The Sentinel=record., 1911-08-31
BEARDED MAN
 NOW IN CASE
NsAa
5EATTIE DEFENSE WITNESSES SAW SUSPICIOUS CHARACTER
 IN VICINITY OF CRIME.
Defense, However, Win EndesVor to Show This Was Only a Squirrel Hunter in Woods After
 Small Game.

Chesterfield Courthouse, Va, Aug. .30. Testimony, corroborative of the story told by Henry Clay Beattie Jr. <. that bearded highwayman killed his wife with shot gun was introduced b the defense in the Beattie trial today, when w. R. Holland, who lives in the vicinity of the Midlothian Turnpike where the murder occur red, declared he had seen a bearded man with a shotgun there five hours before the tragdy.
 It was the first move of the defense after the prosecution Tested its casa at noon today, to establish the yer acity of the prisoner. and besides Hol- lands statement concerning a man with a shotgun, Eugene henshaw, a farmer who travels the Midlothian Turnpike daily, testified he saw a strange looking man proving around on three different days before the murder.
 It is reported tonight that the pros ecution is ready when it's time for rebuttal arrives, to put on the stand the man who passed along the rail read tracks wnoire Holland said me saw a man with a shotgun and that the new witness will say he was squir- rel hunting that day,
 The defense summoned many wites- ses. Besides the testimony regard ing the bearded man, expert testiony was introduced as to the bouncing qualities of an automobile similar to that driven by Beattie, as to joltins out from the car of shotgun alleged 10 have been placed in a rear seat by Benttie after the counter With the person he says was a highwayman
 The prosecution attacked this line of evidence and cross examination. lit contended that the railroad cross ing which Beattie claims the gun must have been ejectdd from the car was smooth one and that the jolt which might have resulted from cross nr the tracks where the rails are exposed necessarily would have tossed the weapon forward of the crossing instead of directly sideways, parallel with the track, where the gun was found
 The idea of the prosecution has been to indicate that Beattia himself slowed down at the crossing and threw the gun to one side on his way tt the owen home with his dead wife.
 The defense sought to show that be- ing held up by highwaymen while motoring in this vicinity was not ar Iancommcn occurrence and put on tho stand a chauffeur who related an ex lperience with highwayman a veal lago.
 The commonwealth attorneys ob tected to the testimony as irrevelant Judge Watson ruled that unless grea. many instances could b' pointed to, showing hold-ups of similar character to the one describ ed by the prisoner evidence as t' similar incident would be ruled out
 The defense announced it intend to give other instances later.
 Beatties counsel attacked the de Iclaration of Sam Tally that he hear on on the night of the murder sho and the scream of woman on tn Midlothian Turnpike. Several vii Iresses testified that the morning a lter the murder when Beattie take
 with Talley and othrs, nothing wa lsaid about woman screaming.
 Hasty preparations were made ov or nlgnt by the commonwealth
 combat today the testimony given b
 ts.vear old Alexander Robertson Tue day that he had seen on the Midl' tbian turnpike bloodspots other tha the pool of blood where Mrs. Henr
 c. .Beattie Junior was alleged to hay
 been killed by her husband.
 The significance of the lads decla
 alton is that if it should be- prove
 toat there was many blood spots Q
 the road it would support the eon.el
 ton of the defense that blood drlppe from the machine from the bieedI woman who was alleged by Beatt 3 to have been shot while in the frol 9 seat.
 2 On the other hand the prosecute $ wished to snow that there was D
 onc blood spot that no blood con