The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-11-30
BEATTIE CONFESSES CRIME
REFUSED TO THE LAST TO MAKE
STATEMENT TO THE PASTORS.
COmposure Kept Through the Ordeal.
Quietly Marches to Death
Chair and Sits for Death.

Quietly Marches to Death
Chair and Sits for Death.
Richmond, Va, Nov. 24.-Henry
Clay Beattie, Jr, before his death in
the e'ectric chair at 1928 a. m. to-
day, confessed to the murder of his
wife. The statement which was CIV
en- out in the rotunda of a downtown
hotel follows: Il Henry Clay Beattle,
Jr., desirous of standing right before
God and man, do on this, the 23d day
of November, 1911, confess my guilt
of the crime against me. Much that
was published concerning the details
was not true, but the awful fact,
without the narrowing circum-
stances, remains. For this action
am truly sorry, and, believing that
am at peace with God and am soon
to pass into His presence, this state
nent is made
Beattie's confession was followed
by this statement by the attending
ministers: This statement was
signed in the presence of the two
attending ministers, and is the only
statement that can and will be made
public by them. Mr.. Beattie desired
to thank the many friends for kind
letters and expressions of interest
and the public for whatever sympa-
thy was felt or expressed
Throughout the forenoon the city
had rung with rumors that Beattle
had confessed. These were denied at
the penitentiary where, in connection
with the announcement Of the death,
it was said the condemned man had
made no statement. The attending
ministers would not discuss the case
in any way until they had visited
Beattie's parents in South Richmond,
and had secured their permission to
make the confession public.
The confession evidently was made
at the eleventh hour, when Beattie
finally became convinced that all
hope of escaping the electric chair
had passed. Two days ago Rev.
DR.. Fix announced that Beattie had
said that he would not confess. This
was ascribed to the fact that Beattie
desired to spare his father the blow
of admitting guilt after his many
protestations of innocence to the
aged parent. In Beattie's mind there
was a struggle between 6lial devo-
ton and a desire not to go to his
death with lie on his lips. He was
urged to confess by his spiritual ad-
visers and at last broke down.
Electrocuted at 1928.
In a torrential downpour of rain
the IL witnesses to the execution
toiled up the hill from which the
penitentiary looks down upon the
city. They were quickly marshalled
and conducted, single file, through
gates of steel bars to the chamber
where Beattie was to offer his atone
ment. There was no conversation.
Within the chamber all was In
readiness. The chair a solid struc-
ture of oak, would ordinarily have
appeared like the chairs seen in
scores of libraries throughout the
land. In the somberly bare chamber,
however, the chair was naught but
sinister. Straps dangled from it's
arms and back and shining steel
lamps appeared in the light of the
electrics like tenacles outstretched
to clasp victim.
Beattie Hears Final Summons.
The witnesses were seated, SIX
abreast, in an angle of the room:
They shufled their feet uneasily and
when one leaned forward to speak to
another his action was received with
frowns. Major Wood, with two depu-
ty Wardens, addressed the witnesses,
going through some small formall-
ties demanded by the law. Then,
with his two men trooping behind,
he passed out into the building where
Beattie awaited the summons IN his
cell adjoining.
In the death chamber the voice OF
the warden coulo be plainly heard,
reading to the doomed man the final
summons. The warden's voice dron-
ed on, it seemed to the witnesses, in
terminably. In reality the compli-
ance with the law occupied only a
brief moment. Then with Beattie be-
tween them the deputy wardens be-
gan their progress toward the chair
only few feet away. .
When the procession followed by
Superintendent Wood started a sig
nal was given which plunged the
death chamber into blackness save
for a single light Immediately over
the chair. This was hooded that it
outlined the chair in a circle of blaz-
ing radiance so intense that the re-
mainder of the room seemed in utter
darkness. The witnesses scarce
could see each other. The prisoner
saw nothing but the chair.
Dead.
There was no delay in preparing
for the end. Beattie took his place,
the prison surgeon and the electrici-
ans adjusted the straps, a half dozen
clamps were quickly thrown into
place and snapped. The cap resem-
bling a leather football head harness,
was adjusted and the men stepped
back.
The warden raised his hand. In
stantly Beattie's body stiffened with
such violence that the straps creak-