The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-09-04
BEAT7IE'S GREAT TEST TO-DAY
DEFENDANT WILL TAKE STAND
THIS MORNING.
Review. case with Cbief Counsel. Father
and Brother ~ Long sunday Confer.
ence Z nder tse Oaks Outsidc the JAN
Prosecution Gets New Evidence.

long hours to-day in consultation with
one NJ his two lawyers. Strengthening z
himself and being strengthened against
to-morrow's test when hn Is t. take the
stand to plead tor his life
When Harry smith the LAWYER rotored
ont II the court house over he roads Of
the Wilderness .Jailer Bill togbill cxer-
csing a kindly discretion. unlocked the
iron door of the gloomy little Jail and let
the prisoner come ont and sit under the
great oaks. His father soon came 10
ioin them and the brother Douglas, who
on Friday rendered doubtful help to
Henry bv his too great cagerness on the
witness stand
All morning and far into the afternoon
the earnest group kept heads together.
Bit nv hlt the lawyer went over every
piece ~ damaging testimony that has
been a part of tho Commonwealth case
against the Young man. Paul Beattio 8
incriminating story of how he had pur-
chased the shotgun with which the muir
der of Henry's wife was done: the details
of the prisoner long continued relations
With Beulsh Bnford. whom the Common
wealth E attorney still holds as possible
witness Henry's own story of how his
wife was shot down AT his side in the
automobile these topics were discussed
with infinite patience.
When dark began To come Jailer Bill
strolled over to the group. iinglng his
KEYS The elder Besttie embraced his
son and the boy went back to the Jail
morrow morning.
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burst an alarm early in the afternoon. A
rumor sprang as from the ground that
Beattie had taken his own life in his cell
in the Chesterfield county Jail. The
report spread from the Richmond news
paper Offices to the hotels where the out
of town reporters were staying and a
string Of automobiles carrying reporters
whipped over the hummocky wilnerness As
roads at breakneck speed.
The group Under the oaks, with the
nattily garbed prisoner in his creased
Sunday suit in the midst. was what the re-
porters saw when their machines painted
up to the court house green; that and
Jailer Bills old dog Brindle paving into
a mole hill. Jaler Bill said he couldn't
see how the rimor had started Some
smart Aleck down in Richmond had been
up to tricks Jaie + Bill thought. Nobody
was allowed to talk to the prisoner him
self, for that is the order from the court
Louis Wendenburg. Commonwealth s
Prosecutor to-day indulged in prophecy
as to when the jury would get the case
He said he thought the defence might
keep Henry on the stand for four hours
in direct examination He did not know
l.. l.. l. -.,sl. 4 H.
nation. but he believed that he would not
finish with the prisoner before Tuesday
morning. Then, the defence having rested
its case. witnesses for rebuttal will he put
on by the Commonwealth and Wednesday
night this phase Of the trial will he COM
pleted, Wendenburg thinks Thursday
will be entirely taken up by arguments Of
counsel upon the instructions of the court
according to Virginia practice. Friday
will be occupied by the summing up on
each side so Wendenburc thinks. and the
case may go to the jury Friday night
There is little likelihood that the Jury
will get the case before that time. and it
is possible that the twelve men will not
retire to the little closet in the old court
house, called by courtesy jury room
before Saturday.
Wendenburg would not say whether
or not he will call Beuiah Binford to the
stand in rebuttal He admitted that
there was n strong possibility that he
would decide to put the girl before the
jury after Henry Beattie steps from the
stand. Everything would depend upon
what the prisoner himself says when he
il his own witness,
There is no mistaking the fact that
the prosecution is not al all sure OF what
the girls attitude will he on the stand
and that it will not risk having her turn
out to he an unfavorable witness unless
il feels tha, by making herself the de-
fences witness by n hostile attitude she
would lay herself open Z. damagin
revelations on cross-examination.
Neanw hile Henry Beattie must testify
without having the henefit Of knowing
how greatly or how little Beulah BnforCi
might harm him by her testimony. He
cannot know which of his statements
she will be called upon to refute He
does know that from the mouth of Reu-
lab Blnford the prosecution has drawn
much OF the material that they have
launched against him.
II became known to-day that several
Richmond detectives are digging further
iH'O tlIN rlOlN 'ildt NldI lcs hdStell-
berg, the butcher told so unwillingly
on the witness stand yesterday, in the
belle that he did not tell all he KIN ew
but withheld some important features
kastellberg was the witness who sai
that he had been out with woman com
panlon on the Midlothian turnpike on
the night OF the murder and that his was
The car drawn up al the side of the road
which was passed bytwo automobiles full
uf Richmond youths and mistaken bv
them for keatties The defence made
much of tins testimony. for il tended to
refute the Clrcumst antial proof intro
duced 10y the Commonwealth 10 he effect
that Beattie shot his wife while she was
standing either on the running board
Of the machine or ny the left hand side
OF the car
Ihe detectives who were Investigating
to-day are said to have the name of n
man 10 whom kastellherg spoke upon
his return from the automobile excursion
on the night OF the homicide He has
repeated the remark made to him nv
kastellberg. which was in effect Il saw
the funniest thing ever on TN" Midlothian
pike tonight. \ fellow passed M, nj
fifty miles an hour with wornansu drunk
that she had fallen over on the scat hc,
hind him and he was half sitting ON her
The prosecution has introduced as
proof that Beattie after numbering Eis
wife had sat on her body while driving
back to Tom Owens home some of rh@
blood soaked clothing ne wore that night
The spIOtChes do not bear ont Bcatiia' (