The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-11-24

CoUlCoSCu pC'OiC hS wa CAcSNF
ed.
RICHMOND, Va, Nov. 24.-Henry
Clay Beattie, Jr.. was executed and
pronounced dead at 7:2S o'clock this
morning. He walked TO the death
chair without faltering and, though
only a shadow of his former self,
maintained his composure.
The execution took place three min
utes from the time Beattie stepped
into the death cell.
After long consultation with the
Beattie family, the Rev. Benjamin
Dennis, spiritual adviser of the exc
cuted man. announced that later in the.
day he would make public state
ment prepared by Beattie to be issued
after his death.
Il want 1t understood that do not
admit by this statement that Beattio
had made a confession" said Rev.
Dennis.
Detective Luther Scherer. who
worked up the case against Beattic,
however, declared that the statement
would be a confession of Beatties
guilt.
The prison guards marched side by
side with Beattie from the cell to the
death chamber. a precaution which
proved unnecessary for the convicted
man never faltered. Directly behind
them came the Rev j. j. Fix and the
Rev. BENJAMIN Dennis. Dr. w. T..
Oppenheimer followed.
After night of untroubled sleep.
Beattie awoke to gaze from his bar
red window on rain-soaking world.
But impending death within and deep
gloom without failed to shake him
perceptibly. He prayed for a time
with his spiritual advisers. Then
lcame the last guard of the death
wstch with the word that all was
ready.
Beattie took from the hands OF Rev
Fix. his little Bible, stepped between
the two ministers and began the
march. Across the little corridor tl
strange procession stood In the thrCS.
hold of the room of death. The musts &
windowless room was in utter dal'l..
ness a moment before. But just as
the condemned man stepped to the
door, a blazing. reflected light. burst
| forth from a cluster of incandescent
/
polished oak chair with its grim fit-
tings. The lights threw a circle OF
weird illumination about the engine
of death that intensified the darkness
of the remainder of the room Only
the infiexible, grim chair stood in
! glaring outline.
| Across the room i'm the solid dark
ness sat dozen men on little wicker
( chairs. They were the official wit
nesses OF the execution and they had
been smuggled into the room before
! dawn. No one saw them enter the
prison and no one saw them leave
! Beattie shook hands with the min
listers, murmured word OF prayer in
acknowledgment of their blessing and
advanced TO the chair. His manner
/ indicated acceptance of his fate as a
matter of fact He seated himself
calmly in the chair, moving his limbs
10 accommodate the stiff, heavy
straps as the guards buckled them
about arm and thigh.
The heavy black cap was pulled
down over his head.
The jury leaned forward to eagerly
gaze at the strange harnessed man I'm
! the circle OF lights. Supt. Wood raised
his hand and the switch was thrown.
A little thread of white smoke rose
from the death cap, the limbs and
body OF the dying man twisted into
the utmost tension and suddenly
crumpled as the current was leduced
and cut on DR.. Oppenheimer leaned
over the chair, tested pulse and heart
and raised his hand. Henry Clay
Beattie, Jr., had paid the death pen
atty for the brutal murder OF his
young wife
Out in the drizzling rain before the
penitentiary a morbid crowd had
stood for hours
At 1890, these people surged around
the stone gate of the building as Supt.
Wood appeared.
ITS all over" he said, and q hush
fell on the crowd
1T was very much like other exc
cutions,' he continued. 1T was over
at Z 23, and he stood looking over
the crowd.
Wei, he's done, you better move
on out of here. now" shouted q po-
liceman. and the crowd skunk away in
the rain.
None OF the Beattic family was near
tho penitentiary When the young man
died. But over in Manchester.
straightforward, loyal father. whu has
aged lifetime in the past four
months. was bowed with SORROW aud
torn with shame.
Little l7.yearold Hazel Beattie. the
dead mans sister. and his brother
Douglas, tried in vain 90 comfort the
father, but their sorrow almost
euualled his.
4 driving. drizzling rain thrnnghGr
the night had pattered at the trics
walls of the Virginia penitentiary. but
II did not disturb the sleep OF the
smooth-faced youth who early retired
and sank into an easy slumber Not
until the guards awakened him. 60
talk with his spiritual advisers. who
were on hand at break Of day. was