The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-09

aisle" Gill shouted, and the crowd fell
away. The twelve men walked slowly
and silently out. Beattie anxlously
scanning each face US Ii passed
Long Moments of Suspense.
During the moments that followed
IN" boy endured stoically an ordeal
almost as cruel as death itself Around
MIN gathered morbid throng heart
iessIy boring him with their question
ing eyes Several men gazed steadily
al aim Tor an nour. as X ne were some
strange new creature upon thu ,.-,b
His father never lief; his side. An
elderly woman in black made her wa
INSIDE the bar and sat down a few feet
nehind the prisoner, with head Lenf
ana eyes lowered. She stayed a few
moments as If in silent prayer
Ihen she arose and left without a
word TO any one Beattie held tba
newspaper befor. his face for while
out men pulled 1t open and began To
eau The Wild braying of an mpa
!Vnt morse came through the win
COWS over the heads OF the staring
crowd 4 prominent Baptist minister
"a!ked in and took seat. F,yor
tnoughtful OF the small proprietI.s
hea'tle arose anu pulled his chair aside
10 let a woman pass When a news
PAPER man handed him sheet az
PAPER win written query on IT, he
received II with "A smile and shook Mis-
Heeo IN answer Both father and son
Hec"'ea interested in the newspaper,
ana the prisoner presently called ,h..
ola man't attention to some ar,icia
mat particularly amused him. They
Dvnt over IL together for a moment
= whter-carrler came by and bo,b
o.attIes asked for drink.
Inc moments We're slipping away.
and supper time was very near The
SFcat red country sun was slowly din
p'hs below the horizon and darkness
We hot taf OF = deputy came in
WITH TWO kerosene lamps ana made
ready for long siege. on two OF the
courtroom window stills telegraph in
Strainents had been installed. and m.
fa'nt Click of the sounds came into
Inc room every now and then The
whole world was watching Beatti.
now Every time he winked his eve
the fact was flashed from one end OF
the country 10 the other. He seerned
understand the situation. and i,
added to his nervousness. Almost /;
seemed as If he forced himself TO wis.
no more.
By this time every creak In the aoor
started the crowd like waking
ghost in the dead of night A mans
lie was being voted away upstairs. or
perhaps the jury We're disagreeinc.
Nearly an hour had passed and fl be.
gan 10 look u the verdict would
be slow coming, II 1T came at all. Sud
denly soft shutting of feet overhead
ana men series OF sharp raps upon
the ceiling almost brought the crowd
In It's feet. deadly paleness settled
upon the elder Beattie's face never to
ut again. His son looked quickly
around and then turned and stared
straight in front Of him. Quick action
could mean nothing but disaster for
them. Their only hope lay in long
argument and final disagreement
Jury Returns With Verdict.
Scores had drifted away to the lawn.
Gulping down sandwiches and we'll
water and nerving themselves for
what might follow. Back they dashed
now In a scrambling mass The jury
was coming. More instructions? Yer.
dict? Nobody knew. Beattie smiled
family, and then laughed outright at
the craning necks OF those hghting so
desperately to get full view OF his
face. Douglas. his brother. pushed his
way in. and took his seat. and counsel
followed soon afterward. Lamps were
hurri0diy lighted. and with the con
trariety of kerosene wicks iiared and
sluoheu until IL seemed Tor moment
as II the courthouse would be in dark
ness when the verdict was pronounced.
Not another sound had been heard
from above. it began 20 look like a
false alarm Presently the Judge en-
tered with the sheriff close at his
heels. Beattie glanced hurriedly
around again. y football sounded
somewhere. The side aisle was cleared
at once. 1t was no mistake. a jury
man appeared in the doorway ana af-
ter him came eleven others.
The time was 6:26, four minutes less
than an hour from the moment the
jury left the room with the indict-
ment. Long and lxedly Beattie gazed
ut the men who were to give him life
or death. as ii he would read their
very souls. The roll was called
Gentlemen OF the jury, have you
egred upon a verdict?"
The clerk voice broke upon a
gravelike silence. y second, which
which seemed an hour passed. and
then the dreaded answer came,
I'VE have"
All felt now thar Beatties end had
come. and yet there fingered a chance
that he might still go free. The sus-
pense was horrible. The attorneys
were called, and Judge Gregory was
absent. a deputy rushed after him
and presently hec anne in. walking with
lead feet. 1t seemed that he would
never get to his place. With haunting
eyes the prisoner looked on, his jaw
bone muscle working steadily like a
pulse Judge Watson arose. Around
him in the ftful lamplight glare we're
packed zoo strained, drawn faces. Men