Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-09-01

intended to put the accused on the
stand.
Sandifer testified that the relations
Of Henry G. Beattie, Jr., with his wife
were pleasant, so far as he knew.
He said he had visited Henry and
members of his family since the MUIR
der and has expressed his sympathy
for the accused. His testimony was
surprise to the prosecution, who sum-
moned him as it's witness.
Child's Testimony COnfuses Lawyers
Sandifer's testimony was not the
only surprise of the day, however.
SiXteen-year-old Alexander Robertson
also gave testimony that was I'M
expected. This child was put on the
stand to tell of his finding the yellow
hair pin, which belonged to the MUIR
dered wife, and while testifying he
also told of seeing blood spots and
drippings of blood some distance
from the scene of the crime. While
not considered of great Importance
the testimony of the boy created con-
fusion in the ranks of the prosecu-
ton, and also among attorneys for
the defense, and Attorney Wenden-
burg Immediately announced that he
would introduce witnesses tomorrow
to refute the child's statement. When
this evidence has been completed, the
State will rest it's case.
Luther Wells took the stand and
corroborated the testimony given by
John Sandifer, and w. D. Kidd iden-
tilted the shells in evidence as exactly
like those he had sold Paul. Other
witnesses during the session were
Detective Jack Wiltshire, who was
recalled to clear up several points
in his previous testimony; Thomas E.
Owen, uncle of the murdered woman,
| who told of the burning of Mrs. Beat
ties clothing; J. B. Saunders, city
sergeant for South Richmond, who
testified that there was blood on the
gun the morning after the shooting,
and that there were two finger prints
in blood on the weapon which seemed
| to indicate that some one had caught
the gun and held it; J. Houchins,
father-in-law of Paul Beattie, who
| testified to giving Police Captain Nc
Mahon information relative to the
| purchase of the gun by Paul, and
| E. W. Farley, drug clerk, who testi-
| led to selling to Henry Beattie medi-
cine which is most commonly used in
| he treatment of certain disease.
All of this evidence was corrobora-
tive of what had gone before, and
materially strengthened the case
which the prosecution has built up
against Beattie.
BinfOrd Girl Held Back
Beulah Binford was not brought
out this morning. Attorneys for the
Commonwealth said privately, just
before court rose for luncheon, that
he would not testify on the case in
| ;nief. The Commonwealth fears of
ler refuting Paul Beattie have so far
| -riumphed.
| THE other woman" of the Beattie
murder case may be heard in rebuff
tal or may be called by the defense.
The Common wealth thinks it has
Beattie doomed to death without the
girls story of her life.
Admission that Beattie will posi-
lively take the stand was made by
Mr.. Smith this afternoon in the
course of legal argument.
Many of Mr.. Smiths questions to
Paul were obviously framed with
Henry Beattie's coming testimony in
mind.
Henry will have full opportunity to
give the lie to his cousin, Paul.
Prisoner Looks Unhappy
The prisoner did not look happy
len he came into court this morn
=. He tried continually to hide
ne tense strain under which he is
laboring by smiling and nodding to
friends in the court house, but he
was perceptibly worried. Hollows
beneath his eyes spoke of a sleepless
night, and lines about his mouth
PEELED worry in capital letters.
| If Beulah Binford corroborates
Paul with respect to the terrifying
message which he carried her from
Henry after the murder, Beattie, in
the general opinion here, should no
longer doubt what the verdict of the
jury will be. But here an element of
uncertainty arises. Paul carried to
Beulah this terrible threat: "Tell
her," said Henry Beattie, chat if
she ever tells about this and gives
me away I'll kill her if it takes a
thousand years. How could Beu-
lah tell about this or give Henry
away unless she knew far more about
the homicide in advance than she has
ever before been alleged to have
known? In other words, if Beulah
swears that Paul delivered this
message, she may be making herself
out an accessory before the fact, and
yet if this is the case, the girl has
unquestionably had a promise of i'm
munity from the attorneys for the
| Commonwealth.
| The question remains whether a
suspicious nature like hers would be
willing to rely on such a promise, for
she knows well enough that if she
| did know about the murder before
it was committed, and gave no warm
ing, she thus became an abettor in
the crime.
| The trial was halted for several
minutes this afternoon, when Juror A..
| f'etterOlf was taken suddenly ill.
The jail physician was called to at
tend him, and Mr.. Fetterolf later re-
sumed his duties in the box.