Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-09-05
RICHMOND MURDER CASE.
GContinued from First Page.
Yesterdays Proceedings.

murder OF his wife, battled 1Or MS
life today. Evening shadows alone
interrupted a vigorous cross -examin-
alton by the commonwealth, Judge
Watson ending the ordeal by ad-
journing court to an earlier hour
tnan usual tomorrow-9.15 a. m.,-
VIXEN the prosecutor, Mr.. Wenden-
Iburg, will continue his rapid-fire of
questions.
A lone figure was young Beattie in
the crowd that surrounded him on all
sides-even the windows and trees
Commanding the court room being
thick with staring faces. And the
prisoner sat for hours, his manner
cool and collected, unfolding the sor-
did details of his relations with Beu-
Ilah Binford, a 17-year-old girl. for
whom the prosecution alleges Beattie
killed his bride of a year. But not
alone the orgies of the four years be-
/ fore his marriage and those that pre-
ceded the tragedy but the gruesome
tale Of the attack by the highwayman
and Of the wild ride to the owen
home at a speed of fifty-five miles an
hour with the lifeless, blood-covered
body CT his wife in the machine be-
side him, was given to the jury In all
it's horrible detail.
The prisoner by request Of the
prosecution even stood up to full
Length and donned the blood-stained
coat that he wore the night of the
murder and attempted to explain
why blood had not f1ecked certain
portions of the garment If his wife
reclined against him in the way
he described.
The clothes Of the dead woman
had been burned just before the ar
rest of Beattie and as more than once
there was occasion to refer to them
Prosecutor Wendenburg exclaimed:
II wish to God we had them here "
1t was a day Of extreme solemnity
in an arm chair his head often rest
ing on one hand while with the other
he rubbed a knotted handkerchief
over his pale and perspiring face. In
the bar sat his brother, Douglas, and
his white-haired father, the latter at
times covering his wrinkled coun-
tenance with a fan as some par
ticularly loathsome details were re-
cited by the son. But when the end
of the day came, the father as usual
bent over the prisoner affectionately
and kissed him.
Beattie answered questions in an
even voice and without EN-, ton. Ex-
cept for the nervous lingering OF his
handkerchief and the characteristic
vibration Of the muscles in his cheeks
he sat like a school boy expression
less as he narrated the story Of the
crime. In no essential did the pris-
oner's version of the affair today
differ from that which he gave at the
coroner's inquest or that to which
the defense through it's witnesses
hitherto has clung. The direct exam
ination lasted only two and a half
hours. while the cross-eXamination
had proceeded three and half hours
when court adjourned for the day.
The prosecution in its cross-ex-
animation gave particular attention,
however, to two points In the prev
vious testimony of the prisoner.
If the accused had, on the night of
the murder, a light fastened to the
rear of the machine, why could he
not see the fleeing highwayman to
the rear Of the car, or If the prisoner
had grappled with the assassin and
succeeded in wrestling the shotgun
from him, falling to the ground at the
same time upon the sudden release Of
the weapon from the highwayman's
hands, why did the highwayman flee
with Beattie at his feet on the
ground?
These questions the prisoner evaded
in his testimony, but tomorrow the
prosecution will hammer away at
them anew.
Denial after denial came from the
lips of the prisoner as the prosecu-
tor questioned him concerning the al
legged purchase Of a shotgun for him
by his cousin, Paul Beattie, on the
Saturday before the murder and the
testimony Of the latter as to the con-
fession in which Henry is alleged to
have exclaimed:
II wish to God I hadn't done it.
wouldn't do it again for a million
dollars"
Beattie disclaimed any connection
with the purchase of the gun and any
knowledge of the transfer Of any gun
by Paul to him. declaring he never
saw the fatal shotgun until the night
it was raised by the highwayman on
the Midlothian turnpike. Little Of
Pauls testimony concerning his meet
ings with him did he admit. He said
he was with his cousin only on the
Saturday night before the murder
and merely carried him home in his
car from the Beattie store in South
ne
that he had been with Paul at any
time within the week or fortnight
previous and on this declaration the
prosecution tomorrow will linger par
ticularly.
Tonight Detective Scherer declared
that four witnesses were to be pro-
duced who saw Henry and Paul to-
gether on The Thur sday night before
the murder.
That 1t was his wife who suggested
the ride on the Midlothian turnpike
after they were nearing the Owen
nome on their return from the drug
store where they went to get pre-
scription filled, was the statement Of
the prisoner as to the occasion for
the Inflated ride, but when on cross
examination Prosecutor Wendenburg
asked the accused if he would have
taken his wife riding even If she had
not suggested "the spin" Beattie ad-
mitted that his mind" was not made
up at the time.
The influence of Beulah Binford on
the case was conspicuous throughout
the day.
Counsel for the defense twitted the
prosecution for not putting the girl
on the witness stand since the state
had summoned her. Attorney Harry
M. Smith. Jr.. of the defense said
that he never had had any opportu-
nifty of even speaking with her as she
was kept incommunicado in Jail,
whereat Judge Watson. in surprise,
declared that if such had been the
case, it was wrong and hereafter
counsel for the defense would have
every opportunity to confer with the
girl.
"Why don't you put her on the
stand them" suggested Prosecutor
Wendenburg to Mr.. Smith.
"Oh, l wash my hands Of her. I
don't want to have anything to do
with her."
At this point Judge Watson inter-
iected that if neither side intended
calling the woman to the witness
stand, he wanted 10 turn her loose" :"
The prosecution intimated. how
ever. that it would call the girl and
when rebuttal begins tomorrow or
the next day. it is practically certain
that the Binford girl will be called
particularly to corrobOrate tEa testi-
mony of Paul Beattie as to certain
messages which he says Henry asked
him to deliver to her.
The prisoner deprecated the idea
that he in any way loved the girl
The prosecution, however insisted