The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-05
MAKES MANY DENIALs.
Beattfe UndergOes Severe Cross Exam
ination by the Prosecntion.

Chesterfield Courthouse, Va. Sept. 5.
Through six weary hours in a
| crowded and stuffy courtroom, Henry
Clay Beattie, jr., indicted for the mur-
der of his wife, battled for his life
! Monday. Evening shadows alone in
1 terrupted a vigorous cross -examina-
ton by the commonwealth, Judge
Wotson ending the ordeal by ad-
! journing court until today, when Pros
ecutor L. O. Wendenburg will con-
tinue his questions.
The prisoner, by request of the pros
ecution, stood up to full length and
| donned the blood stained coat that he
wore the night of the murder and at
tempted to explain why blood had not
fecked certain portions of the gar
ment if his wife was reclined against
him in the way he described.
Requested by his attorney to Estate
what happened after you started in the
ride with your wife the night of the
murd err" he said:
I'VE were in the Owen house about
three-quarters of an hour I then took
prescription from DR. Mercer to be
filed. We went down the Midlothian
turnpike to Il drug store"
WAS your wife in a good humor?''
Eyes, 1 paid for the prescription.
bought some candy for my wife and
got into the car and headed up the
Midlothian pike. Just as we got to
Mr.. Owens house and prepared to re-
turn my wife suggested that we take
a little spin
We'll, What happened ?"
Three cars passed. One was going
fast, about 40 miles an hour. I was
running slowly
The last thing I can remember be-
fore we turned around was a row of
cedar trees, which my wife said would
make good Christmas trees and the
gate where we turned
.tState what happened then
About three-quarters of a mile or
mile from where we turned we were
going along easy when a man came
from the left hand side of the road
He was so close to me that I had to
put on the brake so as not to hit him
He asked me if I was going to hit him
and 1 said 1 had plenty of room.
The Shooting.
''I then put on the low gear and
reached over to take the brake. He
pointed the gun at me and said Stop
or I'll shoot l didn't want to aggra-
vate him, so I said nothing. AS
touched the clutch he fired and my
wife fell back of me-
She fell between your back and
the back of the seat?"
Yes. In the space of a moment
jumped out of the car and started to-
ward him. He raised the gun to hit
me I caught the gun as it hit me on
the nose. He let loose and being over
balanced, I fell back. There has been
something said about blood on the
gun. Tom Owen said my face was
bloody. 1 picked up the gun and the
man ran uO the road
Why did not you follow the man -
well, after getting the gun and
seeing him running up the road, my
next thought was for my wife. She
was lying on the left hand side of the
car. L had to step on her dress to
get in. I felt of her pulse, but I
knew 1 could lot tell being excited.
whether she was dead or living.
hollered Murder and help and blew
the horn. but knowing there was
doctor at Tom Owens. I seated my
wife on the left seat
Her head dropped forward and
holding her with one hand, I ran the
car with the other. A little way down
the lights went out. I fixed my wife in
the seat and jumped out to fix the
lights. I realized then I had no coat
on I then lit the lamps and went on
to Mr.. Ovens house,