The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-09-05
and
FACTS DISAGREE
Beattie Helps Prosecutor
Weave Fatal Web.
DESCRIBES WIFE'S DEATH

sticks 60 original story Even After
shirt and Coat Worn on Evening
Of Tragedy Are Exhibited TO Jury
and No Traces Of Blood Are Found
Where circumstances Would IndI-
cate = eruelling Comes In Last
Half Hour.
Chesterfield c. H., Va. Sept. g.
At the end of six hours on the wit
ness stand in his own behalf here
Henry Clay Beattie. Jr., found himself
shared by the cross-examners relent-
Tess examination Had there been
any sports present they would have
said tSat Beattie was saved by the
gcng.
The showing that the young man
had made throughout all the day up
20 the last half hour of the court ses-
sicn had been such as to excite com
ment through all the packed court
house. People had wagered on the
green before the court convened that
Bcattie would go to pieces at this and
that point in the cross-questioning
They had said that his nerve was not
UP to the strain; that there would be
r0methings he could not explain.
To the contrary, the self.c0ntained
youth parrled, lodged, qualified dur
ing the entire cross-examinaticn, us
ing q positive statement only when
lie had to. and seeming to fail to un
derstand certain questions popped at
him with embarrassing speed in or
der 10 gain time. lie proved by far
rhe best witness that the defense has
put on the stand. Though during the
course of his examinations he had to
admit certain actions that would be
embarrassing for any man to cwn to,
he did 1t with self-confidence that
Ifckoned only the end to be achieved.
In two points, however, the prosecu--
for brought the ready defense of the
prisoner to the ground. These were
upon the facts of his relations with
Beulah Binford, and in the matter of
the physical facts attending the muir
der of Mrs. Beattie as set forth in
ths prisoners story of that fatality.
Il Helped the Prosecution.
iUEon Both these issues the accused
made admissions which fully tally
With the theory of the prosecution
or blundered into sticking by asser.
tions widely at variance with physi-
chl possibilities.
The climax TO the long strain in
the little courthouse came unexpect-
edly about a half hour before the
judge adjourned court. Then i'm the
little cleared space not more than
three feet wide, where the dense jam
that had filled the courtroom all day
Larted 10 give the witness room to
place his feet, bits of gruesome drama
were spilled while all the courtroom
held its breath.
Beattie had endeavored to Indicate
to the prosecutor just how he had
held the body of his wife after she
had been shot by the bearded high
wayman. who he says was the assas-
Gin. ffe spread out his left hand and
Indicated with his right the motion of
manipulating the steering wheel Of
an automobile.
There. take that little boy" com
manded Wendenburg. "and show the
Jury by using his body just how you
supported your wife in the automobile
after she had been shot"
A bare-footed little farmer boy, who
had been acting as copy-runner for
the reporters, drew hastily away from
the young man in the chair as he
stretched out his hand to seize him.
Then the impulse to be the center of
all eyes overcame the lads tlmidity
and he allowed Beattie to circle his
waist with his arm. Beattle's left
hand spread out across his back Just
above the buttons on his cut.down
trousers.
so that is how you supported your
wife's body after she was shot?
ask you to look at the left e'eeve Of
this shirt, which you wore on the
night OF the murder and tell me if
you see any blood on It," Wenden-
burg passed the shirt TO Beattie.
No Blood Spots Found.
The witness touched it gingerly,
and as he turned it over and over tho
muscles Of his cheeks kept pulsing,
He found no blood on the sleeve
Yet YOU say that when your wife
was shot. sou felt her head on your
left shoulHef?'' Wendenburg drove the
question. s<'Lopk at the left shoulder