The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-24
.BEATT|t'S LAST
FARE WELL SAID;
FACES ETERNITY
No Breakdown as Father
Leaves Him for
Last Time.
is SAID TO HAVE
MADE STATEMENT
Confirmation of Rumor Is Lack.
ing-Two Ministers Will Be
Present at Execution This
M ornin g-Crowd at
Prison Dispersed by
Police.

said to have made statement ycster-
day In his cell at the State Penitentiary
In regard to tho murder of Louise
owen Beattie. his young wife and tho
mother Of his child. confirmation of
the report was lacking last night, as
was also any sort OF definite impress
sion as to whether or not 1t amounted
TO confession or TO n reiterated de-
mai or guilt or to some other sub
Jcct 5s
Tho rumor referred to bore the ear
marks OF truth. But the ministers who
nave attended the prisoner declined
TO make any sort of statement to tho
public last night. the attorneys for
Beattie had heard nothing of 1t, and
superintendent James Is. Wood was T
ignorant of any such happening.
Denial Is Made.
A representative of Northern
newspaper stated that Douglas Beattio
had told him that he had n statement
which would DO made public after the
execution. But later on Douglas Beat
tie. who is a brother OF the prisoner,
denied that he had made any such re :,
mark. Rev. ]. ]. Fix said last night
that he had nothing for tho public at
that time. while Rev. Benjamin Dennis
asked to be excused from. saying any
thing whatever about the matter
While II Is barely possible that tho
statement. II made might bc n reitera-
ton of the innocence which Beattie
has protessed over since that fatefui
night of July IS, when he brought the
body OF Louise Beattic TO the home OF
her uncle in an AUTOMOBILES, tho pre-
sumptiens would be that II anything at
all has been said, it would be In the
nature OF an admission OF some degree
OF guilt.
Prisoner Still Calm.
Unutterably affecting as must havo
been tho saying of the last farewells
between Beattic and tho members of
his family yesterday afternoon, tho
/ young prisoner showed no signs of u
breakdown when all was over and
hen lie WAS left alone to stare into
the very jaws of a forcible DEATH
within 4 few short hours of the cross s
ing OF the bar OF time into the ocean
OF eternity, Beattie was outwardly
calm and apparently fully ready for
tho last moment.
The old father who has given his all
his money, his time, his every en-
deavor-to save the life OF tho way
ward son. left the pcnitcntiary utterly
crushed The sister and brother, the
two aunts were overcome by the emo
ton OF the occasion. Whatever occur
red In the death cell left no visible
arks on the man who Will early this
the laws OF an injured Commonwealth.
Crowd at Prison. s
Bcattic's last day on earth was not
without Its exciting feature. Lurcd
by false report that Beulah Binford,
the woman" OF the famous case, was
In the city and would visit the prisoner
In MS cell, crowd - between 200 and
800 people gathered in front OF the
State prison. When his attention was
N ~ I,i
dent James B. Wood Indignantly order
cd the crowd to disperse but its NOM
bers doubtless realized that he was
without Jurisdiction on the public high
way. a telephone message to the Sec
ond Police Station speedily brought an
officer. who had no difficulty In scat 4
tering the people. They were not
demonStrative nor obstreperous being
attracted merely hy curiosity
Receives Visitors.
Otherwise the day at the peniten-
tiary was n quiet one. the routine of
life being broken only by the many Wis
Its paid the condemned prisoner By
those who had the right Of access 10
Him
Rev. J. j, Fix and Rev. Benjamin
Dennis were at the prison the greater
part Of the day. comforting with the
man about TO solve the real mystery
of life. The aunts and sister left at
about 1880. while by s o'clock the IN
Their and the ministers had Departed 3
leaving Beattie alone with his
thoughts and " til his preparations for
death. Lights were out as usual ut
o'clock. and the hush over the great
prison seemed to forctell the impend-
ting tragedy within.
I.nst Act of Tragedy.
The final scene OF the drama which
mas arrested the attention of the civ
ilized world will be played early this
morning. The prisoner Will be awak-
rned II asleep at o'clock. will dress {
and eat such breakfast as he may de.
sire. Soon after o'clock the super
intendent will repair to the cell with
the guards and the Judgment OF the
Circuit Court OF the county OF Ches-
terrified will be read to the youthful
offender.
Without delay the march 70 the
death chamber VIII be taken up. This II
Will consume but a few seconds, for
the death cells are hard by the room
where Is installed the electric chair. @
The witnesses Will be already assem-
bled. and. the soul OF Henry Clay Reat-
tie. Jr. Will speedily take leave of
his body and go to meet it's God
Aroom Is provided at tho peniten- n
tiary for the reception of bodies of 81
criminals after electrocutiou Usually
the body IL claimed within few hours
after tho sentence ia3carrled out, but "a
In some cases this has been delayed 81