Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-09-01
THE bEATTIE
MURDER TRIAL
Proceedings of One of Vir-
8inia'S Most Sensational
Trials From Day to
Day to Date

Chesterfield Court House, Aug. 25
The second days proceedings in
the trial of Henry Clay Beattie, Jr.,
the accused wife murderer, were in
terrupted for half an hour this af-
ternoon when a severe rain and
electrical storm broke with fury
over historic Chesterfield court
house. The dark foreboding of the
storm, however, was in keeping with
the days Developments as related to
the accused, for the general. impress
sion when court adjourned this af-
ternoon was that the Commonwealth
had made strong Roadway in it's case
against Beattie.
The first action of the court this
morning was to admit the "Dear
Kid letter that Henry Beattie wrote
to Beulah Binford, which letter was
in evidence at the session of the cor
oner's jury. The court also ruled
this morning that the indictment
which merely speaks of the wound
being Gin and upon the face is not
in conflict with evidence showing
that the gunshot penetrated to the
rear of the murdered woman's head.
At both of these rulings OF the court
the defense noted exceptions.
Detective George FARRELL testified
that, there was blood upon the gun,
but when Major James D. Patton,
who saw the weapon the morning af-
ter the murder, was put on the
stand, he said he did not see blood
spots upon it. Mr.. Jarrell's testi-
mony was corroborated by Magis-
trate W. A. Jacobs, who not only
said there were finger prints in blood
upon the gun, but also that there
were dirt and grit in Mrs. Beattie' S
blood soaked hair.
This testimony was strongly at
odds with Besttie'S statement that his
wife was shot while she sat in the
automobile, and was considered a
strong point for the prosecution.
Important testimony was given by
Roland Snyder, the Chesterfield milk
dealer. He told of seeing yellow
topped automobile stop near the
stump which marks the scene of the
tragedy on the Midlothian turnpike
early on the evening of the murder.
From this car, said the witness, a
young man with a neat foot encased
in tan socks and tan shoes and wear
ing light suit of clothes alighted.
and stepped over to the stump. This
was in support of the States theory
that Henry Beattie had made a trip
on the turnpike before the fatal ride
with his wife, and hid the weapon
with which he afterward murdered
her.
Snydor described Beattie's auto
mobile exactly, but could not identi
fly the machine positively. He also
described the suit Beattie wore or
the night of the crime, and said thai
the man he had seen alight from the
car looked like Beattie.
| Altogether his testimony was, pos
sibly, the most damaging that has
been given against the young man or
trial for hisslife.
Several well-known young men Of
Richmond testified to having passed
a car standing by the side of the road
on Midlothian turnpike, and that q
woman was standing on the board
and a man in the road nearby. This
was at about 1915 o'clock on the
night of the murder, agreed the wit
nesses.
The aged negro woman who found
the gun with which the crime is sup
posed to have been committed was
also a witness today, and she told
where the gun laid near the railroad
crossing. She did not pick it up
but man who followed her did.
J. G. Cally, a farmer who lives
near the scene of the murder, told OF
hearing a woman scream, then a gun
shot, then the toot of an automobile
horn as the machine whizzed away
in the direction of the city.
When Magistrate Jacobs, while on
the stand, was asked why blood was
not found on the steering wheel OF
the auto when there was blood on
the gun, he answered: 81 don't know
but since you ask that particular
question, 1 will say that I saw q
bloody gauntlet lying in the bottom
of the car in which Mrs. Beattie was
said to have been sitting when she
| was shot"
This statement created sensation
and also caused the fact to develop
| CldI dJtOiucy0 vi cllHeT sue Ol In(
case had not seen the glove, though
each accused the other of having
| made away with it.
Court adjourned at p. m. with
out Paul Beattie having been put or
the stand. The young man was a
the court house, ready to be called
but the hearing of the other witness
es occupied the whole day. 1t is be
| lieved that he will take the stand to
morrow.
Chesterfield Court House, Aug. 26
When Henry Clay Beattie, Jr.
went back to his cell late this after
noon at the conclusion of the day.
proceedings in old Chesterfield cour
house the confidence that he hal
appeared to feel as to the out
come of the case against him mus
have undergone some change
whether he be as guilty as the State
says he is or as innocent as hi:
| L.