The Washington times., 1911-08-21
BEATTIE ENTERS
NOT GUILTY PLEA
Accused Murderer of His Wife Is Overcome and Sinks
Into Seat by Side of His Father After Answer
ing Call of the Court
ain carter asked II his opinion was q

Hill Garter asked II MS opinion was
my opinion is not a decided one"
said Farley. He was now passed for
cause, and unless, later, the defense
4 peremptorily challenges him, he Will De
W. N. Jackson was the next venire-
man quizzed. He had read the news
papers closely, he said.
do you believe everything you read
II don't" said Jackson, and ripple
| of laughter among the forty or more
newspaper men at the trial followed.
Mr. jackson had. he said. a previous
opinion about the defendants quit or
Gould you go into this trial feeling
| this man innocent till proven guilty?"
asked Judge Watson.
II think I would be biased" said the
you may stand aside then" said the
| court.
r. Henry Covington was different
from the two preceding yeniremen; men,
much, he said, had formed no opinion,
would give the prisoner a presump-
! tion OF innocence, had no conscien-
tious scruples again capital punish
At this rate, though IT is early to
make a prediction. The getting Of a
Jury may not be so lengthy a proceed
ing as some have fancied.
Charles p. Wilkinson also had no
opinion as to Beatue's guilt or In
81 would so deport myself" said
Wilkinson. that nothing but the evil
dence would influence me-"
| Asked about capital punishment,
| Wilkinson replied:
"The law prescribes the punishment
| and / must support the law
Wilkinson was passed for cause. He,
Marley. and Covington are all more
intelligent than the average jury
Judge Watson next quizzed John D.
Dance, who had read the Petersburg
papers.
Beattie Studies Veniremen.
Henry Clay Beattie. jr., listened most
| intently to questioning OF this and all
| other jurors and counsel on both sides
| watched the veniremen with very OBJ
vious, almost strained intensity. At
| torneys Smith and Carter are not ask
| ing veniremen II they have any preju-
dice against insanity as a defense
which means that early in the trial 1t
will certainly not appear. Mr.. Dance
wac accepted.
E. l.. Wilson now answered all the
courts questions satisfactorily and was
passed for cause. He is the fourth so
far accepted.
read newspapers. believed what he had
| read. and had formed an opinion.
L. o. Wendenburg got Mr.. Bardwell
to say he could empty his mind Of
what he had read, but Henry NJ. Smith
asked II he would not have to hear
| Bardwell answered yes.
Warren Morrisett was excused be-
cause Of recent Illness and J. H. Fry
let out because he had not voted for
eight years.
Believed Beattie Guilty.
/ ]. Earnest Goode next told the court
| that he thought that "Beattie is guilty
because of what he had read. Judge
Watson. however, asked him many
questions as to his conviction Of guilt
on the basis OF newspaper statements.
when I read accounts I Just said
! That man is guilty" said Goode To
! Hill Carter he said evidence would be
necessary to remove his opinion. He
was excused.
Irving w. Bass. jr.. now kissed the
| book and after questioning was ac-
| cepted So also was V. w. FuQua. G.
| II. Duffer claimed exemption as being
over age. and w H. Eanes. sixty-three
years old, did not. The exemption lin
| It is sixty years. Mr.. Eanes told the
| court he had deemed Beattie guilty
after reading papers. but II would go
| by the law and evidence"
| Judge Watson after much question
ing told Eanes to stand aside as not
| accepted.
Veniremen Cautioned.
Prosecutor Wendenburg now arose
and said: II believe veniremen ought
, not to be allowed to state whether
they believe defendant is innocent or
guilty"
"1 think the court erred in per-
mitting this to happen a minute ago"
returned Judge Watson. "Veniremen
will please be careful not to do this"
No protest came at the time from at
torneys Smith and Carter for Beattie
They would he only too glad to usn
this as one basis of appeal for new
trial. Such a statement, "Beattie is
guilty" made In open court by n
venireman might be preJudicial to other
veniremen
Judge Watson. after much question
ing, told Eanes to stand aside as not
accepted.
r. Cleveland Woodbridge was ruled out
as not having voted in recent year. A.
L. Fetterolf was accepted.
Seven men were thus passed for cause
by 1890 p. m. At this rate a fury NAV
be secured by the end Of the after
noon session. When Fetterolf had been
passed. Hill Carter made a motion to
uuash the first venire Of twelve men
now nearly exhausted. The Common
wealth objected to such a motion ..
the time, and the court overrulad the
defense's motion to quash.
At 12:40 the court rose; reconvenes
later this afternoon.