Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1911-11-28
BEAT tie PAYS
The PENALTY
Henry Clay Beatte Makes Murder
Confession Before He
is Executed.
THE BURIAL Ri IS PRIVATE
Mental Preparation for Death
Study for Psycholo-
gist.

Richmond, Va, Nov. 25.-Henry
Clay Beattie, Jr., went to his death
at dawn yesterday. the self-confess-
ed murderer of his young wife, al
though the confession was not made
public until four hours after he had
paid the toll exacted by the law. He
maintained to the end the remark
able nerve he had exhibited since
first he was accused Of killing his
wife ON the lonely Midlothian turn
pike last July. His last expression
was sneer when he observed the
lchair that was to launch him into
eternity.
The confession was made public
in the rotunda Of downtown hotel
| by the Rev. Benjamin Dennis, one
OF the ministers who had labored
with Beattie to repent.
AS a matter OF fact, it was ack-
Inowledged by the minister, Beattie
first admitted his guilt Nov. 9. the
day after he entered the death cell
and before the fruitless appeal for ,
Communication Of sentence was made
| to Governor Mann. It was not until
Thursday that he would agree to Its
being put in writing for his sigma
ture. Then all hope that the gov
er would interfere was gone.
Beattie's attitude throughout the
trial and the imprisonment that
AWAITED only on his death, was q
study for q psychologist. He read
the newspapers with avidity. Every
reference to his iron nerve and to
the fact that he was going to the
chair without acknowledging his
crime in the hope OF saving his ag-
ed father further sorrow. according
to those who were with him to the
end, seemed to afford him supreme
satisfaction. Apparently. he gloated
over the notoriety his crime had
brought him.
Even after his confession he main
tanned his air Of bravado. What had
since Nov. 8 been called stoicism
now is recognized as cynicism. His
remarkable nerve now seems to have
had its basis and support In the
knowledge that he was being ap-
plauded as q man Of Spartan cOur-
age and inflexible will" The secret
of his confession was held inviolate
by the ministers until yesterday. Not
even the brokenhearted father knew
or its existence. friends of the fam
lily declared. Not until four hours
after he had been pronounced dead
in the death chamber in states pris-
on were the murderer's attorneys
cognizant that he had made clean
breast Of his guilt. With the same
.intrepidity that had marked his con-
duct from the beginning. Beattie
went to the chair and brought the
sordid story to q dramatic end.
The shock that killed Beattie was
given at exactly 1919 yesterday
morning. Three times the current
was turned on and at 1928 It was
shut on. Drs. w. T. and st. Julien
Oppenheimer q minute later an
nounced that death had been instan-
taneous. Tho twenty-five persons In
the death chamber thereupon filed
out and the end Of . long and costly
battle for Justice had ended. In adj
ditSon TO the two physicians there
were gathered in the death house
when Beattie appeared. tho twelve
witnesses to the electrocution - re-
quired BY law. the Rev. John J. Fix
and Benjamin Dennis. Major James
B. Woods, superintendent Of the PEN
itentiary, the electrician, and four
deputy wardenA
The room was flooded with light
from q group OF incaadescent lights
set In low ceiling and . Hight that
swung on its cord Immediately above
the chair. There was NO converse
ton. The witnesses labored under
too great q strain, and all. even the
hardened prison attendants. seemed
anxious to be done. The electrician
brought board studded with cleo
trio bulbs and lsid It across the
arms OF the chair. The lamps blax-
ed brightly. Then the instrument
OF death was tested and finally. at .
signal, attendants went over the ap-
paratus, attaching the deadly cleo
trodes and testing every strap and
clamp.
When the preliminaries were over
Superintendent Woods. accompanied
by two deputies. threw back an iron
studded door and started for tho
death cell. instantly the death
chamber was plunged In blacknsss