Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-08-30
A WRECK FROM DISSIPATION.
Accused Man Feared that Aged Fa-
ther Would Disown Him.

(Extracts from earlier proceed
ings will be found on Page 6 of this
issue.)
Chesterfield, Va, Aug. 2S.-Mrs.
r. V. Owen, the gray-haired, sorrow
stricken mother Of the murdered
Mrs. Henry Clay Beattie, confronted
her young son-in-law, on trial accus-
ed Of the crime, here to-day.
The sudden appearance Of the
heavily-veiled woman on the stand
came as surprising turn In the
murder trial. There had been no
notice Of her expected appearance by
the prosecution. She came in a taxi.
cab, whose arrival was timed to coin
eide exactly with the moment Sheriff
Gill exhibited in the court room the
clothing worn by Beatte on the
night Of the murder.
Without the usual perfunctory
questions incident to the introduce
ton of new witness, Prosecutor
Wendenburg questioned the woman
as to her knowledge of the domestic
life Of young Beattie and his wife,
and brought to the surface point
intended as relevant as to the al
legged motive for the murder, name
ly, that Beattie's physical condition,
due to dissipation, caused much un-
happiness to his wife. The witness
said that on the night Of the murder
she had cautioned Mrs. Beattie not
to go out alone with her husband.
AS predicted, the prosecutions idea
for to-day apparently was to prove
that Beattie killed his wife because
of his fear that his father might
learn of his condition and cut him
off from the family.
The testimony OF Mrs. Owen took
Judge Watson as well as the crowd
In the court house by surprise, and
Immediately the court suggested
recess, and conference with coun-
sci or both sides, jury and prisoner,
TO discuss further testimony along
this line.
Mrs. Owen had come from Dover,
Del, last night with her husband.
She stepped from a taXicab into the
court room and took the witness
stand without word being spoken.
The customary announcement of
witness by the sheriff was dispensed
with by previous plan Of the prosecu-
ton.
Young Beattie raised his head in
surprise, recognized the woman and
his head dropped.
At first he endeavored not to look
in her direction, but she spoke so
feebly that he found it necessary to
join the row OF heads on the bench
to hear her testimony. Once he
whispered to Lawyer Smith, beside
him:
ASK her to speak louder; ! cant
hear"
Mrs. Owen is said to have been her
daughters confidant, and is believed
nf to-. -.
with the Binford girl. On the stand
Mrs. Owen told how she arrived at
the Beattie home on May 90, of the
birth OF the Beattie child on May 81,
and hinted at the tribulations OF her
daughter, caused by Beattie's rela-
tiOns with the Binford girl.
Mrs. Owen sat calmly in the wit
ness chair while her gray-haired hus-
band famed her. Gowned in heavy
black, a thick veil gave only par
tial glimpse Of tho woman's features.
1t was learned the prosecution ex-
pccted Mrs. Owen to testify that
from Henry Clay Beattie, Jr.'s ac-
ton, when he brought his dead wife
home, she suspected him Of the mur-
der.
Outside the court room it was ru-
mOred Mrs. Owen even asked young
Beattie, practically, If he did not
commit the deed.
Mrs. Owen testified at length, indi-
eating that there was no doubt of
young Mrs. Beattie having knowl-
edge Of the physical condition Of her
husband. The testimony brought
out that the condition Of young Beat
tie became known to his wife on the
Thursday before she was killed
p1ul Ilrnttv TpIIs IIic Stn,y
Chesterfield, Va, Aug. 28.- Be-