Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-24

RICHMOND, Va, November 24.-Henry
Clay Beattie. jr., before his death In the
electric chair at 7:23 am. today con-
fessed to the murder OF his wife. Tho
statement which was given out in tho
rotunda of downtown hotel follows:
Il. Henry Clay Beattie. jr.. desirous OF
standing right before God and man, do
on this the 23d day of November. 1911.
confess my guilt OF the crime charged
against me. Much--thatr- was published
concerning the details was not true. but
the awful fact without the narrowing
circumstances remains. For this action
l am truly sorry, and believing that I
am at peace with God, and am soon to
pass into His presence. this statement is
made
Clergymen's Statement.
Beatties confession was followed by
the following statement by the attend
ing ministers:
This statement was signed in the pres
ence of the two attending ministers and
is the only statement that can and will
be made public by them.
"Mr. Beattie desired to thank the many
friends for kind letters and expressions
of interest and the public for whatever
sympathy was felt or expressed"
There is some doub as to just where
Beattie will be buried 1t was thought
by the Beattie family that the way had
been made clear to inter the body In the
family burial plot in Maury cemetery.
South Richmond. The family, II As said.
mad planned to place the husband as
near as could be done to the body OF his
murdered wife.
Burial Permit Not Issued.
But no permit for the burial has yet
been issued by the trustees of the GENE
terry.
This may may not be an oversight,
but none of the officials of the cemetery
association would discuss il today. The
city ordinances forbid the interment of
the bodies of executed criminals In city
cemeteries. In anticipation of the en-
forcement of this rule. Councilman L. L.
Patram OF South Richmond. friend OF
the Beattie family. put through the city
council a special permit suspendtng the
ordinance in the case OF young Beattie.
That the cemetery association does not
recognize the right Of the council to take
this action is presaged by the fact that
SO far no steps have been taken to pre-
pare the grave
Made at Eleventh Hour.
Throughout the forenoon the city had
been rent with rumors that Beattie
had confessed. These were denied at
the penitentiary, where in connection
with the announcement of the death
it was said the condemned man had made
no statement.
The attending ministers would not
discuss the case in any way until they
had visited Beatties parents in South
Richmond and had secured their per-
mission to make the confession public.
The confession evidently was made at
the eleventh hour, when Beattfe finally
became convinced that all hope OF
escap ping the electric chair had passed.
Two days ago the Rev. DR.. Fix an
nounced that Beattte had said he would
not confess. This was ascribed to the
fact that Beattie desired to spare his
father the blow Of admitting guilt after
his many protestations OF innocence to
the aged parent. There was a fight
between flial devotion and a desire
his lips He was urged to confess by
his spiritual advisers. and at last broke
down.
Gloom of Death Chamber.
The gloom Of the chamber IN which
Henry Beattie was put to death was &C.
centpated by the gloom of the day. The
chamber is below ground. It has no win
dows. and because of its isolation. and
the death cells adjoining. is as silent a.
the tomb itself. Into one corner OF the
chamber a black cable dropped. II was
the heavy main wire leading from the
dynamo of the city lighting plant. q half
mile away. for the prison authorities do
not depend on their own dynamos for the
fatal shock.
over this cable poured 400 volts Of
electricity. 1t was a. silent as 1t was
deadly. There was no purriug Of dynamoo
70 indicate its fatal power. When the