Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-09-07
CHARGE
BEATTIE JURY
Regarding the Reasonable
Doubt Feature 1t Was Fay-
OrabIe to the Accused.
ATTORNEYS SUM UP
Prisoner Present TO Hear
the Closing Arguments--Is
Confident of Acquittai.

I Special By United Press Wire.
! Chesterfield Court House, Sept. q:
The final fight by Henry Clay
Beattie, Jr., to escape punishment on
the charge of wife murder, came to-
day when Judge Watson instructed
the jury, and counsel on both sides
summed up the case The eXpecta-
tiOns were that the case would 90 to
the jury late this evening. although
additional time may be asked by tbs,
counsel.
Judge WatsOn's charge to the jury
was guarded in his statement of the
case, but the general impression was
that it slightly favored the prisoner.
The judge dwelt particularly on the
question Of reasonable doubt. Beat
tie himself seemed to regard charges
favorable to him. The accused man
WINGED at the bitter denunciation of
Attorney Gregory, who summed up
for the prosecution, but frightened
up when Hill Carter, his principal
attorney, pictured him "an amiable.
peaceful young man incapable of the
fendish, cold-blOoded crime of which
he is charged"
With firm head, held high, Beattie
entered the court room this morning
TO hear the final argument in his
case. A larger crowd than usual
was on hand, and there were more
women in the court room than had
appeared since the beginning of the
trial Judge Watson began his in
structiOn to the jury.
after viewing the law of murder"
he said, 'in a case where the COM
mOnwealth endeayors to prove the
guilt Of the accused, the evidence
proved must show that circumstances
and all Of them are inconsistent with
every reasonable hypothesis, except
his guilt" On this point, the ques-
+ ton of reasonable doubt, the charge
I was favorable to the accused. While
the points were presented, Beattie
watched the jury carefully and had
animated conferences with his father
and counsel.
The Commonwealth Attorney
Gregory arose to make the opening
argument Tor the prosecution. He is
an olG-fashioned lawyer, a Confeder-
ate veteran Thou shalt not XIII.
says the Scripture" he said. "On I
DARK night, on a lonely road, .a47rrs
handed assassin stained the highwa-
. of this community Win the blood O.
/ an innocent woman. and I am pro
/ posed 10 show YOU that this man, the
I husband OF that innocent woman,
was the only one that could, the only
one that did, commit that foul muir
/ der. There was no other man there, -
he summed up, only the prisoner.
4 I1 alma had h1 nc an
/ portunity OF committing this helIfsh
/ crime" "
If information which came to the
hand of CommonweaIth's Prosecutor
Louis Wendenburg proves to be true
Judge Watson viii at his request al
low the commonwealth to reopen its
case and put on the stand an eye wit
ness TO the killing Of Mrs. Beattie on
the night of July 1S
So strongly does the prosecutor be-
heye in the truth Of the information
that he has wired the authorities OF
another city to cooperate with a law
yer there in the examination Of a man
who states that he witnessed the mur-
der
Wendenburg will hear from these
authorities whether or not the vOlun-
teer witness Is thought to be telling
the truth If a favorable report is re
ceived the witness will be hurried to
Chesterfield Court House and viii 60
on the stand Immediately to confront
the prisoner who. he says in a confes-
sion to Wendenburg, shot Mrs. Beattie
before his eyes.
Writer Willing to Testify.
50 closely do the circumstances Of
the murder narrated by this self con
fessed eye witness tally with the
theories held by the prosecution, but
as yet unverifed. that if the witness
Is brought TO testify Wendenburg viii
move for the ezhumatiou Of Mrs.
Beattie's body in order that physical
facts may corroborate the story Of
the witness.
i write this because my conscience
will no longer allow me to be still"
were the first words of the letter. -
saw Henry Beatue kill his wife. the
letter continued and [ have kept my
mouth shut TO this miuuce because I
was afraid. But I do not want him
. to escape punishment and now ara
willing to come TO testify to what
know If you want me-
4 was employed by Mr.. CWenden-
burg withholds the namel. who is
farmer and who has a farm near tie
Midlothian turnpike in Chesterfield
county, not far from South Richmond.
was farm hand on the evening of
July IS last when a COW belonging 10
Mr.. - strayed and was out to hunt
for 1t