The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-11-28
BEATTIE PAYS
The PENALTY
DEATH SAID TO HAVE
BEEN INSTANTANEOUS
Goes to Chair unmoved; His Written
Confession Left With Spiritual Ad.
visors-confesses Only at Eleven.
tn Hour.

Richmond, Va, Nov 24.--Henry
Clay Beattie, Jr., before his death in
the electric chair at 1928 am. today,
confessed to the murder of his wife.
The statement which was given out
in the rotounda OF a down town hotel,
follows:
Il, Henry Clay Beattie, Jr., DESTROYS
of standing right before God and man,
do on this the 23rd day of November,
1911, confess my guilt to the crime
charged against me. Much that was
published concerning the details was
not true, but the awful fact, without
the narrowing circumstances, remains
For this action, | am truly sorry, and
believing that / am at peace with God
and am soon to pass into his presence,
this statement is made"
Beattie's confession was followed by
the following statement of the attend
ing ministers:
otdtcUlcHt W WlIUsNcTS'
This statement was signed in the
presence of the two attending minis
ters, and is the only statement that
can and will be made public by them.
Mr.. Beattie desired to thank the
many friends for kind letters and ex-
pressions OF interest, and the public
for whatever sympathy was felt or ex-
pressed"
Throughout the forenoon the city
had been rent with rumors that Beat
tie had confessed. These were denied
at the penitentiary where, in connec.
ton with the announcement of the
death, 1t was said the condemned man
had made no statement. The attend
ing ministers would not discuss the
case until they had visited Beattie's
parents in South Richmond and had
secured their permission TO make the
confession public.
The confession evidently was made
at the eleventh hour, when Beattie fin.
ally became convinced that all hope
of escaping the electric chair had
passed.
Two days ago Rev. Mr.. Fix an
nounced that Beattie said he would
not confess This was ascribed to the
fact that Beattie desired to spare his
father the blow of admitting guilt
after his many protestations of inno-
cence to the aged parent
There was fight between filial de.
votion and a desire not to go to his
death with lie on his lips. He was
urged to confess by his spiritual ad,
visers, and at last he broke down
Passed Fairly Peaceful Night.
Beattie passed a fairly peaceful
night, although his sleep was broken.
When he arose this morning he dres.
sed with his usual care and ate spar
ingly. He did not appear either ner.
vous ca apprehensive, although he was
necessarily under the eyes of his
guards, who had redoubled their vi
GLANCE in the final moments so that
the law might not be cheated
During the reading of the death war.
rant the doomed man maintained his
composure, He stood without a ire.
NOR.
As the superintendent finished, he
swayed, but so imperceptibly that ne
might have been shifting his weight
from one foot to the other. When the
deputy wardens fell In on either side
OF him he bowed his head moment.
Il am ready, gentlemen" he said
simply and the death march was be.
gun.
Just before Superintendent Wood
and his men appeared the Rev. Fix
knelt in prayer with the condemned
man. He prayed for divine forgive.
ness for him.
No member of the Beattie family
was present at the execution nor at
the penitentiary when the death march
begun. Preparations for the reception
of Douglass Beattie, brother OF the
doomed man, had been made in the
superintendent's office but the young
man did not appear. The failure of
any member of the family to be pre-.
sent was welcomed by the prison au.
thorities, for they feared their charge
might break down at the last moment
In a downpour of rain the twelve
witnesses TO the execution toiled
through the murky dawn up the hill
from which the penitentiary looks
down upon the city. They we're quick
ly conducted single file. through gates
OF steel bars TO the chamber wher,
Beattie was TO offer his atonemen