The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1911-09-05
BEATTIE'S LIFE
BATTLE FOUGHT
With OBSTINACY
Accused Wife Slayer Describes
Sordid Details of His
Illicit Love
Dramatic Incidents Accompany
Trial in Chesterfield Court
House
Alleged Attack by Highwayman
and Wild Ride in Auto
Narrated Again

WI SA~1
CHESTERFIELD COURTHOUSE, Va,
Sept. Through six weary hours in
q crowded and stuffy courtroom, Henry
Clay Beattie Jr.. indicted for killing
his wife, battled for his life today.
Evening shadows alone interrupted
vigorous cross examination by the
commonwealth. Judge Watson ending
the ordeal by adjourning court until
tomorrow. when Prosecutor Wenden-
burg will continue his questions.
A lone figure was young Beattie in
the crowd that surrounded him on all
sides, even windows and trees COM
manding the courtroom being thick
with staring faces. The prisoner sat
for hours, his manner cool and col
lected, unfolding the sordid details OF
his relations with Beulah Binford, II
years old, for whom the prosecution
alleges Beattie killed his bride of
year.
Not only the orgies of the four years
before his marriage and those that
preceded the homicide, but the grew
some tale of the alleged attack by
'highwayman, the wild ride to the Owen
home at So miles an hour. with the life
less bloody body of his wife in the
machine beside him, was given to the
jury in all its detail. The prisoner,
by request of the prosecution, stood
UP and donned the blood stained coat
that he wore the night of the murder
and attempted to explain why blood
had not flecked certain portions of the
garment if his wife were reclined
against him in the way he described.
Wife'S Clothes Burned
The clothes of the dead woman were
burned just before the arrest OF Beat
tie. and as more than once there was
occa sion to refer to them, Prosecutor
Wendenburg exclaimed:
I wish to God we had them here
Beattie answered questions readily
in an even voice and without emotion.
Except for the nervous lingering of
his handkerchief and the characteristic
vibration of muscles in his cheeks, he
sat like a schoolboy, expressionless, as
he narrated the story of the crime.
In no essential did his version of the
affair today differ from that which he
gave at the coroner's inquest or that
to which the defense through its wit
nesses hitherto has clung.
The prosecution in its cross. examina-
tion gave particular attention to two
points in the previous testimony of the
prisoner. If the accused had, on the
night of the murder, a light fastened
to the rear of the machine, why could
he not see the fleeing highwayman to
the rear Of the car? Or, If the prisoner
had grappled with the assassin and
succeeded in wrestling the shotgun
from him, falling to the ground at the
same time on the sudden release of the
weapon from the highwayman's hands,
why did the highwayman fee with
Beattie at his feet on the ground?
questions ARE UNANSWERED
These questions the prisoner did not
prosecution will hammer away at them
anew
Denial after denial came from the
lips of the prisoner as Prosecutor Wen
denburg questioned him concerning the
alleged purchase of a shotgun for him
by his causin, Paul Beattie. on the Sat-
urday before the murder and the testi-
mony of the latter as to the confession,
in which Henry is alleged to have ex-
claimed
Il wish to God I hadn't done it. 1
would not do it again for a million dol
lars
Beattie disclaimed any connection
with the purchase of the gun and
knowledge of the transfer of any gun
by Paul to him, declaring he never saw
the fatal shotgun until the night 1t was
raised by the highwayman on the Mid
lothian turnpike.
That 1t was his wife who suggested
the ride on the Midlothian turnpike
after they were nearing the Owen home
on their return from the drug store.
where they went to get prescription
filed, was the statement of the prfs-
oner, but when Prosecutor Wendenburg
asked the accused Ii he would have
taken his wife riding even If she had
not suggested ''the spin," Beattie ad-
mitted that his mind was not made up
at that time.
INFLUENCE OF BEULAH BINFORD
The influence of Beulah Binford on
the case was conspicuous throughout
the day. Counsel for the defense twitted
the prosecution for not putting the girl
on the stand.
Attorney Smith Of the defense said
that he never had opportunity to speak
with her, as she was kept incommuni-
cado in JAIL whereat Judge Watson, in
Surprise declared the defense would
have every opportunity to confer with
the girl.
Counsel for the defense said he
washed his hands of the girl.
The prisoner deprecated the idea that
he IL any way loved the girl. The
prosecution. however, insisted that in
the week before the murder three OF
Beattie's evenings had been given to
the Binford girl. as we'll as the night
before the homicide, all of which the
lraiIia ed