New-York tribune., 1911-11-25
Young Virginian Pays Penalty
for the Murder of His
Wife in the EleC-
trio Chair.
ADMITTED GUILT ON NOV. 9
In Written Statement Says He
Committed Crime and Is Truly
Sorry-Faces Death With
out a Tremor and Is In
stantly Killed by Shock.

his Young wife Louise owen Beatue
although the confession was not made
rub,ic until four hours after he had
Maid the toll exacted by the law He
maintained to the end the remarkable
n.rve he had exhibited since first he
was accused Of killing his wife on the
lonely Midlothian turnpike July Il last
t1is last expression was a smile when he
observed the chair that was 10 l''iiCh
him into eternity.
The confession was made public in the
rotunda OF a downtown hotel by tle
Rev. Benjamin Dennis. one OF the MN
lister, who had labored with Beattie TO
repent AS a matter of fact it WAS
acknowledged by the minister, Beattie
first admitted his guilt November 9' the
dav after he entered the death CELL ana
before the fruitless appeal for a commu-
tation of sentence was made 10 Gov
ernor Mann. It was not until yesterday
that he would agree 10 its being put IN
writing for his signature. Then all hope
that the Governor would intervene was
rope. The extraordinary document 1oi-
lows
T. Henry Clay Beatte, jr., desirous OF
standing rioht before God and man. 90
on the Esd day Of November, 19ll' con
fess my guilt OF the crime cnarge9
AGAINST me. Much that was puohsneo
concerning the details was NOT true Dut
the awful fact, without the narrowing
circumstances, remains.
For this action | am truly sorry, ano,
believing that ! am at peace with goo
and am soon TO pass into His presence
this statement is made.
Beattie's confession was followed by
the following statement by the attend
ing ministers;
This statement was signed in the
presence of the two attending minister's
and is the only statement that can ana
will be made public by them.
Mr. Beattie desired to thank the
many friends for kind letters and eX-
pressions of interest. and the public for
,,ba.-.-er- sympathy was felt or eX-
pressed"
Beattie. it was said, had prepared
much longer confession, but his spirltuai
advisers finally persuaded him 10 give
ont only brief admission Of his guilt.
Gloated Over Notoriety
Beattie's attitude throughout the trial
and the Imprisonment that waited only
ON his death was a study for psychoio-
gist He read the newspapers aVldiy'
Every reference 10 his iron nerve and TO
the fact that he was going 70 the chalr
without acknowledging his crime in the
hone Of saving his aged father further
sorrow. according 10 those VINO We're
with him to the end, seemed to aHord
him supreme satisfaction. Apparently
he olooted over the notoriety Id crime
had brought him.
Even after his confession he main
t.inod his air of bravado What hau'
since November o, been considered s'oi-
cism now Is recognized as cynlclsii''
y remarkable nerve now seems 10 nave
had IT'S basis and support in the knowi-
edge that he was being applauded as
man of Spartan courage and lnneAlole
will.
The secret of his confession was hei1
ipv,oate by the ministers until to-uay'
Not even the broken hearted Ialher
knew, If its existence. friends Of the fam
Nv declare. Not until four hours aIler
he had been pronounced dead IN 'he
death chamber in the state prison were
Beattie's attorneys aware that ne mao
made o clean breast Of his quit WIN
the same intrepidity that had marked
his conduct from the beginning Beatue
went 10 the chair, ana Drought ''0
sordid story TO "a dramatic end
Death Was instantaneous
Tho current that killed Beattie was
turned on at exactly 7:l9 o'clock IhlS
morning. Three distinct and separate
times il was turned on. and at ~"
O'Clock il was shut of. Drs. W. J.
and ST Julien Oppenheimer a minute
later announced that death had been III
Simultaneous. The twenty-five persons In
the death chamber thereupon filed out
and the end Of a long and costly pat
tie for justice had ended
In addition 20 the two physicians there
were gathered in the death house ~heh
Beattie appeared the twelve witnesses
as required by law. the Revs. John j.
Fix and Benjamin Dennis, Major James
D. Woods. superintendent Of the peni-
tentiary: the electrician and four deputy
wardens. The room was flooded with
light from group Of incandescent
lamps set in a low ceiling and a light
that swung on its cord Immediately
above the chair
There was no conversation. The wit
nesses labored under too great q strain
and all. even the hardened prison at
tendants. seemed III al ease and anxious
10 have the grewsOme work over with
The electrician brought board studded
with electric bulbs and laid it across the
arms Of the chair. The lamps blazed
bNghtly. Then in other ways the instru-
ment Of death was tested, and finally. at
signal, attendants went over the ap-
paratus, attaching the deadly electrodes
and testing every strap and clamp.
When the preliminaries We're over
Superintendent Woods accompanied by
two deputies, threw back an iron stud
ded door and started for the death cell
Instantly the death chamber was
plunged IN blackness, with the exception
Of a vivid circle of light from the hooded
ana powerful lamp above the chair The
Chair, an oaken biz of furniture, which,
Continued on second pase