Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-11-25
Young Virginian Dies in
Electric Chair at Dawn
Unshaken; Death Was
. Almost instantaneous.
PASTOR ENTREATS
HIM TO CONFESS
Plea That He Must Not Go
Before Maker With Lie
on Lips Brings Admission
of Brutal Murder.

~kO ~ AAAi6O = ASsAAAAAAsAASA4
of Brutal Murder.
Richmond, Va, Nov, "a. Henry Clay
Beattie. Jr., was electrocuted in ths
state penitentiary at 7:23 a. M One
minute after the shock he was pro-
nounced dead. He went to the death
chair unshaken. iiS4
Throughout the forenoon the city
had been rent with rumors that
Beattie had confessed. These were
denied at the penitentiary where In
connection with the announcement or
death, 1t was said the condemned man
had made no statement. Tho attend
ing ministers would not discuss the
case until they had visited Beattie's
parents in South Richmond and had
secured their permission to make the
confession public.
The confession evidently was made
at the eleventh hour, when Beattia
finally became convinced that all hops
Of escaping the electric chair had
passed. i, i.Y I, II W 81 I
Two days ago, the Rev. DR.. Fix an.
nounced that Beattie said he would
not confess. This was ascribed to the Z
fact that Beattie desired to- spare hia
father the blow Of admitting guilt af'
ter his many protestations Of limo
npucA tO tf0 aged nQrpnt FtE 8fll $sl&i 4
There was fight between hlial de 4
votion and = desire not to 60 to hi
death with q lie on his lips. He wal
urged to confess by his spiritual ad'
visers and at last broke down.
Twelve Witness Execution.
In a down pour Of rain, the twelve
witnesses to the execution toiled
through the murky dawn up the hill
where the .penitentiary looks down
upon the city. They were quickly con-
Quoted single file through gates OF steel
bars to the chamber where Beattie was
conversation.
Within the chamber all was in readi-
ness. The chair, solid structure Of
oak would ordinarily have appeared
like the chairs seen In libraries.
In the somberly bare chamber, how
ever, it was sinister.
Straps dangled from It's arm and
back and shining steel clamps appear.
ed In the light of the electric light
tentacles outstretched to clasp q vic.
tim.
Beattie Bears Up Till Last.
Beattie passed q fairly peaceful
night although his sleep was broken.
When he arose this morning. ho
dressed with his usual care and ate
sparingly. He did not appear either
nervous or apprehensive, although he
was necessarily under the eyes OF his
guards who had redoubled their vigil
ance in the final moments 80 that tho
law might not be cheated,
During the reading of the death
warrant the doomed man maintained
his composure. He stood without .
tremor. @
AS the superintendent finished, ne
swayed, butt SO imperceptibly that he
might have been shifting his weight
from one foot to the other. When the
deputy wardens fell in on either side
OF him he bowed his head moment.
He said simply as the death march
was begun, II am ready, gentlemen =
Silence In Death Chamber.
The witnesses were seated six
abreast In an angle of the room They
shuffled their feet uneasily and when
one leaned forward to speak to another
his action was received with frowns.
Major Wood with two deputy war.
dens, addressed the witnesses, going
through some small formalities de-
manded by law. Then, with his two
men trooping behind he passed out
into the building where Beattie awaited
the summons in his cell adjoining.
In the death chamber the voice 81
the warden could be heard plainly
reading the doomed man the final sum.
mons. The wardens voice droned on,
to the witnesses 1t seemed intermin-
ably. In reality this compliance with
the law occupied only brief moment.
Then, with Beattie between them, the
deputy wardens began their progress
toward the chair, only a few feet
away.
Shock Causes Instant Death.
When the procession, followed BY
Superintendent Wood started. signal
was given which plunged the death
chamber into blackness, save for
single light Immediately over the
chair. This was so hooded that 1t out
lined the chair in circle Of blazing
Continued on Page 81