Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-26
Three Strong Witnesses
In Wife Murder Case.
One Almost Locales Him Alone
Al The Scene.
Beaiiie Reliant and Calm, Does Not
Finch or Culver.

Chesterfield Court House, Va, Aug.
25.-R l. Sydnor, a dairyman, Sam
Tally, a day laborer, and A. X. Brlggs,
the 15-year-old son of a Richmond
contractor, took the witness stand in
old Chesterfield Court House today and
sEave what the prosecution regards as
the most important and the most dra-
matte Testimony so far introduced in
the trial of Henry Clay Beattie, Jr.
under Indictment for wife murder.
The dairyman swore that between
sunset and dark on the night of the
murder he saw an automobile similar
TO Beattie's halt at the roadside not far
from the scene of the crime. A lone
man stepped out, he said. and this
man. the prosecution will attempt to
show. was Beattie. concealing the gun
with which it is alleged he shot his
Wife
Tally swore that about II o'clock
that night, sitting on the back porch
of his home not far from the roadside
heard the scream of a woman, then
shot and finally the noise of an auto
mobile starting.
The Briggs boy testified that some
time between 1890 and IL o'clock ON
the same night he and a number OF
companions in an automobile passed
a car at the roadside. a stones throw
from where the murder was committed.
The man, he said, apparently was fix
ing tire. the woman was standing on
the running board. The boy was not
asked IL the man he saw was the pris-
oner. but under cross examina ton by
the defence he maintained that they
passed no other car on the remainder
of the journey to Richmond.
Just between sunset and dark tes-
titled Sydnor in direct examination.
Il saw a big automobile going west
along the turnpike. very slowly"
..Who was in the carr"
Zone man
What did he do as ne passef -
HE ran around and stopped ahead
of ne"
How near was the place he stopped
10 the blood spot which marked the
scene of the crime?"
.'Not more than 80 feet either way.
What did the man do?"
Reattie leaned forward in his seat
and gaed intentiy at the witness as
the question was asked.
"When | left him." said Sydnor, he
vas working in the ditch at the road
side on the machines right rear tire.
WAS he young or an old MANI"
sa.ie was young man and wore
hropnish suit. .
Thert was a hush in the court room
as he sheriff unrolled the bloody
brown coat worn by Beattie on the
=. slx- N wi Cnid
the color of the garment resembled
that Of the coat worn by the man at
the roadside He was instructed to look
at the defendant and to state of the
man he saw was about the same size,
Yes" said the dairyman slowly,
about the same size
Have you seen the Beattie automa-
bile since the murder" he was asked.
He said he had and that generally
IT agreed with the car he had seen on
the roadway.
Sam Tally, who said he worked in
quarry. followed Sydnor to the stand.
81 was sitting on the back porch If
my house about 800 yards from the
road" Tally testified in direct exami-
nation, when all of sudden, about
IL O'Clock. / heard the scream of
woman, then a shot. In about 10 min
utes more ! heard an automobile
start"
did you hear anything else. the
cries of man for help. or the footing
of an automobile horn?" asked the de-
fence in support of Beattie's story that
he had tried to summon aid after the
bearded highwayman had fired into the
car
II did not" said the witness. But
on further examination he admitted
that he might have said on the morn
ing after the crime that he had heard
an automobile horn sounded.