The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-14
Defense Reticent, but
Advances No Reason
for Further [ clay.
GRAND JURY WILL
IN DICT TODAY
Proceedings Will Be Purely For
NAL, but Few Witnesses Being
Called-Neither Henry Beat
tie nor Beulah Binford Will
Be Present-Judge Wat
son Presides.

Henry Clay Beattie. Jr. will be in
dicted to-day by the grand jury of the
Chesterfield Circuit Court. and the date
Immediately set for beginning his
trial The pr .ceedings will be entirely
formal. The Indictment has already
been prepared for submission to the
grand jury, and only two or three
witnesses will be introduced. 1t will
not be necessary to so fully into the
case. merely to show that a murder
has been committed and that coro-
ners jury has charged young Beattie
with the crime. That will suffice to
secure the return OF a true bill by
the grand jury. which VIII proceed
with other business before the court
at this term.
1t is the usual custom for the Ches-
terneld court to have Its grand jury
session on the morning OF the first
day OF term. and If it's report of In
dictments is promptly made. the court
that afternoon Will call the docket anu
set the various cases for trial,
State Ready to Begin.
Attorney l.. 0. Wendenburg. for the
prosecution, said last night that the
State would ask that the trial be set
for Thursday or Friday of this week
1T is the purpose of the prosecu-
ton he said, after the Indictment,
to ask for an immediate hearing We
Will suggest calling the case on Thurs
day. or Friday of this week. which will
give ample time for the court officers
TO summon witnesses. 1t has been
our idea that If there should be- any
delay in securing a jury--if II proves
necessary to have a second panel suri-
moned. the result would be that the
jury would be sworn and prepared TO
go right into the case on Monday
morning.
II do not know whae course the
other side will take We will GER
tainly resist any motion fer any kind
of delay 1t has been reported that
they would ask ten days delay We
think that unnecessary. and see no
reason why the trial should not pro-
coed IS soon rs the witnesses are sum
moned--on Thursday in fact, II we are
successful in securing a jury at once.
oiny End Trinl in Ten Days.
Il think the trial Will last a week,
possibly ten days. AS soon as we
material witnesses. the cross eNami-
nation will reveal the line the detense
proposes to take /. of course,
cannot say whether the defense will
place Henry Beattie on the stand or
not We will put on various people TO
whom he made statements regarding
the killing of Mrs. Beattie : 20 show
different times OF the bearded high
wayman, and endeavor to show their
Inconsistency.
LAS to the indictm, nt." continued
Mr. Wendenhurg, the proceedings are
largely formal. Henry Beattie will no.
be taken to Chesterfield tomorrow
1t is unnecessary and we see no rea-
son for taking any risk. He will re-
main in the Henrico Jail until the day
his case is set for trial. when he will
be arraigned, We do not expect to
take Beulah Binford to Chesterfield
at this time. either Her presence
before the grand jury will not be
needed. We Will take Paul Beattie
out in a motor car Monday morning
in case he should be needed, but from
our present view OF the case, X may
not be necessary to have even him
before the grand jury. We expect to
have a true bill returned with little
delay.
Question ri Getting Jury.
While many have preolcted freely
that great difficulty would he expert
enced in securing a jury, the court
officers do not hoi TO this view While
tho crime was committed III -nester-
field. not far from the liu.:ts Of S3u;h
Richmond. the principals all Rich
mend people. ana It Eiay truly be said
that there is NOR interest io the c!sy
than in the county In fast trinl ut
Chesterfield CourthnI use, twelve niles
away, is in itself almost Il change ct
Venue. The first Ianel to be examined
Will show the extent of local praju-
dee and indicate the probahi,!tics OF
securing a jury OF the men who are
summoned the court hrs: examines
each as TO his eligibility The COM
monwealth may then obiec. for cause.
Their the defense may Object for cause
Finally, when j full parcl Of sixteen
men void of objection FOR cause from
either side or from tia court has
been secured. the defense may then
exercise its right of perenpsory chal-
lepge and strike from tha panel the
names of four men without assigning
any cause whatever, Tho remaining
twelve men compose the trial Jury
for the case. IT will. OF course. be
necessary to keep the Jurymen to-
gether from the time they 4.e frst
accepted until the verdict is rendered
and Sheriff Gill is making orange
- for their comfortable treat
\ a nearby farm house
N.@ Not Difficult Matter.
Many attorneys assert that tho pro-
cess OF selecting a jury in sucn a
case has been greatly slmplihed by
recent opinions OF the Virginia SUI
McCue case. y hryman is not necea-
sarily ineligible because he has read
newspaper accounts of the crime and
expressed opinions based on the n.y.
pothesis that the facts there stated
are both true and are all the faeiz
in the case. Such an opinion is regard
Isl