New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-26
Besttie's Bloody Coat Shown.

There was a hush in the courtroom as
the Sheriff unrolled the .loody brown coat
worn by Beattie on the night Of the MUIR
der The witness said the color OF the
garment resembled thatof the coat worn
by the man at the roadside. lie was In
structed to look at the defendant and to
state if the man he saw was about the
same size
Yes" said the dairyman slowly, about
the same size"
Have you seen the Beattie automobile
since the murder" he was asked. He said
he had and that generally it agreed with
the car he had seen in the roadway.
1T was big four passenger car" he
said. land the top was yellow"
The Besttie car has a yellow top.
Sam" Tally. who said ne worked in a
quarry. followed Sydnor to the stand
Il was sitting on the back porch OF my
house. about three hundred yards from
the road" Tally testified in direct examina-
ton. when all of a sudden, about II
O'Clock. l heard the scream Of woman.
then a shot. In about ten minutes more l
heard an automobile start"
Did you hear anything else-the cries of
man for help, or the footing of an auto
mobile horn?" asked the defence in support
of Beattle's story that he had tried 10
summon aid after the bearded Highway
man had fired into the car
Il did not" said the witness. But on
further examination he admitted that he
might have said on the morning after the
crime that he had heard an automobile
horn sounded He recalled having talked
NIT RAJ nd ~, ~ off7.,
they visited the scene.
Among other witnesses were #. p Petit
grew. 10 whom a negro delivered rne gun:
y. II. Jacobs. justice OF the peace, of
Chesterfield County, and Eddie Shepardson
and James Thomas. both negroes, who live
near the scene of the crime.
Two Automobiles, Says Witness.
Jacobs, who was called to the owen home
soon after the tragedy, testified that Beattie
gave him a statement Of the alleged en-
counter substantially as told 10 others. The
boy had said, however. that he did not be-
lieve he could identify the man who fred
the shot. lie had examined the victims
body and had found drt-he was not sure
IL was griffin the bloody hair. lie said
he had seen blood on the gun. but under
oross-examination admitted that several
persons who had been around the bloody
car had handled the weapon.
Thomas. the negro, whose house stands
about one hundred and fifty yards from
here the blood spot was found in the road,
testified 10 hearing two automobiles, one
afr,r the other then the shot. lie heard
no cries or footing Of horns
George farrell. a Richmond detective.
called 70 the stand. related the prisoners
story OF the roadway encounter. and that
Peattie said his wife's asssiant ran into
the woods Thomas owen, Beattie's uncle
in-lsw. testified yesterday that the defend
ant had told him the man ran up the road.
The prosecution offered a map of the
crime scene on the Midlothian Turnpike, the
defence Immediately o5jecting to its In
PRODUCTION farrell was asked 10 describe
where the blood spot was found.
About in the centre Of the road
How far from the left hand running
board OF the carr
About twelve or eighteen inches"
Was Il possible for human being in the
car
we object" cried the defence and the
objection was sustained.
Counsel asked the witness II there was
any blood on the gun found near the scene
Of the crime.
Yes. sir; there vas" said farrell
BIoodhounds Found No Scent
Major James D. Patton. Of Richmond
who went 10 the scene the DAY following t'V