The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-08-30
PAUL BEATT|E
C0NFESSES
Cousin of Accused Murderer Tells
Details of the Purchase of the
Gun Used By Beattie

CHESTERFIELD COURT HOUSE,
Va, Aug. 2S.-Paul d. Beattie. cousin
of Henry Clay Beattie. Jr., who stands
indicted for the murder of his wife,
testified late today that the accused
told him "a hours after the murder
that he was sorry "he had done it,
The circumstance relating to the wit
ness hitherto had suppressed. Coming
as dramatically and unexpectedly as
the pathetic tale an hour before when
Mrs. r. V. Owen, mother of the dead
woman, told as to the domestic in
Felicity of her daughter as result of
her husbands disease. the testimony
of Paul Beattie created a profound
sensation.
From the early morning when Mrs
Owen stifled her pride and in a chok-
ing voice told the jury of the sordid
details of Beattie alleged physical all
ment which caused his wife heart
rending grief and hours of anguish,
the prisoner faced the hardest strain
thus far In his fight for life. Through
the testimony of the mother. the pros
ecution endeaVored to define u mo-
tive for the crime, fear that the news
of his alleged ailment might reach
Beattie senior, causing a rupture be-
tween the son and the father upon
whom he depended.
To reinforce this theory. the prose-
cution put on the stand Mrs. ]. Bin
ford. mother of Beulah Binford and
Henrietta Pittman, her chum. Their
testimony brought to the surface a
story OF Beattie's four Years of ac-
i,,t
legged numerous indiscretions. of the
birth and death of child named
Henry Clay Binford and how Just
prior to the murder this relation
ship was resumed.
When Paul d. Beattie, the prison
er's cousin was summoned to the
stand, the gun with which Mrs. Beat
tie was killed was produced. When
questioned as to where he first
and last saw the gun he tes-
titled that Henry Clay Beattie
telephoned to him the Thurs
day of the week before the murder,
asking him to meet him on the street
corner. Paul complied and Beattie
gave him two dollars to buy a single
barreled shot gun and induced Paul
having previously been brought out
that Beulah Binford was known as
Mrs. Fisher. which Paul did, con-
veying the message about the dress.
He testified that they took out the
gun after the pawnshop closed, then
he told Paul to telephone Mrs Fish
er" he would be around to see her.
On the next day after the murder,
Paul testified that Beattie told him
to go to the home of Mrs. Fisher and
tell her to keep her mouth shut or
he (Beattie) would kill her. She an
swered him that she reckoned Henry
Clay Beattie would now marry her.
He said Beattie afterward said to
him. II wish to God 7 hadn't done
it. Id like to know how those de-
tectives found out. There was no six
shot in that gun" He asked Paul to
stick by him. Paul testified he an
swered he would tell the detectives
all he knew about it.
He said that later Beattie called
him OH the telephone and asked if
he had been summoned by the cor
oner Yet and when he said no" Beat
tie chuckled. Asked why he had not
testified thus fully at the inquest
Paul declared he hated to tell and
was not asked but that he owed it
to his wife and child and his town
TO tell all he knew. II tried to keep
it back for | hated to tell on my own
flesh and blood" ne said lie testi-
fled that no one in the pawnshop
saw Beattie at the time when he
tPaulp bought the gun for him. and
that none except himself knew Of the
purchase at that time