Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-08-22
BEATTIE JURY SECURED.


The following jurymen who are to
decide the fate of II. G, Beattie, jr.,
alleged wife murderer, have been Sc
cured:
N. W. Farley, quarryman. 81 years
old; R. H. Covington, 33 years old;
John D. Dance, 4S years old; E. l..
Wilson, 38 years old; A. L. Fetterolf,
contractor, 81; Irving M. Bass, jr., 80
years cid; V. W. Fuqua, q years old;
W. L. Burgess, 50 years old; NJ. B.
Purdie, 81 years old; J. G. Condrey,
So years old; W. Y Lundy;; So years
old; M. @. Robinson, A years old. A
few minutes before ten O'Clock yesterday
Detective Wrenn and the others OF the
Richmond force came up in machine
with young Beattie safely wedged into
back seatr The prisoners face wore
the unconcerned look Of Joy rider.
A cigarette was between his lips. He
languidly waved hand to few Of his
friends, who hailed him from the lawn.
He was as carefully dressed as If bound
for an afternoon affair at the Richmond
Country Club.
But just for an instant the careless
mask OF indifference which this accused
wife murderer carries without effort
was dropped there atthe entrance to
the courthouse grounds. His father,
Henry Clay Beattie, q grave-faced,
white-haired gentleman much beloved
in South Richmond, met bis boy at the
automobile step, threw his arms about
the young man and kissed him on the
cheek. Young Beattie's lower lip
sagged and be coughed suspiciously;
then he straighened up and the pre-
tense of an amused smile fitted about
his mouth. With the father was
Douglass Bsattle, younger brother OF
the prisoner. Tom and Ben Owen,
uncles of Beattie's murdered wife, sat
with the counsel for the common.
wealth within arms reach OF the pris-
oner and his father and brother.
So far as the defense showed its hand
in the preliminary sparring it may be
guessed that the insanity plea. if en-.
tered at all, will be as q last resort, and
that the sole reliance OF Beattie's law
yers lies in au attempt to establish only
the reasonable doubt" In the minds
of the jury necessary to save their man
from death. The defense seems to be
prepared to carry on a campaign OF
quibbling and exceptions.
Nothing but circumstantial evidence
lies within the power of the prosecu
ton to present, but that is strong.
They have two witnesses, women oil
ill-repute, to be sure, who will testify
to having heard Beattie say four days
before the murder that he would gel
his wife out of the way, and they have
eight young men who happened to be
passing down the Midlothian Turnpike
on the night Of the murder and who
saw an automobile standing on the
exact spot where it was determined
later that the murder had been com
mitted. a woman who answers the
description OF Mrs. Beattie was sitting
in the machine and a man was bend.
ing down by the side Of the gear, ap
parently attempting to remedy a break
But the strongest link of all in the
chain of circumstances will bethe testi
mony of Beulah Binford, Bsattie's
inamorita, through whose mouth, the
states attorney expects to establish the
motive for the murder. She will b
an unwilling witness, it is believed
The one.week- k-old infant son of Henr.
Clay Beattie, jr., on trial at Chester
field, Va, for the murder Of his younl
wife, is iii Dover. The little one va
brought from Newport News, by it
maternal grandparents, Mr.. and Mrs
Robert K. Owen. 1t is with them a
their home at Dover, and it is announ
ced it will remain there during tn
progress OF the trial Of its father TO
his life. NJ, Owen, the grandfather
says it has not yet been decided VIA
the little one will be named.
It, however, will not be called afte
its father, as vas intended before to
murder of the young wife and mother
The grandmother will rear the child
no matter what the outcome of tb
case may be. The grandparents d