The Detroit times., 1911-08-21
.BEATT|E MURDER
TRIAL BEGINS
Defense Makes Request for Weeks
Adjournment, But Judge Insists
That Case Go On.
CHESTERFIELD

CHESTERFIELD COURTHOUSE,
Va, Aug. 21.-Despite an earnest re-
quest for delay by his attorneys, Hen
ry Clay Beattie, Jr., was today ar
raigned for the murder OF his wife.
Judge Watson denied an appncation
for another weeks delay and ordered
Beattie TO the bar. Pale and wan. as
Q result OF his months imprisonment,
but otherwise debonair, Beattie took
his place In the dock. Then follow
ed the usual motion to qpash the In
dictment, which was purely formal
and which was quickly overruled.
Henry Clay Beattie. Jr., stand up"
called the clerk OF the court, and
with a smile the accused man arose,
leaning heavily. on the desk before
him. While the clerk In q .droning
voice read the blunt accusation In
the indictment, the courtroom was
hushed, Beattie standing motionless.
the center of interest.
How do you pleadf" demanded the
clerk.
Not guilty" said Beattie IN low
voice, and his fight for life was on.
Beuiah 10 Absent.
peemiRg the presence OF Beuiaff
Binford, the "other woman, . unneces-
sary today, the authorities left her In
Henrico Jail, Her place In the trian-
gle Of tragedy was vacant when Hen
BHattte took hfs seaE WITH his gray
haired father at the narrow counsel
table beside Attorneys Smith and
Carter.
Chesterfield court house. hidden
away In it's thicket of oak and hem
lock, was noisy and gay In preparation
for the morbid fete--the biggest mur-
der trial I'm its history. The stringy-
bearded, tobacco-chewing farmers
came to cot today as IL Il were
county fair. wagged their shaggy chins
and discussed crops and the weather
as the pale. anaemic youth. who has
spent the past month In Henrico coun-
ty jail, was unloaded from an auto
mobile under heavy guard to take his
place at the dock.
Beattie was as debonair as he has
been at all times since his arrest.
Seemingly enjoying the gaping
mouthd attention bestowed by the
countrymen. Beattie smiled In SUI
perior way.
Paul Beattie, star witness for
the prosecution, bore himself like the
central figure of gloomy drama.
One hundred prospective jurymen.
gathered from the furthermost re-
cesses Of Chesterfield county, lounged
among the gay refreshment stands
which clustered about the court house.
There was not room for the full
panel OF jurymen In the tiny court
room, and the talesmen gathered about
on the broad court house lawn within
sound OF the voice Of the court crier,
who shouted his noisy summons from
doors and windows. Despite the Saiety
and animation OF the crowd, the
bearded jurymen looked upon their
mission seriously talking among
themselves In earnest whispers.
The farm boys who conducted livery
service from Centraiia, four miles
away, to the court house. did rush
ing business Even a Richmond taxi
cab company saw the revenue possi-
bilities in the throng OF morbidly
curious, bound for the scene of Henry
Beattie's fight for life, and a regular
taxi service was established, the
honking, pufing autos astonishing
Chesterfield county's quiet mules and
horses. Baked by the toy size OF
the court room, hundreds OF specta-
tors amused themselves about the
lawn, massing as closely as possible
about the courtroom windows.
Paul eeattIe, Weak Witness, 'Tis Said.
II became known here today that
nervous Paul Beattie will be the weak
spot in the case of the prosecution, at
which Harry NJ. Smith and Hill Car
ter. two Of virginia's ablest. lawyers.
will aim their defense. The fact. al
ready established. that Paul did not