The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-30

yers in the case is the report that CT.
forts would be made to secure a change
of venue. No such move is on foot.
An application for change of venue
would not lie until after. indictment.
ana then II would have to be shown TO
inc court by outside evidence that the
accused could not get Il fair trial In
the county in which the crime was conf
mittcd The Code of Virginia makes
1T plain that change OF Venue is only
10 he resortcd It. whe"e the militia H.. s
peen called out for the prisoners PRO.
tection or where efforts to secure a
JURY from other sections of the State
nave Teen made and have failed
Question ms tn Jury.
The crime was committed i'm Chcs-
teriield. near the border of Richmond
ana while practically all those living
IN The section about Forest Hill have
EXPRESSED opinions as to the guilt or
innocence of the accused. II is he
Iiered that there are many in other
sections Of the large county who
would he eligible as jurymon. In any
case. - Chesterfield panel Will he Nrst
called. " twelve men arc not select
cd. Sherin GIN Will then he instructed
To draw vcnire from some other sec
ton OF tho state
While attorneys on either side are
not outlining their ease. lawyers con-
Ncrsant with criminal practice in Viz
GINA assert that tho method TO DO
pursued Will he for the Common
wealth first 10 put on tho stand
| Thomas l.. owen and Dr. Wilbur Mor-
Ger. who were at tho Owen house when
young Bcattie returned with the body
Of his wife They can testify az to
what Bcattic told them of the cir
,sti tct , .aff l,o ,,t,,
Commonwealth will proceed to shoot
holes in that story of the bearded
highwayman by showing that the
blood spots could not have come from
the car as described, that the body
was not brought back to the house rs
young Bcattic has told. that the gun
did not Jolt from the car as was as
serted. that tho hounds found no trail
leading from tho spot of The killing
and lastly, that tho gun found was
purchased by Paul Bcattie for Henry
Ecattic, and delivered To him previous
10 the killing. Then will come the
collateral evidence Of those who saw
Bcattic on Tile road before dusk when
1t is believed he placed the gun be-
hind q stump and of those who saw
him and his wife standing in the road
lust prior to the time the shot was
fired
To Eight Every Point.
1t is conceded that every point of
evidence will he contested: that every
question will be weighed. and that the
jury viii be excluded again and again
while the attorneys argue OH the ad =
instability of various lines of ques-
tioning. Speculation Is rife as to the
length of time the trial will consume.
and lawyers disagree from one to four
weeks.
one point every lawyer is discussing
is whether young Bcattie will take, the
stand. lie could not be put oil by the
commonwealth. both because he IL tho
accused and could not testify against
himself. and because the side putting
him on would he bound by his cvi-
denc" 1t Will he for the defense to
determine after tho prosecution has
rested it's case, whether he shall take
the stand and tell of the events of
,, that night. Some assert that it would
prejudice tho case of an innocent man
with tho Hirv and public for him to
refuse 10 ten what he knows Of tho
| killing Of his Wife. while others hold
{ that II would he most unwisc TO nut
| him on the stand lie could not ho
i introduced OK partc, and once on tho
! stand would be subject TO cross exam
! ination by the other side, and tho
! veracitv of his testimony might be
| attacked. Most lawyers hold TO the
! view that young Rcattie. like Nccue
| Will not go on tho witness stand lie
| cannot be required to do So