Evening journal., 1911-09-12
DEATH WATCH
ON BEATTIE
Law Acts to Prevent Convicted
Murderer From Taking
His Own Life
PREPARING FOR APPEAL
TO STATE SUPREME COURT

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL (
RICHMOND, Sept 12-Eyeu now
the death-watch is sitting over Henry
c. Beattie, Jr. No one believes that
the convicted wlfe-murderer will try
to cheat justice and the electric
chair, but no chance is given him TO
go 10 a suicides grave.
Night and day the watch sits be-
side the prisoner i'm Chesterfield Jail.
During the daylight hours a detective
constantly looks in the cell window.
At night watcher is but few feet
from that window
Since the minute when the jury
cried in unison that word guilty
the utmost vigilance has been eXer-
cised TO prevent anyone giving Beat
| tic knife, pistol or poison.
This vigilance will be maintained
until the day when Beattio goes 70
! the chair, if he ever goes, in spite OF
/ the fact. as said that none thinks
Beattie will try to kill himself He
! IS not Of that type Beattio will walk
I TO the chair as calm as when the jury
I cried his doom as cool as when he
replied. II have nothing 10 say" be-
/ fore sentence was passed, as self
| possessed as when the court formally
passed the order of death upon him.
Beattie lawyers will not hurry TO
file their petition writ of error IN
the Supreme Court Of Virginia, though
an almost hopeless proceeding, as
they know themselves, is the last
means Of trying to do anything for
Beattie
So far as the Supreme Court is con-
cerned. the fate of Beattie may be
known some time before that tribunal
begins its session here during the first
week in November II is unnecessary
that the court be in session TO rule
adversely upon the petition Of an ap-
piicant before its bar for a reversal
OF a decision of a lower court
II would seem probable, in view Of
the widespread public interest in the
case, that the highest court will pre-
} sent a written opinion when acting
upon a petition for a writ Of error
Such a course is extremely unusual
yet II has been followed within tn
past decade in at least two murde
} cases, and in one case involving an i'm
portant construction Of the electio
laws.
The procedure in Virginia differ
from that in most states. When
trial court has refused 20 grant ne7
trial. the attorneys preDare a petitio
= for writ Of error With this petition
/ there must be presented a complet
! transcript of the record. including al
, the papers served. all minutes Of III
I clerk and all testimony.
G Procedure in Virginia.
When the petition and record ar
presented to the Clerk Of the Suprem
. Court in vacation, that official send
It to one Of the other of the fiv
Judges. Two of the five are I'm Rich
: mond nearly every day, while the 9th
: er three are at their homes in differ
ent parts Of the state save when tn
= court is in session. The judge re
2 ceiving this petition examines it care
: fully Should there appear to hin
reason TO think that an unjust verdic
8 has been rendered on the facts or TIA
? some principle of Law has been vic
!, lated in a ruling Of the trial judge
q he notes on the petition. Writ O
!; error awarded" Sometimes he add
the words "and supersedas," whic
= acts as stay of execution when capita
% punishment is the penalty.
= Should the Judge decide that it.
Continued on Second Page)