The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-21
Continuance Denied and He
Pleads Not Guilty.
OVER go WITNESSES
Have Been Subpoenaed to Tes-
tify at the Trial.
State Relies on The Testimony of
the Prisoners Cousin.

Chesterfield. Court House. Va, Aug.
21.-Bareheaded. chewing gum and
smiling Henry Clay Beattie, jr., arriv-
ed at the Chesterfield county court
house I'm an automobile at 10 O'Clock
to answer the charge of killing his
wife in a motor car on a turnpike
near Richmond a month ago. Judge
Walter A. Watson arrived shortly be-
fore the prisoner to convene court.
Beattie's aged father had reached
Chesterfield half an hour earlier. In
court father and son sat side by side
and exchanged whispers. Beatt1e
then began to talk with his lawyers.
Judge Watson spent several minutes
talking with the army of special news
paper men anu arranging seats. Beattle
leaned over the old walnut railing and
talked lightly with those near him; the
old father sat silent, strOking his gray
hair Dark circles showed under the
prisoners eyes but he looked trim and
self-possessed The tiny room was
jammed as the proceedings began and
to discourage the curious and idle, the
court ordered that all disinterested
spectators stand up and remain stand
ing. Two women newspaper writers
were the only white women in the yard
or court building
The clerk formally called the case
for the comm onWealth and the prosecu-
tion asked that the prisoner be arralsn-
ed. A lnOLlDu Hy the OcLGllS6 AOl pp1N-
pOnement till EeXt Monday on the
ground that the deferse was not ready
for trial was overruled by the court
Judge Watson said the matter Of con
tinuance might be considered after the
trial had begun. The defense then
moved that the indictment be quashed
on the ground Of error.
Pleads Not Guilty.
Beattie was arraigned and entered a
plea of not guilty.
Beulah Binford did not appear at
today's proceedings. She may be call
ed as a witness during the trial, but
today she remained in a cell in Rich
mOnd surrounded by pictures of Beat
tie-she has no less than 4 3 in the jail
reading newspaper extras and pro-
Tossing confidence in his acquittal.
The stage was set here today for
the opening of one of the most spec
tacular trials in the history of Vir-
ginia. the arraignment of Henry Clay
Beattie, jr. of Richmond, on an in
dictment charging wife murder.
There were all sorts of rumors of
possible postponement or continu-
Rnce but with more than so witnesses
Eubpoenaed by the commonwealth
and venire of 80 talesmen enroute
20 the courthouse. the crowd began to
assemble early. hoping to catch
glimpse of the merchants son, charg-
cd with shooting his young wife as
they mOtOred near Richmond on the
night of July IS. w. T. Tinsley the
aged father-in-law of Judge Walter
Watson of the Chesterfield circuit
court whose grave illness gave rise
to reports of possible delay in the
case spent comparatively good
night and the judge let it be known
that notwithstanding illness in the
family he would be on hand to con-
Vena court.
1t had been given out that the
young prisoner might be brought here
q s. early as g O'Clock and the shad-
oWs Of dawn had scarce been dissipat-
ed when the curious began seeking
points of vantage before the opening
Of court at 10 o'clock. Beattie was
up early. ready for the 5 miles auto
mobile ride from Richmond to the
His jailors say he slept we1l-as he
has done since his arrest, more than
a month ago. He dressed carefully,
glanced at the morning rapers, ate a
light brea kfast and sat waiting in the
Jail corridor for his first trip in the
open air since his Imprisonment.
The "Girl in the Case
Beulah Binford. the pretty 17-yeaf
old girl in the case" made no prep
arations to leave the Jail IL Richmo ond,
where she has been held as a. material
witness, but Paul Beattle. the prison
er's cousin. who has sw Orn that he
purchased the gun with which Louise
Wexford owen Beattie was shot, was
be ready to make the journey by au-
tomobue to Chesterfield. Paul has said
little since his incarceration. but on
his testimony the commonwealth hopes
to send his 26-year-old cousin to the
electric chair. The Binford girl may
be called as a witness as the trial pro-
crosses.
with prospects of the actual begin
ming of Beattie's fight foi life, Chester
field county has a prospective specta-
tor or auditor in every family with a
male member more than IL years old.
To Virginia's credit. 1t was noted that
not one white woman vas in court
when the prisoner was arraigned and,
barring those who may be called as
witnesses, it is believed few if any
women will attempt to gain admission
q the trial
Henry Clay Beattie, ST. father of the
defendant, probably will be in almost
constant attendance at the trial. but
few members of the Owen family are
expected. Thomas Owen. an uncle,
viii be a witness. but the father and
mother of the murdered girl Mr.. and
Mrs. r. V. owen, are ssow in Dover.
Del. and viii not attend the proceed
ing unless their testimony is consid-
cred absolutely necessary by the COM
monwealth.
New Lease on Fair Grounds.