The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-08-29
PROGRESS MADE
BYPROSEcUT|ON
Commonwealth Drawing Mel
Around Beaitie
CHIEF DETECTIVE ON STAND
Tries to Prove Underlying Motive In
Murder Was Fear That Elder Beat
tie Would Learn OF Renewal OF Re-
lafions With Beulah Binford and
Young Beattie's Physical Condition.

Chesterfield Court House. Aug. 2S.--
Considerable progress was made Sat
urday by the prosecution in the case
OF Henry Clay Beattie. Jr., who Is on
trial for his life charged with the
murder of his young wife at lone
ly spot on the Midlothian turnpike last
month. A number of important wit
nesses, including one of the detectives
who has been prominent in the case
from the beginning and several boys,
the prosecutions strong cards, were
heard.
There were many tense moments
for the prisoner as the prosecution,
though the testimony of Detective
L. L. Scherer. particularly uncovered
fragments OF conversation which he is
alleged to have had with Beattie con-
corning Beulah Binford, the girl in the
case. Plainly evident was the hand
OF the prosecution in endeayoring to
show the underlying motive for the
murder, the fear OF Henry Clay Beat
tie. Jr.. that his father might learn
OF the resumption of relations with
the Binford girl and the alleged ply
sicial aiiment Of Beattie at the time
Of the murder. The court, in fact.
discerning the intention of the prose-
cution TO unfold this part of the mys-
terry, asked permission from the law
yers OF both sides TO defer the discus
sion Of this point on the stand until
another occasion when other witnesses
including Dr. Mann, whose informa-
ton in this connection was stricken
out four days ago, might be recalled.
The Commonwealth drew tight the
lines OF cIrcumstantial evidence when
it brought to the stand consecutiyely.
a half dozen youths who were return
ing from a dance on the night OF the
murder and stopped at the spectacle
OF the stationary car. the man work
ing on the. hood and the woman
standing on the running board. One
or the boys. W. B. sydnor. identified
the Beattie car. brought to the court
house for a first inspection by the
jury. as the identical one. both as to
make and fittings that he and his
companions spied thai night.
Close upon this was Detective
Sherer's narrative Of Beatiie's incon-
sistent and varying conversations
with him in endeayoring TO explain
the presence Of the pool Of blood In
the road. Detective Sherer's testi-
mony laid the foundations for the fu-
ture contention Of the prosecution
that Beatfie shot his wife, while
standing either on the running board
or in the roadway and that the pool
Of blood did not, ooze through the
fooi-bosrds or lower part Of the ma
chine but resulted from Mrs. Beat
ties fall when shot near the car.
Besides pointing to the cumulative
testimony Of the boys as TO the pres.
ence Of Beattie and his wife on the
secluded road. the prosecution
through r. b. Adams. another boy
scored a point when the youth told
Of seeing a man alone beside a ma.
chine similar to the Beattie car OF
the selfsame road three hours before
the murder is supposed 70 have hap
pened. Adams testimony bore oui
the charges o. the prosecution thai
Beattie codid have brought the shot
gun obtained from Paul Beattie 4
the place where a few hours latel
be conducted his. Inflated wife.
The Commonwealth let Il be knowf
outside he court room, too. that 1
had discovered a witness, a negr,
lamed wilkes who would testify tina
he saw the two machine loads o
boys a. we'll as Beatiie and his VIII,
but no other vehicle or person alons
the road II that hour BY this testI
mony Il Is apparently hoped 10 quasi
Beatiie's story Of the bearded high
wayman.
gcherer sat calmly in the witness
chair setting forth q narrative Of hi
actlciiy, saying In part:
mr. Beattie asserted 10 me tina
while bending over the brakes. fhi
highwayman had fired He said tina
Mrs. Beattie dropped over 70 tn
rlgh. or on hk left shoulder. tina
the man stepped to the rear Of tn
machine and meeting Beattie IN n
rear. the man struck grazing blox
In the meantime his wife had fal
len, be said. 10 the front Of the car
Beattle said be held his wife on the lef
seat and took her 10 Mr. Tom Owen Il
that position. driving with one hand
! asked Mr.. Beattie where the maj
then WENT Up the road or IN III
woods He answered uncertainty.
u asked Mr. Beattie OF his rela
tons with Beulah Binford and az &
whether bis wife knew that BeuIal
Blnford was back Ii Richmond an
he said, merely that she did II
stated thai be and bis wife had no
quarreled then and that they neye
had a cross word
was there anything said about hi
wife knowing the relations betweel
Beattle aud Beuiah Binfordy. aske,
Prosecutor wendenburg.
Il asked Mr. Beattie Of his wifi
knew about his relations with BeIIal
BInford before the marriage and b
said yes"