The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-24
actors in the tragedy was no other
than Henry Beattie himself.
Thousands of the Morbld.

Thousands of the Morbid.
thousands of people locked 10 the
scene OF the murder on the Midlothian
ROAD yesterday People searched
every men OF the ground in the road
and surrounding fields for anv scran
'r souvenir. Motor cars passed and
rapasscd In front OF the Loving home
where the coroner's inquest was held
ana the owen mouse, near Forest Hill
where the body was taken. Peonle
i;azed at the darkened windows Of tba
cattle home on Porter Street, ana
ell day knot OF idlers stood In front
}f the Henr!co jail. discussing every
phasc oil the case. It was the one
topic OF discussion everywhere in
Eohmond yesterday Several minis
lcrs mentioned II in their sermons
and while expressing no view as to
The guilt of the accused many took
occasion to point a moral Men rcao
every scrap OF the evidence with hard
set faces. wondering that there could
Ne in an enlightened country any
creature that could do such deed
Women read every line of Il. The
Younger women spoke of the Ave.
weeks-old infant crying in the might
and with no language but cry"
older women looked misty and were
thankful that young Beatt!e's mother
mad not lived to see him in jail under
such q charge.
Dlgnined silence.
The Owen family maintains It's POI
sltion Of dignined silence. allowing
the course OF justice 10 proceed un-
hlmpered. Ben p and Thomas E.
oven. uncles OF the murdered woman.
7ttended each session OF the inquest.
sitting silent and serious behind the
'hmmon weai;h's attorney as the evil
I
Ilrt.
Taking with them the nve-wceks-
old baby. Mr. and Mrs. r. v owen.
Of Dover. Del. went on Saturday
morning 10 Newport News to get away
from the scene OF the crime and the
ofcitement attendant on the coroner's
inquest The grandparents will prob
90 their Delaware home. Beatt!e did
not see his child before they left.
is probable tia; Mrs. Beatt.es pa
cnis VIII stay in Virginia. however.
until after the trial. Mrs r. V Owen
was staying with her daughter at the
home OF her brother-in-law Thomas
J. owen. when the tragedy occurred.
Dir owen came on the next day from,
MS home In Delaware.
Looking Into His Life.
detectives arc continuing their clos.
Futny OF the past life and record
~ Henry Beatt!c Police Cap,a,n
wright, Of ,he Third Precinct, has the
'3me OF another woman-oncc an en-
lloy- Of the Beattge store-who can
'e produced 10 .ebut any testimony
ile defense may offer In regard 10
'iiTacter The young man mas lived
MS lie in South Richmond; at
ended local public schools and a prl-
'fte school in Richmond before enter
ing his fathers business
Inc Bea;;ie family came 10 Virginia
rom Michigan about 1870. and Rob
ct Beatie. the grandfather OF Henry
title Jr.. was soon given political
"''cc under reconstruction admins
'Fhuoh He was once postmaster OF
'n;h Richmond After the death Of
tue elder Beati!e. Il c. Beattie. sr..
amer OF the accused, was postmaster
- Nancheste- and his nephew Paul
Heatte's father was his assistant,
lip has also served in the Man
hester City Council While al
Ways Republican in politics, men
~ al! parties spoke OF him yesterday
nigh minded man, who had served
Vol in public Office and representa-
nus people in the Council: who had
'oine into the community and made
sood, being now substantial prop.
~ owner aud one OF the leading men
~ south Richmond
Built Famous House.
Many years ago II. c. Beattie Sr
hhiit and occupied the handsome coun
rs place near Forest Hill known as
i'undee, which he sold about ten wears
20 TO Ex-Governor Charles r. O'Fer.
an, who made his home there for sew
'rhl years. The house. one of ehe
Handsomest In the section. is now
"wned by j. Preston Carson After
selilng Dundee, Mr.. Beattie erected his
resent home at Coward'n Avenue and
Forter Streets. 1t is one OF the largest
and most handsomely fitted residences
IN South Richmond II. C. Beat;ie, Sr.,
married Miss Bellott. OF Norfolk, who
lied soma years ago.
II the Commonwealth establishes its
'ase at the trial. which SO expected to
hegin at Chesterfield Courthouse late
"a August. 1t VIII show the accused
man to be one OF the most cold -blooded
and deliberate murderers of whom
there is record That any murder
could have been committed, as the
Commonwealth maintains in this case.
almost staggers belief.
Almost Beyond BELIEF.
McCue killed his wife In At Of an
Ecr. Cluverius murdered Lillian Madi-
son with deliberate intent but the wo-
man was not his wife. In the Loving.
i'ywaters and Thaw trials men-not
nomenclature been the victims and the
unwritten law" has been pleaded
IN justification. The Commonwealth
charges young Beattie in this case
with having deliberately planned the
murder for days In advance. 1t Is
charged that he called up and met
lis cousin early in the preceding week.
and asked him TO purchase the gun
and shells. giving Paul money for
both: that he went over on the Sat
rrday night preceding the murder. and
secured the gun and cartridges: that
on the night preceding the tragedy
Young Beattie was out until after mid
night with Beulah Binford, AS TO the
murder proper, the detectives are still
working on the details. but the Com
monwealth theory is that IT was de-
1iberate and without provocation.
Gun COncenfed There