Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1911-11-24
.bEATT|E MAKES
CONFESSION
Degenerate and Dissipated
Son Pays Penalty
of Crime
EXECUTION s0LEMNLY SIMPLE
Body Stiffened With Violence
of Shock and Then
Relaxed in Death.
(By Special Leased Wire to New Mexican,

4tiSAAOAd, va, 4NoNs Gf."I1CuIs y
Clay Beattie, Jr., before his death in
the electric chair at 1928 a. m. today
confessed to the murder of his wife
The statement follows:
Il, Henry Clay Beattie Jr., desirous
Of standing right before God and man,
dc on this the 23rd day of November,
1911, confess my guilt of the crime
charged against me, Much that was
published concerning the details was
not true, but the awful fact, without
the narrowing circumstances, re-
mains. For this action, 1 am truly
sorry and, believing that I am at
peace with God and am soon to pass
into His presence, this statement is
made"
Beattie's confession was followed
by this statement made by the attend
ing ministers:
This statement was signed in the
presence of the two attending minis
ters and is the only statement that
can and will be made public by them. .
Thanks Friends.
Mr.. Beattie desired to thank the
many friends for kind letters and ex-
pressions of interest and the public
for whatever sympathy was felt or
expressed
Throughout the forenoon the city
had been rent with rumors that Beat
tie had confessed. These were denied
at the penitentiary where in connec-
ton with the announcement of the
death it was said the condemned man
had made no statement. The attend
ing ministers would not discuss the
case 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 an
nounced that Beattie said 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 prctestations of inno-
cence to the aged parent.
There was fight between filial de.
votion 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.
Execution SoIemnIy Simple.
The execution was solemnly simple
The twelve legal witnesses heard the
warden read the final summons to
Beattie, after which the march to the
death chamber was begun. The fatal
room was dark, save for one light
over the chair that gave ghastly ra'
dance to the spot of doom.
There was no delay in preparing for
the end. Beattie took his place, the
prison surgeon and the electricians
adjusted the straps, half dozen
clamps were quickly thrown into
place and snapped.
The cap, resembling leather foot
ball head harness, was adjusted, and
the men stepped back.
A Horrible Scene.
The warden raised his hand. In.
stantly Beattie's body stiffened with
such violence that the straps creaked
with the strain, the clamps ratified as
though they were castanets in the
hands of death and then that which
once had been Henry Clay Beattie,
Jr., relaxed.
It was just 1928 a. m. when the
shock was applied. One minute later
Beattie was dead.
"He is Dead"
The surgeon had gone forward and
with stethscope had listened for an
other faint beating Of the heart that
less than sixty seconds before had
lived. He stepped back and whisper
ed: "He Is dead!"
Death had been instantaneous. y
The body of Beattie was removed
from the chair and taken to the NOR
tuary room adjoining.
Here it was laid to await the com
ing Of the coroner, who arrived short
" afterward.
Clad for Burial.
Rev. DR.. Fix remained as sole watch
er while preparations were made fol
the removal Of the body. The e1del
Beattie last night sent to the under
taker the brown suit which his so1
had worn in court when the jury de
clared his guilt. In this the body wa.
clad for burial.
The sorrowIng Family.
In his home in South Richmond
the father, surrounded by his othel
son, Douglass, his daughter Hazel, and
two aunts Of the condemned man
awaited word that all was over.
Owen Family Nome .committaI.
| Dover. Del, Nov. 24-The execu
tion today Of Henry Clay Beattie, Jr.
found the Owen family going abou
their usual routine as though no trag
ledy had ever entered their quiet lives
| Il thank ycu for the news" said R
Nv. Owen, the father Of Beattie's mur
dered wife, but / have nothing t
4 say."
i Mr. Owen explained that since tn
murder Of his daughter none Of tn
members Of the family Has had any
4 thing 70 cay about the afair.
We have NOT ant viii not discua
u ssssz. Nh TN s