Evening star., 1911-08-14
.bEATT|E IS INDICTED
True Bill Charges Murder in
First Degree.
CROWD PACKS BUILDING
Beulah Binford Taken to Chester.
field From Her Cell.
JURY IS QUICKLY SELECTED
-Four Witnesses Are Called-Historic
Courthouse Was Rebuilt
In 17e2.

CHESTERFIELD COURTHOUSE "a
august IA true bill Charging mur-
der in the frs. degree was returned hy
the. grand jury of the Chesterfield cir
cult court today against Henry Clay
Beattie. jr.. Of Richmond. He will be
tried for his life as the alleged mur-
derer OF his young wife. the victim IF
the Midlothian turnpike tragedy of July
IS last
Inc courtroom was packed when Cir
cult Judge Watson took his seat on the
bench at II. o'clock The aisles were
ordered cleared before the roll of the
grand jury was called. All spectators
except "old gentlemen" were ordered to
stand during the proceedings. There
was not woman in the courtroom.
Beulah Binford. the woman in the
case, sat smiingly in an adjoining ante
room, waiting to be called as a witness
She was dressed in q becoming bIue
dress and wore light blue picture hat.
The day afforded her the first glimpse of
the outside world since her arrest, and
she appeared to be thoroughly enjoying
her temporary liberty from her squalid
Jail surroundings. Beattie was no,
brought here today, but remained in his
cell in the Richmond JAIL
Little Time Consumed.
Little time was consumed in the seIec-
ton Of the jury. and George E. Robert
son was chosen >foreman. After the
jurors had been instructed and the oath
administered the court said:
1T is painful for your court to an
Sfr he
domestic tragedy Of unusual cruelty has
stirred not only this community. but the
country at large" He deplored the no
toriety drawn to Richmond and vicinity
by the crime. and after reviewing the
case. he briefly instructed the jurors 10
consider the evidence to be placed before
them with charity for all and malice
toward none
The jury retired at 11:l5 O'clock and
four witnesses were called They were
Thomas f. Owen. uncle OF the murde cred
woman: l.. l.. Scherer. a detective; T. p.
Pettigrew, who saw the finding OF the
gun with which the crime is alleged to
have been committed, and DIR. J. G. Low
ing. the county coroner, who conducted
the inquest.
Chesterfield courthouse is one of the
most picturesque spots in the county.
II is low. red brick. white-trimmed
structure and was built originally in
l749. II was partly burned by the
public enemy" the British, in 1873. II
was rebuilt In 1882, and as reconstruc-
ed then 1t now stands Low ceilinged
| and lAmp-liehted, the courtroom itself
| reeks with history. OIL portraits of i'll
| lustrous jurists of ante-bellum days
gaze from the stained walls
A lone negro, whose gorgeous blue Goa,
| and yellow socks gave him the appear r
ance of a big blue jay sat on the court
house fence as the sun rose He had
tramped ten miles with the hope of catch.
| ing a glimpse Of Beatt:e.
Shaded by Ancient Trees.
Venerable oaks and white-scarred syca-
mores guard the courthouse yard, shad.
ing an old-fashioned we'll and a Pray
stone shaft erected in honor of Confed.
crate dead.
TV the front and left Of the courthouse
stands a general store. to which wires
have been strung to give to the country
| the story Of the trial.
| Automobiles and ramshackle rural con.
veyances began drawing up in the lane
| soon after sun up. and tinnid negro chill
| dren, white eyed and silent. worked their
| bare toes In the sand at q respectful dts