The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1911-12-02
BEATTIE ADMITS He
MURDERED HIS WIFE
Leaves Confession to His Spir.
ituaI Advisers.
one Minute After the Current 10 Ap-
piled 6sattie 10 Pronounced Dead
-Grewsome Scenes and In
cidents In Prison.

Al Richmond, Va, Friday, Henry G.
Beattie, Jr.. died in the electric chair
at 1913 a. IN. as penalty for the murder
OF Mrs. Louise Beattie, his wife. Inn
mediately after the execution con-
fession under the previous days date
was given out as follows:
Il, Henry Clay Beattie. Jr.. being
DESTROYS OF standing right before God
and man, do. on this the 23d day OF
November. 1911. confess my guilt OF
the crime charged against me. Much
that was published concerning the de-
tails was not true, but the awful fact
without the narrowing circumstances,
remains. For this action am truly
sorry, and, believing that arr at
peace with God and am soon TO pass
into his presence, this statement is
made"
Beattie's confession was followed by
the following statement by the attend
ing ministers:
This statement was signed In the
presence OF the two attending min
listers and is the only statement that
can and will be made public by them.
Mr.. Beattie desired TO thank the many
friends foT kind letters and express
sions OF interest and the public for
whatever sympathy was felt or ex-
pressed"
Henry Clay Beattie was pronounced
dead one minute after the current was
turned on.
Beattie passed fairly peaceful night,
although his sleep was broken. When
he arose he dressed with his usual care
and ate sparingly. He did not appear
either nervous or apprehensiye. al
though he was necessarily under the
eyes OF his guards, who had redoubled
their vigilance in the final moments
so that the law might not he cheated.
During the reading Of the death
warrant the doomed man maintained
his composure. He stood without
tremor.
Beattie was escorted from his cell
to the death room by two clergymen
of the Presbyterian churc in which
his father was a decon One was Rev.
Mr.. Dennis. the other Rev. J. ]. Fix,
pastor OF the church OF Manchester. OF
which his father long had been in Of
fetal prominence until his sons trouble
prompted him TO resign.
Within the death chamber all was
in readiness. The chair, solid struc-
ture of oak. would ordinarily have APP
peared like the chairs seen in scores
OF libraries throughout the land In
the somberly bare chamber. however.
IL seemed sinister Straps dangled |
from its arms and back and shining I
steel clamps appeared in the light OF /
the electrics like tentacles outstretch
ed 10 clasp a victim
The Witnesses were seated six
abreast I'm an angle OF the room. 4
beattie was soon strapped in the chair.
The warden raised ais hand Tn-
stantly Beattie's bod. stinened with
such violence that the straps creaked
with strains the clamps ratified as
though they were castanets I'm the
hands Of death. and then that which
once he'd hec1 Henry Clay Beattie
r. rclaxed
Re surgeon had gone forward and
With stethoscope nad listened for am
'ther faint beating OF the heart that
ess than sixty seconds before had
lived lie stepped back
"He Is aead"
The witnesses filed out One or two
we're CHASTITY pale as they epped into
he early morning light.
II Is the general belief that Beatte
lied with sealed lips because OF his
ather There existed deep affection
'etween the elder Beattie and his way
yard son. The father today is a bro
zen man as the result OF his sons
rhine. although he clung to the last
Q the belief that the ron was inno-
emit
a