Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-08-22
In Clear Voice Beattie Says
'sHot Guilty. When Indict-
ment Charging Him With
Wife Murder Is Read
SEVEN JURORS CHOSEN
TO DECIDE HIS CASE
Many Flock to Quaint Old
Chesterfield Court House for
virginia's Most Sensational
Trial

CHESTERFIELD COURT HOUSE.
Va, Aug. A.-Standing at the side OF his
gray-haired father, Henry Clay .5eatties
Jr.. OF Richmond. entered q plea Of ne5
guilty here today when arraigned in the
circuit court on an indictment accusing
him OF the murder OF his young wife He
did not finch as the clerk read the in4
dictment But he stood with eyes lows
cred. The father sat with bowed mead.
Counsel for the defense argued to havo
the arraignment postponed until next
Monday, but the court denied the prayers
together with q perfunctory motion to
quash the Indictment.
Shortly after II o'clock vsnire %
talssmsn was imnaneled and the task
OF selecting a5u1y was begun N. W.
Farley, q farmer was found accertable t.
beth sides and was the first juror to take
hts seat In the boz.
william Jackson was excused vrfen -
said that newspaper accounts Of the
crime might influence his opinion, bus
Henry Covington. farmer, answered III
as juror No. ?
In less than ten minutes John lance
farmer. had been selected, making three
in the box
T. L Wilson was quickly accepted and
made juror No. L.
A. +. Cardweli, bearded farmer pasz
middle age, said he could give the priz-
oner q Square deal" but added that II
would take mighty strong evidsnce" -
make him change an opinion already
formed. He was quickly excused.
A. NJ. Fetterolf. farmer, of about 8
years, took his place as juror No s.
]. Ernest Goode, bronzed farmers
weathered maze. OF questions at the
hands OF the court and defense. put was
finally asked to stand aside Wien p
admitted that he had expresSed the
opinion that Beattie was guilty.
Edwin M. Bass, Jr., a young farmer.
sat down as juror No. 8 shortly after
noon, so that IN a little more than an
hour half Of the Jury had been selected.
B. w. FuQua, another farmer. was
quickly chosen as Juror No. Z.
with seven Jurors in the box and TIRES
talesmen tentatively selected pending de-
cision as to their Suffrage qualifications.
adjournment was taken at 1870 p. m
until 2 .. m.
Bareheaded. : chewing gum ana
smiling, Henry Clay Beattie, Jr..
swept up to the Chesterfield county court
house in an automobile at 10 o'clock 70
answer the charge that he killed his wits
in a motor car on turnpike near Rich
mond month ago. Judge Walter a
Watson arrived shortly before the prisons
er TO convene court.
Beattie's aged father had reached Chess
ter1eld half an hour earlier III court
father and son sat side by side end ex~
changed whispers. Beattie then began
to talk with his lawyers
+ PRISONER IS CALM
Judge Watson spent several minutes
talking with special newspaper correspond
dents and arranging seats. Beattie leaned
over the old walnut railing and talked
~~rf&1 fra The nIA
father sat silent, stroking his gray hair
Dark circles showed under the prisoner'a
eyes, but otherwise he looked trim and
cool.
Counsel for both sides took their seats
at 1913 o'clock. The prisoner entered in
to an earnest conversation with II. NJ
Smith, Jr., his chief lawyer. At 1920 the
sheriff opened court. The tiny room vaa
jamrhed as the proceeding began, and to
discourage the curious and idle the court
ordered that all disinterested spectators
stand up and remain standing. Two
women newspaper writer's were the only
white representatives of the feminin8
in the yard OF court building. This clerk
formally called the case for the commons
wealth and the prosecution asked that
the prisoner be arraigned. Attorney Carr
ter, for the defense. then asked for furth-
er delay on the ground that the defensa
was not ready TO go TO trial. His plea
was that the case go over until q week
from next Monday; September 4.
POsTPONEMENT BLOCKED.
The court denied the arguments for
postponement and instructed that the
trial proceed.
In denying the request of the cefeasa
for a postponement until next Monday
August Is, Judge Watson said that the
matter of continuance might be grated
after the trial proper had been started.
The defense perfunctorily moved that
the Indictment be duashed, on the lyrouno
OF error The motion was overrulad-
Beattie was arraigned at IL o'clock. be
stood steadily but with eyes closed as the
Indictment was read He entered plea
of not guilty.
Beattie did not seem to realize when
the reading of the indictment had been
concluded. 1t was necessary for bis
lawyer to prompt him.
Then sin a clear voice he said. NOD
guilty
Long before the early morning miats had
fled from the giant sycamores and pines
in the court house yard here. today, the
stage was set for the opening of one OF
the most spectacular trials in the history
of Virginia, the arraignment Of Henry
Clay Beattie, Jr,, Of Richmond, on an
indictment charging wife murder.
There were all sorts of rumors Of pos
sible postponements or continuance, but
with more than 90 witnesses subpenaed
by the commonwealth and 6 venire OF 81
taIsemen en- route TO the court house, the
crowd began TO assemble early, hoping
to catch a glimpse of the merchants
son charged with shooting his young
wife as they motored near Richmond on
the night Of July is.
W. I. Tinsley, the aged. father-in-law
of Judge Walter Watson, of the Chester-
field circuit court. whose Illness gave
rise to reports of possible delay ia the
lcousinusd on rage Seven, coiuma Sd