The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-09-09
THE BEATTIE TRIAL.
PROSECUTIONS PLANS MAY BE
SHAKEN By NEW WITNESS.
He Claims to Have Seen Deed--Pos-
siblc That Beulah BinfOrd Will be
Indicted as Accessory To Killing.


Henry Clay Beattie. Jr.. on trial for
the murder of his wife, may be
changed as the result Of a letter re-
ceived tonight by Commonwealth At
torney Wendenburg from a man who
claims to have been an eye witness
to the killing of Louise Owen Beat
tie. Mr.. Wendenburg states that he
may ask the court tomorrow to re-
open the case for the Introduction Of
new evidence before the final address
to the jury.
Mr.. Wendenburg refused TO divulge
the name Of the alleged eye witness,
but said investigation today had prov
ed that the man had been employed
as farm hand near the scene of the
crre.
In his letter the man says he saw
an automobile stop and heard a man
and woman quarreling. Then the man
attacked the woman with the stock of
a shot gun, he declares, and this
was followed by the report Of a gun.
| Numerous letters have been receiv.
ed by the commonwealth from per-
sons claiming To have witnessed the
murder. but none of them has been
given such serious consideration by
the prosecutors as this.
! While counsel for both sides con-
ferred with Judge William A. Watson
here today concerning the legal basis
'for the argument that is scheduled
for tomorrow at Chesterfield c.. H.,
deWctives for the commonwealth in
Investigated Information alleging that
} Beulah Binford the girl I'm the case,
was an accessory before the fact.
/ Application was made to Judge
Watson by the prosecution today that
the release Of the girl from custody
be delayed at least until tomorrow.
'Judge Watson was Informed that if
the Investigation was successful, the
Binford girl might be arrested and
indicted as an accessory. Judge Wat
son today received telegram from a
, man in Chicago advising that Paul
! Beattie. a cousin of Henry, be indict-
ed IA an accessory, the Chicagoan de-
ciarirg he would come to Chester
I lheld court house to testify If II was
so desired
\ Detective L. l.. Sherer, who has
been chief in working up the case Of
the prosecution. tonight repudiated
any such purpose as to Beattis. but
,''aid that the investigation as to the
4; Binford girl had not been completed.
! Il do not attach much Importance
to it," said Sherer tonight "and II
lis quite probable that Beulah Bin
ford will be released tomorrow. Yet
we are working on the information
received and will continue to do so
regardless of her release tomorrow
, or the verdict In the case"
Detective Scherer made this state
men immediately after leaving the
county Jail tonight where ne talked
with the Binford girl. The latter
/ pouted and fretted at her long de-
tention and even accused the prosecu-
uon of connivance in preventing her
from testifying because they knew
she could get a bigger contract on
the stage If she had been allowed to
take the stand.
When she learned OF the investies
. tion made today she was greatly irri-
tated. as she had hoped To gain her
freedom tomorrow. The report on
which the investigation was based
came first in telegram from tho
West which alleges that the girl had
known Of plans for the tragedy.
I'm jail today the Binford girl, on
learning that Henry Beattle had de-
clared he hoped to eat dinner with
his family on Sunday, next, exclaim-
ed: "Id give a million dollars to see
him do It,"
The argument over the instruc-
tions 10 be given the jury occupied
three hours today. The instructions
are brief and will not be made public
until delivered to the jury tomorrow.
They are similar. however. to those
given In the famous murder case
against Mayor McCue Of Charlottes-
vile. Va, six years ago when the Vir-
ginia supreme court set a precedent
in determining not 10 thrust aside
what II regarded as an evident fair
verdict merely on legal technicalities.
The conference today took place In
a library here and ponderous volumes
were heaped on the table where coun-
sci argued.