The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1911-09-14
& M GuNIM@ KILLING W0A MRH &GEH ME GUILTY @ E6 YEARS SHORT TERM COURT
VIRGINIA JURY SENDS WIFE SLAYER TO
TO ELECTRIC CHAIR
TO DIE ON NOVEMBER "a.
After Deliberating % Minutes the
jury Returns Verdict Against
Young Beattie. CONDEMNED Man
Defiant.

jury returns Verdict Against
Young Beattie. CONDEMNED Man
Defiant.
Chesterfield Court House, Va,
Sept. 8. - Sentenced to die in the
electric chair for the Staying of
his beautiful young wife, Henry
Clay Beattie, Jr., now bases his
hopes on an appeal to the Court
of Appeals which convenes sixty
days hence.
The verdict of the jury was un-
expected and when Clerk Cogbill
said: Henry Clay Beattie, Jr.
you anything to say why sentence
of death should not be passed on
you?' no one thought that he
would not soon be free.
The court has no desire to say
anything that would disturb your
peace of mind" said Judge Wat
son in the beginning the sentence
as Beattie stood up.
Il have leaned always to the side
of The defense, and | have earnest
ly hoped that this young man would
be able to bring evidence to show
his innocence and eXculpate him
self, That was my wish and
hoped for such because it would
nave DlOIleu out a DlaCk page III
the history of this community.
The jury says you are guilty of
murder in the first degree, and the
judgement of the court therefore
is that on November "a you shall,
between sunrise and sunset, have
your life taken in the manner pre-
scribed by law, and may the Lord
have mercy on your soul"
\ Deep Disappointment.
1T is a deep disappointment that
the evidence has turned out as it
has. The jury has been governed
solely by conscientious devotion to
duty. A jury of your peers have
called you giilty. l regret that this
was necessary. AS young man
you had much that young men de-
sire. You have youth, health, a
family and freedom from fear of
poverty. 1t is sad that such a
prospect should be changed by
shame, disgrace and crime"
AS the lean, kindly-faced judge
! finished, Beattie turned and grasp
ed his aged father by the hand,
but there was no sign of weaken
ing in this youth, doomed to die
| by Il verdict o. his peers for the
cowardly Staying of his young wife
and the mother of his newly born
baby.
AS aged Sheriff Gill tapped him
on the shoulder he turned and, with
a slight smile PLAYING on his lips
followed the official tG the jail,
where it is likely he must rem&in
until that day in November, OF
soon thereafter the blighting flash
of electricity will wipe out his
life in punishment for the inno-
cent life he took.
Beattie even to-day maintained
his nerve, and the ja;lerS say he
slept we'll.
1t was all the old father could
do to keep from breaking down,
and his parting from his son was
the only heart-rending incident in
the tragic event.
Following the sentence, Judge
! Watson, on motion of Beattie's at
torneys, granted a stay execution of
ninety days to allow an appeal to
the higher courts.
Persons who have followed the
| trial closely believe this is a for
lorn hope.
The rendering of the verdict in
the historic little court house was
dramatic in the extreme.
The youth was led back to the
little prison, after listening to this
in his stole way He stopped to
light a cigarette as he stepped out
of the court Then there was
rush of congratulating friends to
Prosecutor Wendenburg and to the
jurymen. The battle Of the Prose
cutor and the verdict of the IL
farmers were beyound all question
popular.
I'VE did not need even as much
time as we took" the jurors vol
unteered. When-we went upstairs,
Bi other Blankenship led us in
p aver, while we all knelt on the
dusty floor. We are all church.
going men. He is a deacon. He
prayed that God might give us
light to do justice to this boy and
to the State of Virginia.
After the prayer we took sec
ret ballot, writing our verdict on
unsigned slips of paper. Mr.. Far
ley, the foreman, examined these,
and found that every one was
marked Guilty
Believed Cousins Story.
Then we had a little talk about
the evidence and the judges in
structions. We all agreed in be-
lieving the story of Beattie's cou-
sin. Paul, that he had bought the
gun for Henry. We agreed that
this was the same gun found near
the scene of the crime.
I'VE agreed that Henry's love
for Beulah Binford was the motive
for killing his wife, and we agreed
finally that his story about the
highwayman with a beard holding
him up and shooting his wife was
impossible to believe.
Beattie was left tonight in the
little old jail here, closely guard
ed lest he endeavOr % save him
self from the electric chair by
suicide