The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-09-06
BEA1T|E TO TAKE STAND.
only Interesting Feature is Admission
Dy Brother of Accused--Nev
Witness Discovered.

Clay Beattie, Jr., indicted for the
murder OF his wife, did not take the
stand today in his own behalf as was
expected, but the assertion was made
Just before court adjourned that the
defense would conclude it's case late
tomorrow with the prisoners testi-
mopy.
An argument ensued between coun-
sci Tor both sdes as to whether the
cToss-eXamination Of the accuse @
could be finished tomorrow, andIS
was obvious that the prisoner
rest over Sunday before the <
upon him by the prosecution cou. be
begun. Thomas Hancock ,one of the
Jurors, however spoke up in a plain
tive voice to the court, saying, Please
consider Judge The court i'm
mediately asked Fl. NJ. Smith, coun-
Sci for the defense how many more
witnesses he was introducing.
Just few more" said Mr.. Smith,
but We will surely close our case to-
morrow by placing the prisoner on
the stand"
Judge Watson announced he would
hold court later than usual tome
| if necessary to finish the case, but an
agreement was reached to suspend
judgment as to holding the night ses-
sion until the testimony Of the &C
cused had been presented. Court will
be delayed in the morning by the TAX
ing Of a deposition from Mrs. NJ. c.
Steeger. who is i'll at her home, near
the scene of the crime, and who, 1t is
claimed, saw the alleged bearded
highwayman prowling around the
day Of the murder.
Testimony today was perfunctory in
its character. Several women friends
Of the accused and his dead wife tes-
titled that the couple lived happily
together.
Those who testified as to the happy
ieidtloiS oet"eeii tue couple were
Miss Bessie Wells, Miss Louise
Reams maid of honor at Mrs. Beat
ties wedding; Mrs. Trap Logan.
sister Of Henry c. Beattie, ST.; Mrs.
Elk j. Bowman "a sister .in-law and
housekeeper Of Henry c. Beattie, Sr.
Except for the impromptu admis-
sion OF Douglas Beattie, a brother of
the accused, that he would have de-
stroyed evidences of the murder had
he known that his brother was to be
charged with the crime, the most in
teresting development Of the day was
the discovery Of a new witness by the
defense, Joseph Casselberg Of Rich
mond. Casselberg. it has been ru-
mored for some time, has had mys-
terious knowledge Of the case. He Is
reported to have been on the Mid
lothian turnpike with another per-
son about the same time that the
murder occurred. and is supposed
to be the man who stopped to crank
his machine and was seen by the
group Of boys on their way from the
dance at Bon Air. If he s called as
a witness and admits that he had
stopped TO fix his machine at the
point where the boys say they saw
car with a woman on the running
hn r1 t.
defense considers this would controvert
much Of the testimony tending TO
show that Mrs. Beattie was shot
while on the running board and not
in the car seat as her husband al
leges
1t was rumored tonight, however,
that the defense may not call Cassel-
berg because of conflicting reports
concerning his probable testimony.
The question OF whether Mrs. Beat
tie was shot while standing on the
running board or. as her husband in
sists. while she sat in the front seat
to the left of him, again was raised
today when several automobile ex-
perts testified that a large pool OF
blood such as was found at the
scene Of the crime, could have trick
led through the machinery OF the
car and flowed from the drip pan
underneath to the ground. The tes-
timony Of the automobile experts was
in line with the contention that blood
dripped from the machine in many
places from the scene OF the crime
to the owen home in Richmond.
whore the young husband took hs
dead wife.
Mr.. {. II. Geadon. secretary Of the
local most II i As has ropoiva1 q,