Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-09-02
BEATT|E WITNESSES
UPHOLD DEFENSE
Two Testify to Seeing Man Tallying
With One Accused Husband De-
cIared Killed Wife.

Chesterfield Court House, Va, Aug
3l.--Testimony corroborative of tnel
story told by Henry Clay Beattie, Jrrl
that bearded highwayman killed hisl
wife with a shotgun was introduced
by the defense in the Beattie trial,
when w. r. Holland, who lives IN the
vicinity of the Midlothian tun plke
where the murder occurred, declared
that he had seen bearded man withl
a shotgun there about five hours be
fore the tragedy.
Beattie has declared that mysteri-
Gus highwayman with scraggy beard
killed his wife, and that same scragg-
ly-bearded man, or his counterpart,
stalked into the evidence, gun in hand.
The prosecution closed its case and
the defense caused big surprise by
making Paul Beattie its first witness,
but the real sensation came after Paul
had been subjected to bitter ques
tioning. 1t was nothing more or less
than testimony of the appearance In
the neighborhood of the scene or the
murder for several DAYS of mysteri-
GUS stranger, in every way answering
the description OF the stranger VINO
Beattie says shot his wife. He has not
been seen in the vicinity since the
murder.
The witness who produced this start.
ling testimony was Eugene Henshaw,
a middle-aged dairyman, whose atten.
ton was attracted by the strange.
wild appearance of the man and his
peculiar actions. Il thought maybe he
might be lunatic," said the witness.
Following closely on the heels OF
this witness came another, W. r. Hol-
land. a quarryman, who saw man
answering the same general descrip-
ton within a short distance of the
scene OF the murder on the night 1t
was committed.
He was then carrying single bar
rel shotgun over his shoulder. AL
though both witnesses had seen the
man before, Mr. Holland once and Mr..
Henshaw three times. neither has seen
him since.
Try to Discredit Paul.
The purpose of calling Paul Beat
tie as the first witness for the de-
tense was soon evident, for the young
man, who swore on Monday that Hen
ry had confessed to him that he had
killed his wife, was required to repeat
a part of his testimony that came with
damning force against the accused
husband.
Then he was confronted by the per
sons involved in that testimony and
they were called upon to contradict
his statements fatty.
BY this means, it became apparent,
it was the purpose of the defense to
try to discredit Paul utterly and to
pave the way for the climax of their
defense, the appearance as his own
star witness of Henry Beattie and the
prisoners denial in it's entirety Of his
cousins narrative.
No address to the jury to give a
hint Of the plans of the defense was
made.
Paul Beattie was simply called to
the stand and was asked about his
statement, when on the stand as the
prosecutions star witness, that, while
out riding with Henry Beattie they
had stopped several times to Ak the
lights.
did you tell the man in Vein
STEMS pawn shop that you wanted the
shotgun for your protection in your
work on Mayors bridge?" asked Mr.
Smith. 'No, sir" was the reply.
did you have gun in your pos
session while you worked on the
'bridge?" mo, sir"
did you have a single-barrel shot
gun in your possession on the Sunday
morning before the murder?" mo,
sir"
G. w. Boothe was called into the
room and confronted Paul Beattie.
Look at this man. Mr.. Beattie." said
Mr.. Smith. did you say to him on
the bridge shortly after the murder
that you did not believe Henry Beattie
mad committed the murder because
the relations between Henry and his
wife had always been friendly?" mo,
sir; l saw him there. but didn't say
that"
Paul was then excused and Mr..
Boothe put on the stand. He said that
few mornings after, the murder he
saw Paul Beattie on the bridge. Paul
said to him: What do you think of
Henry"
Il said | scarcely knew what to
think. and asked him what he
thought" continued the witness, and
he said. Well. don't believe Henry
over did the murder; he always seem
ed to love his wife"
On cross-examination the witness
admitted that he was an intimate
friend OF the prisoner. On redirect en-.
animation it was brought out that the