The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-08-24
WAITING FOR Jury
Beattie Trial Halted While
Sheriff Hunts New Men.
DEFENSE MAY SPRING SURPRISE
Said to Have Found Witness Who
Saw Paul Eeattie, Cousin Of the
Accused Husband, Near Spot
on Night Of the Murder.

Chesterfield Courthouse, Va, Aug
23.-The trial OF Henry Clay Beattie
Jr.. halted while Sheriff GIL, on the
seat OF his old democrat wagon
secured the woods Of Chesterfield
county for thirty men Of the new
venlre from which four provisional
Jurors must be drawn to all the box.
At noon today Judge Walter a. Wat
son called court. and the remainder
OF the day will be spent in picking tie
necessary four from sheriff Gil
catch Judge Watson. believing tha'
nothing more than this can be accom-
plished today has ordered that none
OF ;he Witnesses need be In attend
ance upon the court until the opening
Of the morning session on Thursday
By that time, II Is assumed. the jury
box will be filled. the defense will
have reduced the sixteen to the nee.
essary twelve by the exercise Of per
emptory challenge and the taking OF
testimony can begin.
The commonwealth attorneys have
at least sixty Witnesses. many OF them
Of minor importance. to take their
turn on the witness stand. Just how
many the defense will call Beattie' =
lawyers have not revealed. Nor VIII
they say whether or not the prisoner
will take the stand in his own be
hall.
Richmond jurists who have followed
the events that bring iieattie 10 the
bar 10 fight for his lie prophesy thai
his lawyers will not dare TO all.w
him To be laid open to the cross.eX-
animation OF the prosecution The
meauderings Of Sheriff Gill through
The bypalhs Of the Wilderness may be
frought with danger to Beattia,
Which only old settlers Of Chesterfield
county can appreciate. If the sheriff
directs his old democrat wagon into
the country OF the yellow Jackets and
serves summOnses on yenifemen
there. Beauie's lawyers will be forced
To- use all their stock of challenges
when these simple folk Of homespun
come ito court to answer TO questions
touching their fitness to serve.
Defense May Spring Surprise.
II was rumored that one OF the
surprises which the lawyers for the
defense have been preparing lies In
the uncoyerlng OF a witness who VIII
swear that he saw Paul Beattie, the
cousin Of the accused. and the one
who has confessed to having purchas-
ed the shotgun with which the muir
der was done. standing near the Belt
Line railroad tracks on the night Of
the murder not far from the spot
where detectives afterward discovered
the discharged gun.
This witness is said to be r. +.
Ellington. q railroad engineer on the
Southern railroad. who runs a shifting
engine at nights between the South
ern yards in South Richmond and the
stone quarrles, higher up the river
That this witness saw and recognized
Paul Beattie at spot on the railroad
FAR from where he has said he was In
his alibi will be strong testimony Tor
the defense II 1t materializes. Paul
Beattie is held only as a mater al
witness and not as a party to tie
crime charged against Henry Beat 10.
but If. By inference. the defense Is
able to place the actual firing Of the
gun which killed Mrs. Beattie on Pau.
the Indictment against Henry mu
fail
II is an assured thing that one try
ing moment for the historical writers
Of sob stories" awaits in the progress
OF this trial. That will be when Beu-
lah Binford. the brazen little disciple
OF Jezebel, who figures as the girl In
the case" takes the stand for the
prosecution. There will be no meek
and heaven-cast eyes. no signs sand
sobs for the agony writer's to dilate
upon. This seyenteenyearold girl,
who was born TO early wisdom and
who became the mother Of a nameless
child at sixteen. may prove as great
an embarrassment 10 the common
wealths attorneys as to the signing
slsterhood. She Is supremely mer-
cenary. II there's nothing in any I'M
dertaking that does not promise fnan-
cial remuneration Beulah Binford
will have none OF II. The girl says
frankly that she does not love Henry
Beattie. She might have when she
was fourteen and he had money to
spend on her and an automobile. but
she soon learned that other men had
money also, so that reduced Beattie
TO the common level. She also says
that she Is afraid Of Beattie, and that
II he Is acquitted she would not dare
TO be alone with him on dark street
at night.