The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-10
Reckless ON Witness stnnd.

When the trial is viewed in retro.
spect and account taken of the events
that shaped its course It is Quickly
seen. as has been said before, that from
opposite sides the two cousins held
ali The stage. with Beulah Binford a
lay figure in the rear. shifting about
ike 4 Dawn 10 suit the purposes OF
either, Without Paul Beattie the
case could not have held; with him as
into place at once and completed a
convincing picture. The gun -pur-
chase story, amply proved. convicted
Henry Beattie, and once It had been
esta blished the verdict was an assured
thing. There were other strong points.
but they were merely contributory to
, the main-the bloody clothes the old
| discarded suit brought out for the
occasion, the milkman's story, the
testimony of the dead girls mother,
the blood spot in the road Lastly
The jury would have convicted and
did convict without this 1t inquired
| very little in the result.
| And what Paul Beattie did not do
for his cousin, Henry Beattie did for
himself. If anything more had been
required TO make certa IN a verdict of
| guilty it was only the appearance OF
the prisoner urbn the stand. and his
reckless denial of an incident of which
the Commonwealth had Overwhelming
proof. No man before a bar has had
ADLER counsel than Henry Beattie. bu,
the wisdom and wit of all the age.
summed up and pcrsonified could not
have saved him after this. In the Ian
suage OF one OF his lawyers expressed
| IN court i0-horsepower team could
! not have kept him from the witness
| chair To Beattie had come again the
foolhardy thought that he could dc
what no others before him have done
| lie failed. With the fearful lesson o.
! McCue. Clnverius and Jeter Phillips
before him. he planned a hunglesome
| crime-and like them fell into the
net But he dared what McCue him,
self would not dare-come within
range OF the mailed first of the
prosecutor-and here was his second
! great blunder. Too late Beattie learn
| ed that he was not different from,
! other men and murderers. Somehow
! he had come to the belief that all he
! had TO do was to tell his story. and
| with hrazen etfrontery and no emo
tion. like a block of ice. he did IL In
| his way he made a wonderful witness
+, Gnshaken and unshaka BILE = cool
steady, ready for the thrust with a
quick parry. But he went q step TOO
far. and it was no time for missteps
! lie forgot that he was speaking of
his dead wife. and seemed TO remem-
Der only that ne had his own life 10
save.
Close calculation was all that showed
in his voice; not culver of regret for
] the girl murdered. By whomsoever. no,
even respectful pause over the bloody
scene. 1t could and did Impress the
jury but one way Finally, with o
sudden and still inexplicable disregard
for his own safety. he boldly denied the
Thursday night meeting with his cous.
IN. when IL Is supposed tbs gun pur-
chase was arranged. Then the Com
nonwealth stepped in and crushed him
Judge ond Jury.
To the credit OF Chesterfield. broueh,
into undesirable notoriety by the foul
est murder of the century, no sign ~
disorder marked the progress Of the
great trial. and though a natural curl
oAity drew many to the little court.
house, they came and went peace a hly
ana seemed glad at last 10 have IL over
Only toward the very end. when ru.
moFs OF possible miscarriase OF ms.
lice few about the State. were there
mntter!nes showing the undercurren-
OF feeling, carefully held in leash Tn.
vast majority OF the people STAYED or
,as!r farms doing the days work. con