationship with his affinity in de-
lfiance OF marital vows.
/ Could he not have severed his
marital vows by divorce proceed
ling which is the medium chosen by
many of the high toned" who have
Tired of wife or husband?
! This query is forced on the mind:
Is man or woman of rational
Imind when either will abandon a
lgood wife or husband, a good home
and children to join some unmiti-
Igated scamp or woman of blasted or
of easy repute?
Possibly depravity, disguised as
Irespectability, resulting from degen-
Ieracy. is the medium, the all power
Iful agency which as in the case of
Beattie prompts to the crime of
murder
i In all such cases maudlin senti-
lment should be brushed aside and
the penalty for murder should be
death.
In the fearless and impartial en-
forcement of law, as in England,
There will be found check and a
deterrent to affinity relationship
(which will strengthen the tie and
i the purity of the home.
ur, a.