The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-09-06
ABRUPT CLOSE
| Of EVIDENCE IN
BEATTIE TRIAL
Prosecution and Defense
Both Rest and the Case
Will Soon Be in Hands
of the Jury.
COURT ADJOURNS
UNTIL THURSDAY
Defendant on Stand Only
Seven Minutes in Cross
Examination, Which
Closes Case.
COURT ADJOURNS
UNTIL THURSDAY

~ HEsTERFGELD COURTHOUSE
Va. Sept, with unexpected
brerity, both the commonwealth
" and the defense In the trial OF
Henry Clay Beattie. Jr.. indicted
FOR the murder of his wife, closed the
evidence In the case shortly after {
o'clock tonight.
Judge Watson announced that court
would adjourn until Thursday morning
tomorrow viii be devoted TO argument oi
counsel with the court as TO the instruc-
uons to be given to the jury before the
argument proper begins on Thursday.
When court adjourned tonight, Beu-
lah Binford, Ii years old. said by the
prosecution TO have been the motive for
the alleged murder by Beattie of his
young wife. still was In Jail without hav-
Ing testified.
Admittedly fearing that she would
avoid injuring the case Of her former
companion at any cost though state
ments and interviews galore had fortified
the prosecution with what Is regarded as
all necessary information. the common
wealth did not put her on the stand,
Another figure, Paul Beattie, cousin OF
the accused: whose confession concern
Ing the purchase of shotgun for Henry
four days before the homicide led TO the
building OF the case for the prosecution.
likewise was kept In Jail. but both he
and Miss Binford are likely to be re-
leased tomorrow.
The taking of evidence today was
along no well-connected, lines The
nation of the prisoner, took up scattered
points In the evidence From one fea-
ture OF the case TO another the prose
cution skinned in It's effort to corrobo-
rate certain points. but most consplcu-
Gus was the direct attack on the testi-
mony Of the prisoner.
The single question of Importance that
the prosecution put TO the accused In its
brief -cross-examination early today was
the one on which the commonwealth has
been basIng practically its whole case
against him.
The prosecution wanted to know how
Il happened that a gun. admittedly pur-
chased by a cousin OF Henry Clay Beat
tic. Jr., and corroborated by witnesses
for the defense as having been pur-
chased on the Saturday before the muir
der, came TO be In the hands OF the very
higbwayman who killed Mrs. Beatte on
the Midlothian turnpike four days later.
The prisoner answered simply that he
knew nothing OF the purchase of any
gun by Paul and did not see the weapon
until 1t was raised by the lone highway
man
The commonwealth introduced several
witnesses. including members OF Paul
cousins, Henry and Paul. were together
on Thursday night. as we'll as on sat
urday night preceding the murder. This
was denied by the prisoner.
The prosecution, in effect, concenirat-
ed Its attention on corrohorating the
story Of Paul Beattlc not only as 10 the
purchase OF the gun, but as 10 his pres
cnce on the vcranda OF the prisoner g
home on the night following tho murder,
when Paul claims Henry confessed 10 him
that nc committed the crime.
Witnesses were brought forward 10
coptrovert tho story of the accused that
while Paul was on the veranda that
nigbr they were not alone and that too
many people were present for any pr-
vate conversations. The principal Wit
ness In refuting this was Henry 3. Owen.
a brother of the dead woman, who tcsti-
fed that Paul and Henry not only were
alone In one portion OF the veranda, but
that later he observed them alone within
the house,