Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-09-07
I EYE WITNESS
Claims to Have Seen Mr..
Beaitie Murdered.
Prosecution Today May Ask 10
Have lha Case Re opened.
Release of Beulah Binford Today
Is Also Probable.

Is ALSO fIO1dptSs
Richmond, Va, Sept Gall plans
of the prosecution in the case of Henry
Clay Beattie on trial for the murder
of his wife. may be changed as the
result of letter received tonight by
Commonwealth Attorney Wenden-
burg from a man vino claims to nave
been an eye witness to the killing of
Louise Owen Beattie. Mr.. Wendenburg
states that he may ask the court to-
morrow TO reopen the case for the in
PRODUCTION of the new evidence before
the final address to the jury.
Mr.. Wendenburg refused TO diVulge
the name Of the alleged eyewitness.
but said investigation today had PROV
ell that the man had been employed as
a farm hand near the scene of the
crime
In his letter the man says he saw
an automobile stop and heard a man
and woman quarreling. Then the
man attacked the woman with the
stock of shot gun and this act was
followed by the report of a gun.
Numerous letters have been received
by the commonwealth from persons
claiming TO have witnessed the muir
der, but none of them has been given
such serious consideration by the pros
ecutor as this.
Richmond, Va, Sept G.--While
counsel for both sides in the trial Of
Henry c. Beattie, Jr. conferred with
Judge William a. Watson here today,
concerning the legal basis for argu-
ments tomorrow at Chesterfield Court
house, detectives for the common
wealth investigated a charge that
Beulah BinfOrd. the so-called girl in
the case. was an accessory before the
fact.
The prosecution applied TO Judge
Watson to delay the release of the
girl from custody at least until to-
morrow. Judge Watson was informed
that if the investigation was success
full the Binford girl might be arrested
and indicted as an accessory.
Judge Watson today received
telegram from a man in Chicago adj
vising that Paul Beattie, cousin of
"
the Chicagoan declaring he would
come to Chesterfield Court House to
| testify if 1t was so desired.
Detective L. l. Scherer. who has
| been chief in working up the case OF
| the prosecution, tonight repudiated any
such purpose as to Beattie, but said
| that the investigation as to the Bin
| ford girl had not been completed.
Il do not attach much Importance TO
! it." said Scherer, land it is quite prob
able that Beulah Binford will be re-
leased tomorrow. Yet we are work
| ing on the information and will con-
tinue to do so regardless of her re-
| lease tomorrow or the verdict in the
case"
| Detective Seherer made this statement
| Immediately after leaving the county jail
| tonight, where he talked with the Bin
! ford girl. The latter fretted at her long
detention and accused the prosecution of
connivanee in preventing her from testi-
flying because they knew she could get
a bigger contract on the stage" If she
had been allowed to take the stand. When
she learned of the investigation made to-
day she was greatly irritated, as she had
| hoped to gain her freedom tomorrow. The
| report on which the investigation was
based came first in a telegram from the
West which alleged that Beulah had
knowledge of plans for the tragedy.
In Jail today the Binford girl. on learn
ing that Henry Beattie had declared he
hoped to eat dinner with his family on
next Sunday. exclaimed:
.Td give a million dollars to see him
do it,"
The argument over the instructions o
I be given to the jury occupied tnree hours
today. The instructions are brief and
will not be made public until told to the
jury tomorrow. They are similar, howev-
er, to those given In the famous murder
case against Mayor McCue of Charlottes-
Vile, Va, six years ago, when the Viz
ginia supreme court set a precedent in
determining not TO thrust aside what it
regarded as an evidently fair verdict
merely on legal technicalities.
The conference today took place in
a law library here and ponderous vol
umes were heaped on the table while
counsel argued.
Judge Watson declared tonight that
after delivering the instructions to the
jury tomorrow he intended to suggest
TO counsel the completion of the argu-
ments by tomorrow night and that il
the jury did not appear to be very ia
tIgued he would ask them to retire al
one and find a verdict. 1t is not con-
sidered likely, however, that the law
yers will be able to finish their sum
ming up tomorrow and it is expected
that they will be continued over until
Friday morning. 1t is now quite GER
tain that the case will go to the jury
not later than Friday noon.
]. NJ. Gregory, the commonwealth at
toruey. will open the case for the
prosecution and will be followed by
Attorneys Harry NJ Smith, Jr., ana
Hill Carter for the defence, the con-
Guiding speech being made by l.. y.
Wendenburg of the prosecution
Henry Clay Beattie. Jr, spent the
day resting in his cell while counsel
conferred with Judge Watson In Rich
mond.
AS the time for the rendering of YER
dict drew nearer the spirits of the pris-
oner were Increasingly cheerful He was