The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-24

On Tuesday night, July Is. short
fy after 'clock. Wild rumors OF a
/ murder In the Sou,hsidc spread over
| the city. and men FASTENED to the
/ home OF Henry c. Seattle. ST.. 1t be-
1 ing reported that his sons young
! wife, Louise Owen Beattie. had been
shot to death by some vagabond OF
| the highway on - Midlothian turn
! pike beyond Manchester. AT the Beat
/ tie home the indignant throng wsre
| Informed that the murder had ac-
/ taally taken place, but that the young
/ woman WAS stopping with her uncle.
Thomas owen, her mother, Mrs. Rob-
| ert owen. being with her there.
owing to the Ill health OF her daakh-
4 ter The crowd soon understood the
! situation and made haste to the owen
I home
Those who were present at the
+ first incidents following the trag-
I edy will recall the condition OF Voung
/ Henry Beattie more wildly. perhaps.
j than the sight of the mangled young
woman, whose features had been shot
almost beyond recognition. Henry
Clay Beattie, Jr. was stretched on
/ a lounge. holding one OF his wife's
slippers in his hand. and apparently
In a state OF Mysteries. Ha asked
for drink of whiskey to steady
his nerves, and took two drinks OF
whiskey and one OF French brandy.
Mothers Suspicion.
Henry. what have you done to
my angel child?" walled the dis
tracted mother. as she looked aghast
/ at the dead young mother. trying at
the same time to hush the cries of
t~f 80 hat
In this household scene rested its
own fate and the skeleton" that
| must forever haunt its lie and hap
pinesA
Mrs. Owen, 1, Is admitted, had al
ready had fears for her daughter.
and even objected to the fatal ride,
| so urgently desired by Henry Beet
tie few hours previously. Yet at
this time the public mind went out
toward Henry Beattie, Offering him
tenderest words Of sympathy and
pledging him support IN speedy JUS
tice to the man who had ruined has
homo and robbed his stx-weeks-old
child OF mothers care.
Swift certain and without lack of
proper weighing came this Justice.
| So fearful was the realization that
! men stood In horror, at thoughts that
=, would crowd themselves into their
| minds This same sympathetic crowd
! hung quivering around the front
| yard Of tho home OF DIR. Loving sev-
| eral days later. and. unknown TO the
| crowd, numerous special officers
waited the call 10 rescue Henry Beat
| tie, Jr., should excitement reach n
| dangerous pitch Two men stood
with hands on telephone receivers
| connections made to city telephones.
| 80 hA -
| all was In readiness for tho rniii-
| tary call. should IL DC necessary
f3eattte Cnconcerned.
Henry Bsattie, Jr,. watched the Of
| fcers clearing the yard OF the throng,
seated on n plank bench under a
/ tree on that hot summer afternoon,
| smoking a cigarette and looking Al
! newspaper cartoon. This was the
| broken hearted husband, fresh from
| the cruel verdict OF the coroner. who
| had placed the blame on the man
| who only. few hours previous was
the least suspected OF any man In
the world.
On the night of the murder Beat
which robbed him Of his wife. Driv
ing madiy down the turnpike thu
|, young man dashed UP to the Owe,
home and before the eyes of thu
family. seated on the porch. Nftes
from the seat of his automobile TIT
dead body of his wife. her face GOV
cred with blood. load of shot hav
ing penetrated her cheek, the Leaf
entering her brain. This was tn
sight which met the eyes OF TIT
mother Of the dead woman.
Staggering. holding one of the deaf
girls slippers in one hand, the hus
hE
where he was comforted and treated
} Story of Highwayman.
Incoherently Beattie told OF meet
ing a highwayman on the turnpike
after he and his wife had made
spin up the road. taking In drug
store in the Southside. where pre-
scription WAS filed and box o
candy purchased for the woman VIII
would never live to taste II
News such as this goes speedily ant
) man came from every direction
the scene. The Owen yard wa
crowded with angry citizens, swear
Ing vengeance If the man who Oh
! the work could be found
Had that gun, left in some mys
terious way. been picked up by som
nass,nr tramp. Paul Beattie Nigh
: not have been frightened into an al
mission of his part In the murder
. for the mob would have hnisheo IN
case then and thtSe, and Paul coui
. have gone safely along. finding II un
|, necessary to explain that he purchas
led the gun for Henry. Luckily 10
the negro who did pick up the CUR
he was seen by white man. al IN
time and saved. perhaps. a prematu1
land nnwarranted death.
Story Of the Gun.
According to Henry Beattie IN
hSxhwayman who committed IN
murder first objected to the macnih
taking up the roadway This mar
said Beatt,e, was In the middle O
the road. carrying the old style SIN
gle barrel gun siung over MS arm
when the machine approached. Beat
tie said. the man swore at MIN an
finally pointed the gun TOWARDS nv
with a threat TO kill. Beatue the,
snrang from the machine TO sTA
the highwayman, when the gun wen
! ioff the load entering his wife's heaa
Grabbing the gun, Beatie thIcs
into the automobile and mace 'h
wild run for home.
One OF the strange features OF tni
case is that Beattie told the cro~o
the Owens home that this gun Wou''
he found In the rear OF the machine
as ne had taken It by force from TN
murderer and thrown It In the pac'
Of the machine. 1t was founo on tn'
railroad track some distance oeyon'
thn,,rh ReattiG claim