The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-09-09

~.SSo VI WoA0ouuuT8s voluntary as.
sistant OF the commonwealth In the
case, the suspense was felt not alone
IN the court room but In Richmond,
where thousands Of people awaited
the outcome.
The jury had for eleven days heard
the evidence and for two days speech
es, but the words Of Wendenburg rang
IN their ears as they left the court
room to find their verdict.
Let that man go Free" he cried,
what, let that man go free? Why,
1.-The motherhood of Virginia, the wom-
GbNaod OF this nation, will shudder in
~. as the security Of its life is
threatened. Let this man go free?
The man who basked in the degraded
sunshine Of another woman while at
his home the young wife nursed his
child. Gentlemen, merely ask you
IN the name Of justice to do your
duty"
Circumstances Recalled.
In vivid detail the prosecutor pic
tured the wife as she started on her
innocent journey into the cool air of
the summer night.
| The jury saw again in their minds
the automobile In which she rode be-
side her husband, how Beattie stepped
into the darkness Of a thicket, found
the shot gun which he had concealed
earlier, and deliberately slew his wife.
The desperate ride home with the
bleeding and lifeless body crushed
into small space in the front part of
the machine and the husband sitting
coldly against the blood covered head
OF his wife. were graphically detailed
to the jury. Only passing attention
was given by Wandenburg to the
purchase Of a gun by Paul Beattie,
cousin of the accused.
The defense had claimed, he said
that on Paul Beattie's story alone was
built the case of the prosecution but
he held aloft the bloodstained cloth
Ing Of the prisoner, "as the mute evil
dence of the crime," and asked: do
you want any other evidence?"
| The blood f1ecked lower fringe of
the shirt in deep black blots, not a
mark on either the sleeve or coat.
| The prisoner had declared that he
held his wife with one hand and
steered his car with the other, but
absence Of blood on the arms, the
prosecutor declared, gave the lie to
his story. Not alone with the clothing
did the prosecutor disentangle what
he termed the cheapest fabrication
of the cheapest MURDER" but he
shouted shame at the prisoner for his
relations with mere slip of girl
from the age of thirteen, until within
his own married life and held this as
motive for the crime.
"And the prisoner admits that it
was his passion" said Wendenburg.
Yes 1t was passion, but passion
born of the devil and a passion that
sent to death his wife. so that he
might continue his vicious pleasure ''
Wendenburg concluded his address
a few minutes after o'clock. A
brief respite was given the Jury and
at 5:28 o'clock 1t began consideration
of the case.
In the court room sat Henry Clay
Beattie, Jr., the sporting page Of q
newspaper spread before him. But
he did not read long. He folded the
paper and concealed his face with It.
Those who sat near the boy of iron
nerve observed twitching of his lips
as though moving in prayer, while
he sat with closed eyes, awaiting the
return Of the jury. He raised his
head for moment, dropped the pa
per again and began reading. Then he
whispered few words to his father
and brother. It was for them he
felt and to them he counseled cheer
Ifulness.
In the Gloom.
1t was nearly dark In the court
room when the jury returned. Three
Of the oil lamps gave meagre lustre
to the scene. The court asked the
prisoner to rise. He drew himself up
calmly and waited.
"Have you gentlemen agreed on a
verdict?" asked Judge Watson.
Eve have" said the foreman.
"What is your verdict? asked the
Judge.
Guilty" answered Foreman Bur-
CESS, but his voice was swelled by the
shouts Of eleven others.
Under the Virginia practice, murder
Is presumed to be second degree un-
less otherwise specified. It was in
cumbent upon the jury to fix the de-
gree, so Judge Watson advised the
jurymen to confer again on the point,
and seven minutes later they returned
with q verdict Of murder In the first
degree"
The prisoner stood erect and mo-
tionless. His face, in color yellowish
green throughout the day, was immo-
bile. His eye lids sagged, but did not
blink. With steady gaze he held his
eyes on the faces of the twelve men,
who had pronounced his punishment
as If to penetrate their minds and de-
termine the reason why. 1t was not
a resentful expression, however, and
when the court asked If the prisoner
had anything to say, he answered: 81
have nothing to say" and sat down.
Judge Watson delivered an impress
sive speech to the prisoner. He told
how the young man had stained his
own life and Of the way In which he
lived by his sordid acts.
For the first time in the history Of
similar proceedings in this state,
newspaper men were admitted.
RIOTING IN FRANCE
Cheap Food Manifestants Battle With
Troops and Thirty Injured.
Brest, France, Sept. "a fierce
hattla occurred here t0dav when a