The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-31
Alleged Consumptive Proposes to
Die i'll Electric Chair
for Beattie.
WANTS $4,000 IN ADVANCE
Prosecutions Theory as to Mo
tive for Murder Is Out
lined.

| Turnpike on the night of July is, has
consumptive. who proposes to make
a bogus confession, take all the blame
and go to the death chair for the sum
of $4,000. The unknown writer says
that his time on earth is not long
! any way-that he had just soon be
dead-and that the sum named would
provide for his wife and children after
he had been electyocuted
The first letter came to Mr. Beattie
several days ago, and was turned over
to his attorney, II. NJ. Smith. Jr. A
second came yesterday, asking why
the first communication had not been
answered. Neither is signed. and the
attorneys for the defense are at a
loss to know whether the offer comes
from some enemy desiring TO place the
Beattie family in an embarrassing po-
sition or whether II is merely the
work OF crank. They attach no i'm
portancc whatever to it, and Will send
no answer.
Would Die I'm Chair.
The first unsigned communication is
lengthy and circumstantial. II states
that the writer IS an Ill man, to whom
life has become a burden. He offers
to come forward and confess to the
shooting of Mrs. Louise Wexford Owen
Beattie. TO make his story dovetail
With that told by young Beattie, to ct
the alleged highwayman. TO assume all
the blame. and TO go to the death chair
for the crime committed. In payment,
he asks but $1,000, and his letter desig
mates a lonely spot on the Atlantic
Coast Line Railway, and certain
night on which the money was TO be
deposited beneath certain bridge.
the description OF time and place being
very specific and in detail. The sec
ond letter merely asks why the first
had not been answered. and indicates
that the offer is s;ill open
r. NJ. Smith, Jr., of counsel for Nr.
Beattie, said last night that both let
ters We're in his possession; that IT
was either a trick of some party try
ing to place the l. attic family in a
false attitude, or else the absolutely
foolish action of crazed brain. In
either case the attorneys propose talk
ing no steps to ascertain the sender
No decoy or money will be placed in
the spot indicated, and no notice will
be taken of the communications.
1--WE are not such fools" said MIR
Smith. "as TO be drawn into any trap
mission OF guilt. or that we had any
misgivinSs as TO the strength OF the
case We expect TO present to the jury
1t is either a trick from some enemy
or else an absolutely trivial and
ridiculous communication. to which
We Will pay no attention"
Cnsc Now Complete.
with the witnesses who haze been
examined and summoned for the grand
jury the Commonwealth claims that
its case is now complete. Much of this
evidence. of a cumulative nature, has
not been made public and will be
reserved for the jury. After puncturing
in many places the story OF the killing
told by the husbarN on his return to
the owen home with the body of his
wife, the prosecution will show the
purchase of the gun, with which the
killing was done. by Paul Beattie. The
that Beulah Binford can also prove an
alibi for that night.
Much In the way of circums ;antial
evidence. all pointing to Henry Beattie
as the murderer, was brought out be-
fore the coroner's inquest. but the mo-
tive for the crime was not then fully
demonstrated and the prosecution as
serts that 1t lies in a chain of cir
cumstances which involve both the
love of money and the love Of wo-
man, rather than in any single event.
Motive for Crime.
The prosecution is prepared to show
on the score of motive Henry Beattie's
relations with Beulah Binford from
death of their child. Broken off for
7 time on payment of $500. of which a
lawyer. it is said. took the lions share,
the relations between Beattie and the
months ago. though evidence differs
as to who made the overtures.
What brought matters TO crisis
demanding desperate measures. accord
Ing TO the theory of the Common
wealth. was when the young mother
learned that her husband was again
had promised TO forswear. The young
wife told her mother things which she
had learned about her husband, and
the girls father was sent for from his
home in Dover, Del.
Her Father Coming.
Mr.. Owen was on his way here, and
was due to arrive, and did arrive. the
morning Following the shooting. He
father would learn, of the wild career
OF the young man. infatuated with
Eeulah Binford. but unable TO run off
with her because unwilling to reln
quish his share in his fathers prop
erty. and having no other means of
support, young Beattie was faced with
a scandal which at best could but lead
to divorce. and he believed that his
father would side with the innocent
young wife in such an emergency. His
source OF income would be reduced or
in his fathers store, Henry Beattie's
chief occupation had been to be
young man about town and to drive
the family motor car. Paul Beattie had
been his GO between before and 1t was
better for him to buy the gun than
for the young man himself to be seen
making such a purchase. The coming
OF MIR owen. and the revelations which
would follow would break UP plans
for a dual life, in which he furnished 9
fiat on one side of the river for Beulah,
and at the same time lived at his
fathers home with his wife. His in
come. ease and motor car would go
together. and In desperation the young
man determined on a course, the sheer
brutality of which has shocked the
country as few crimes have done.
Defense Is silent.
This is the motive the Common
wealth proposes to outline before a