Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-09-12
H. c. BEATTY JR.
is DECLARED GUILTY
Virginia Wife Murderer Convicted by
Jury.
Death SENTENCE NOVEMBER 24TH.

Death SENTENCE NOVEMBER PATH
Jury Took the Papers, kneeIed In
Prayer, Gave the Whole Case Care
full Consideration, and was Back In
the Court Room In Less Than an
Hour.
Chesterfield Court House. Va.
Sept S.-Twelvc Virginia farmers
knelt at dusk tonight i'm the obScurity
of the small jury room of Chesterfield
court house. praying fervemtly that
they might pass judgment Alright on
Henry Clay Beattie. Jr.. indicted for
the murder of his wife" Grimly de-
termined they arose Il moment later
and silently. one 10y one. recorded the
unanimous verdict Of guilty"
PauSing in solemn contemplation
for fifty-cight minutes. weighing care
fully the meaning of their decision
and once more on Blended knees be-
Seeching Divine assistance that they
might not err. they filed into the
huShrd stiffness of Il crowded court
room and with startling suddrnneSS
twelve voices. instead of the usual one
Of the foreman. spoke the single word
"Gulty."
Receives Verdict Coo4Iy.
1t was almost shout. The specter
of death which stalkcd Midlothian
turnpike on July IS last when the life
Of Mrs. Louise owen Beattie was ta-
ken away with the single report of a
shotgun. stared hard at the young
husband. ready To claim its victim by
electrocutiOn on Friday. November
"a. But the prisoner returned the
gaze. unswerving and unafraid.
The court of appeals, to be sure,
will be asked To grant Il writ of error
and a new trial. Young Beattie, cog
infant of the legal weapons yet at his
disposal. did not surrender. Instead.
he consOled his broken-dOwn father
white haired and wrinkled. and com
fortcd him as he whispered:
II haven't lost yet. father
Unusual as has been the tragedy
and the grueSome stage where ii oc-
Cured. the twelve jurymen did not
hesitate to admit to their friends that
they stood in judgment not only over
the cOld-blooded murder but upon
his marital imfidelity as well. 1t per-
hapS was the dramatic climax of Viz
gnia justice which in the last half
century has swiftly sent 10 death such
famous murdcrers as CluveruS. phil
ips and McCue.
Wendenburg Convincing.
At the close of Il powerful address
by l.. q. Wcndenburg, the voluntary
assistant of the commonwealth in the
case. the suspense was felt not alone
in the courtroom but in Richmond
where thousands of people waited the
outcome.
The jury had for eleven days heard
evidence. for two days speeches, but
the words of Wendrnburg rang in
their ears as they left the court room
To find their verdict.
Let that man go free. he cried.
"what. let that man go free, " ny
the motherhood of Virginia. the w"-
manhood of this nation. will Shuddcr
in terror as the security of its life is
threatened Let this man go free!
The man who baSkcd i'm the degraded
sunshine of another woman, while ut
his home u young wife nurSrd ms
child, Gentleman. | merely ask you
in the name of justice tu do your
duty"
Vividly Portrays Crime.
In vivid details. the prosecutor
portrayed the wife aS she started ON
her innocent journey into the cool air
of summer night. The jury saw
again i'm their minds the automobile
in which she rode beside her husband.
how Brattir stepped into the darkness
of the thickct. found the shotgun
which hc had earlier concealed ana
deliberately slew his wife.
The desperate ride home with Il
bleeding and lifelrsS body crushed
into the small space i'm the front part
of the machine. the husband coldly
sitting against the blood-Covrred head
of his wife. We're graphically detailed
to the Jury. only passing attention
was given by Wemdenburg To the pur-
chase of the gun by Paul Beattie. Il
cousin of the accused. The defense
had claimed. he said. that on Paul :
story alone WAS built the case Of the
prosecution but he held aluft the
bluud-Stainrd clothing of the prison
rr "aS the mute rvidrnc" of the
crime" and asked:
"Dn you want any other evidence
Displays Bloody Clothing.
Blood nrcked the lower fringe Of
the shirt in deep black blotS; not Il
mark was ON either sleeve of shirt or
coat. The prisoner had said that h"
held his wife with one hand and steer
ed his car with the other but the alb
SenCc of blood Oh the arms. the pros
ecutor declared. gave the lie I" ms
story Not alone with the clothing
did the prosecutor diScmtamgle what
he termed the cheapest fabrication
of the cheapest murder. but ne
shouted shame at the prisoner Tor
his relations with mere slip OF ii
girl. from the age of l3 until within
his own married life. and hcld her
forth as the motive for the crime.
and the prisoner admits that IL
was his passion" said Mr.. Wrnden-
burg. Yes it was passion. but pas
sion born of the devil. and passion
that sent to death his wife :" that he
might continue his vicious pleasure.
Mr. Wcndrmburg concluded his ad-
dress Il few minutes after fly" =. III:
\ brief respite was given the jury ana
ut 5.@S 'ncluck it began consideration
of the case.
Minds Already Made Up.
For iifty-right minutes. they Wrr"
together in deep consultation. Il Jury
of simple farmers who each morning
sang hymns amd Struvr t" forget IN"
story of dissipation with lis hlthN
chapters aS related day after day on
the witness stand. What had been
gen, rally predicted Was tru"--th"lr
minds were we'll made up before they
left the. court room. W. +. burgess.
Il square, jawrd man. with an earnest
face. was elected foreman.
They ballntcd and il was II" sur
prise. they afterwards declared. mat
all voted alike. They prayed that
l.. in ri N 4