The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-04
.DEATTIE SPARED
THIRD DEGREE
INVESTIGATORS IN CASE HAVE SUB
JEcTED HIM TO NO EEK
ANIMATION.
INTERVIEWED BUT ONCE
PAUL BEATTIE AND BULAH BIN
FORD HAVE ALSO BEEN GIVEN
COsTDERATIoN BY THE
. DETECTIVES.

tncarcerated in the Henrico County
jail on the night of July %, accused
OF firing the shot which made him a
widower. has not been cross examined
by detectives or even questioned by
the investigators during his soJourn
behind cell bars.
As an evidence OF the confidence of
the detectives that the string Of CIR
evidence woven about
Beattie will send him to the electric
chair to pay with his life for the al
legged murder of his wife this atti-
tude OF the investigators In refrain
ing from even trying TO learn some
thing from the accused Is regarded
as most convincing.
1t has been decided by attorneys for
the prosecution and the detectives that
the inquisition known In police par
lance as "the third degree" and it is
more than probable that Beattie will
not again be questioned concerning the
crime.
Students of crime and its detection
assert that the solution or partial So
luton of the Beattie murder mystery
by detectives. who did not find It nee
essary even once to sweat the sus-
pected murderer, is to go on police
records as one Of the most ably con-
history OF the nation.
Prosecution 10 Confident.
IL Is well-known in police circles that
in murders where suspicion falls on
one man and he is placed under ar
rest the evidence which finally Gull
inmates in his conviction is generally
obtained from his own lips but 1t liz
the confident assertion or the prosecu-
ton in this case that Beattie can be
~.
not open his lips.
While the attorneys and detectives
working for the prosecution unhesitat-
ingiy declare that the evidence they
have gathered is sunlcient TO send
Beattie to the chair, they confess mat
the real story Of the murder, IL Beattie
is guilty. can be learned but from one
person, Beattie himself The detectives
admit that Beattie alone knows what
transpIred In lonely Midlothian turn
pike near midnight on July IS, and
unless he chooses to tell. the story of
that grewsome crime viii never be
known.
II Beattie maintains Innocence az
ter being proven guilty and goes to
the electric chair with sealed lips no
one Will ever know what happened
from the time he left the Owen home
for the automobile ride with his wife
night until more than an nour later
when he drove into the front lawn of
the house at break neck speed, shout
ing Shes dead. My God. She's dead
Satisfied that previous and subse-
quent events will terminate In con-
siction of the suspect without learn
ing what transpired during the auto
mobile ride the detectives have made
no effort to learn the story of the ride
rFlrr Ant Cd.
pronounced him murderer OF his wife
and ordered him held for the action OF
the grand jury.
E<sapcs Third Degree"
That is why Beattie has escaped
the third degree which Is feared
by every criminal In the land, and
which. when applied by capable men,
IS almost infaiiibie as a method of
breaking down the defense OF any
nan and forcing him to make clean
breast of his wrong-doing.
None but the most sagacious detec-
I've could have woven the web of cir
evidence. 1t is stated.
without resorting to @the third de-
gree" and the credit of this skillfui
handling of the famous murder re-
lects credit on Detectice Luther l..
Scherer. who has been conducting the
= Investigation
Detective Scherer first became in
'oived In the case a few hours after
he murder was committed when
members of the Owen family request
~ him. to come to the house and as
'ist In tratfShg tie supposed muir
ierer with bloodhounds. At the ur-
rent request of members OF the dead
yiri's family. Mr. Scherer remained on
he case for several days, and then.
n p he - a.
md with the consent of the Chester
ield county and Richmond authori-
les, was placed in charge Of the TN
which position he will
continue to occupy until the trial.
One Interview.
Detective Schercr has found II nec-
.Asary. to- Question Beattie but oncs.
md that was on Thursday afternoon
GLOWING the murder. With Detec-
ives Wiltshire. Wren and FARRELL. Mr..
'cherer Intercepted Beattie for some
ime, the quartette sitting on the grass
a tree on the lawn in front
II the home OF Coroner Loving. This
did not assume the form
II cross examination. and in no
way resembled the third degree"
MIR. Scherer merely asked Reattie
low the murder was committed, how
he murderer escaped. what the man
coked like and similar questions That
10 rough words were used and no
lard feeling caused by this interview
vas apparent at Its termination, when
3eattie and Mr.. Scherer arose and
walked away together. laughing and
alking like two friends, the elder
mans arms encirciing the shoulders
Il the suspected husband.
Beatti0 came In for quite a severe
.riilinE at the inquest when Prose-
,uting Attorney l.. O. WsndenburE
hot questions from every angle at
he alleged murderer. but Beattie sue
Yraf qfieStfI0ffs ana cofmiipfstafy baf-. IT
led the lawyer. Then Beattie was
placed In the cell and he has not
ince been molested.
In many large cities where the po-
fee. recognize no limit In fathoming
he bottom OF serious crime. Beattie
would have been ''sweated''
nd cross examined 20 vigorously that
" this time he probably would have
'roken down under the ordeal, and n
. guilty man. confessed the crime or
vhich he II suspected.
Mr.. Scherer's diplomatic tactics
ave extended to Bulah Binford ana !
'aul D. BeAttie. and It was learned
ast night that since the imprison-
nent Of the three. Paul Beattie has
ot been questioned once. The de-
ectives believed from the first the
tory told BY Paul to the effect that
70 purchased the shotgun for Henry
lay Beattie. Jr.. and they have re-
rained from questioning the teIl-tale
ousin farther.
1t Ii true that both Attorney Wen |
enburG and Detective Scherer have |