The times dispatch. [volume], August 11, 1911, Image 1

About The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914

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Don't Get Rusty
While on your vacation. Let
The Timea-Diapatch follow
you.
THE DISPATCH FOUNDED lfM.
THE TIMES FOUNDED 1SK6.
RICHMOND, VA., FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 1911.
PhoneMonroeNo.l
And ask that The Times-Dis?
patch follow you on your va?
cation. We will do the rest.
PRICE TWO CENTS.
LAW REFORM M
REACHES VIRGINIA
It Is Keynote of State
Bar Association'd
Meet in a:.
CALL IS SOUNDED
FOR GREAT WORK
Resolutions in Behalf of Three
Great Remedial Measures
Adopted, and Task of Future
Will Be to Simplify Pro?
cedure, Making Litiga?
tion Less Cumbersome.
[Bper.lal from a Staff Correspondent j
Hot Springs, Va? August 10.?Over
the nation the wave of law reform IS
Irresistibly spreading, and It hns
reached Virginia. Revision of the law
so as to make Its procedure simpler.
Its workings more just and less dis?
criminatory, the cost of litigation re?
duced from excess to reasonableness?
this Is to he In the future the su?
preme policy of the Virginia State Bar
Association.
I jaw reform was the keynote of the
twenty-third annual session of that
body, which closed this morning. Thut
It will Lin the chief business of the as?
sociation hereafter was evident from
the many things that were said in de?
bate .lohn B. Minor, of Richmond,
sounded the call for this work in his
work as secretary, when he said th-it
the association should discuss and ree
commend more legal remedial meas?
ures, and that If .tuch recommendations
were made after careful deliberation,
the General Assembly would adopt
them and not disregard them In some
Instances, as has been the case In
the past.
Refiirmii rteeommetideil.
Three far-reHchlng reforms were
recommended to the Genera! Assembly
at this meetlr.ir. These wer? the re
ductlon of 'lie fe? compensation of the
rierks of the Fupteme Oo'irt of Ap?
peals tc, a salary basis; the use of
typewritten Instead of printed, court
records In appeal cases, where the
cost of printing would be too crreat:
and the creation of official experts to
testify In criminal lnsanltv and other
cases.
All three of these reforms, if adopt?
ed by the General Assemblv, will tre?
mendously lower the cost of litigation,
make for the securing of real Justice,
cause the poor litigant to receive a
snuare deal from the law. and mini?
mize popular dissatisfaction with the
la^-s. methods and results.
6 S. P Patteson and Kill Monta
rue, of Richmond, and Judge A A.
Phlegar, of Bristol, were to-day ap?
pointed committee to urge upon the
General Assemblv Ihe adoption of the
association's recommendations con?
cerning the compensation Of the clerks
of the Supreme <"*ourt of Appeals and
the use of typewritten records.
If the General Assembly shall write
these requests into law, the opening
wedge of the general attack on the
whole fee system will have been made,
and the beginning of the greatest law
reform In Virginia since the adoption
of the new Constitution, the emascu?
lation of the fee system, will have
been accomplished.
While not as much constructive
work was done as tnero might have
been, the general sentiment Is that
the next session will mark an epoch
in the history of the association.
Rosewel; Page, of Hanover, chairman
of the House Committee on Courts of
Justice; S. S. P. Patteson, of Rich?
mond; Judge R. T. W. Duke, of Char
lottesvllle; Professor Raleigh C. Minor,
of the University of Virginia; Wal?
ter H. Taylor, of Norfolk; Hill Mon?
tague, of Richmond, and others took
no uncertain stand in advocating
sweeping reforms In the law, both
in subBtantlvc law and in court pro?
cedure and practice.
Attempt Utopian.
While the association rejected the
proposition to participate In an effort
to mako the pleading and practice of
all the States of the Union uniform,
the reason for this rejection was a
belief that such an attempt Is Utopian.
On account of the absence of most
of the members of the committee on
Legislature and law reform, the re?
port drafted by Lewis H. Machen, of
Alexandria, was not presented, though
It may later be printed In an abridged
form. Besides Mr. Machen there are
on this committee John Garland Pol?
lard, S. S. P. Patteson. Hill Montague,
all of Rlch-iond, and S. B. Wblteliead,
of Lovlngston. When this report Is
acted on at the next meeting It prob?
ably will result In the recommenda?
tion of a hundred or more changes for
the better in the statutes of the Com?
monwealth.
The chief address of this year's
meeting was delivered this morning
by Helm Bruce, of Louisville, on "A
Permanent International Court." As a
prelude to his address he paid eloquent
tribute to the Old Dominion, saying
that "as the fragrance of the flower
suggests a loved one. so the name of
Virginia suggests to me noble re?
spect for the rights of man's high
Ideals, culture, love of State und coun?
try, chivalry to all, especially to wo?
men."
Mr. Bruce's father. Judge Henry
Bruce, was ? member of the Confed?
erate Congress, and as n chlld-in-arrns
his son was In Richmond In war
times.
The. host of women present at the
morning session were captivated by
Mr. Bruce's statement that In Lex?
ington In a home hedged with box?
wood nnd In an old-fa*bioned par?
lor, where pictures of Lee and Jack?
son bung on the walls. In a household
wherein was gentleness and the sweet
fragrance of refinement, he had found
the companion of his labors nnd the
Inspiration of his life.
A permanent International court to
nettle finally controversies between
Tintlons. Mr. Bruce Ihlnks, Is sure
to come. Nntlons for two thou?
sand years h{ive had no satisfactory
Way of settling their differences. Tho
' (-Continued on Seventh PageT)
POWER Of LORDS
HAS BEEN CURBED
Peers ''Drink the Hem?
lock" Prepared by
Government,
victory won by
narrow margin
Vote Stands 131 to 114, the "Die
Hards" Mustering Unexpected
Strength?This Greatest Hu?
miliation of Peers Is Wit?
nessed by Notable Throng
in Ga!!*ries.
London, August in.?Premier As
aulth's government, which ctalrr.8 to
represent tho democracy or Groat
Prltatn, to-night enforced its will upon
the peerage by the narrow vote of 13i
to 114 By this vote the House of
Lords decided to accept what the Lib?
erals contend is the will of the peo?
ple, and adopted Viscount Money's,
motion not to insist upon the Lords'
amendment to the parliamentary bill,
which pra.ctr.aliy limits the power of
the House of Lords to a two years'
suspensory veto and vastly Increases
the prerogatives of the House of Com?
mons.
Great Struggle Kudcd.
The great constitutional struggle,
which began when the House of Lords
nearly two years ago rejected the bud?
get of La.via Lloyd-George, Chancellor
ot the Exchequer, is ended for a time
at least, and with the greatest change,
to Great Britain's working constitu?
tion since the passage of the reform
bill.
The process of voting consumed
neurly an hour and th? result trem?
bled in the balance until the last mo?
ment. The "die hards mustered great
fr strength than was anticipated, and
the government owes Its.victory to the
voVs of between twenty and thirty
Conservatives who threw in their lot
with the Liberals to save their own
caste from loss of prestige, and tho
King from the necessity of exercis?
ing the royal prerogative for the loca?
tion of a large number of new peers
which every one believes he was ex?
tremely anxious to be eaved.
It was noticeable that the highest
ranks of the nobility furnished the
fewest supporters of the government.
"Drinking the hemlock'' hed be
, come a historic phrase In past month*,
! and the gathering; in the ancient
i chamber to-night to witness this mem
I orabl? humiliation was worthy of tho
j occasion Peers, ambassadors and
, commoners packed the galleries.
A resolution to pay members of tha
House of Commons 12.100 per annum
for their services offered by Chancellor
David Lloyd-George, was carried by a
vote of 236 to li?.
The chancellor said that Great Bri?
tain was the only country in the world
that did not pay members for their
work in Parliament, which nowadays
, was so strenuous that the members
j had little time to attend to anything
, else.
Oppose r?rment Plan.
! The Unionists opposed the payment
j plan on the ground that It would bo
1 a violation of the principle of gratui
, tous public service as well a& Im
i proper for members to vote them
' selves salaries.
Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Lee.
speaking In the House of Commons
to-day. said this would be a black
day In England's history If the Home
of Lords accepted the veto bill and the
House of Commons cut adrift from the
traditions of centuries to bestow sal?
aries upon Its members. Apparently,
the sentiment of the peers was in full
accord with this description of the
occasion.
As soon as the result was Known
several members of the House of Com?
mons rushed from the galleries and
into their own chamber and whispered
the news to the members. A great
cheer followed the announcement of
the government's victory.
The question of the hour is what
effect to-night's decision will have
I upon the future fortunes of the
Conservative party. Viscount Mor
loy's definite announcement that
enough peers were to be created per?
manently to swamp the upper house
if the goveroflient did not prevail ap?
parently swayed a few waverors and
decidod the issue.
WILL BE BURIED IN MEMPHIS
Kuuerul Services Over Dody of General
Gordon Tn-Morrow.
Memphis. Tenn.. August 10.?Services
over the body of General George W.
Gordon, commander-tn-chlef of the
United Confederate Vetorans and mem?
ber of Congress from the Tenth Ten?
nessee District, who died late yester?
day, will be held Saturday. Whether
the time will be 11 A. M. or later in
I the day depends upon tho time of
! arrival of the congressional commit
; tee from Washington. Burial will be
, in this city at Blmwood Cemetery.
I All city departments will be ciosed
during the funeltal and the fire bells
will be tolled.
House Notified of Death.
Washington, August 10.?The House
to dny vecelvod formal notice of tho
death of former Representative George
W. Qordon, of Tennessee. Resolutions
expressing sorrow, presented by Rep?
resentative Sims, were adopted and the.
1 House adjourned for the day ns a
] further mark of respect.
Tho Speaker appointed the follow
1 lng committee to attend Ge" Tal Gor?
don's funeral: Representative., "adgett.
I Houston, Garrett, Hull, Byrnes, \ustln
and Sells, of Tennessee; Richardson, of
j Alabama; Lamb and Slemp, of Virginia
Tillson, of Connecticut; Kahn, of Cali
, fornla; Bradley, of New York, and An
; thony, of Kansas.
1 The Senate adopted resolutions in
sympathy on the death of General Gor?
don, and Vice-Presldent Sherman
named the following committee to at?
tend the funeral:
Senators Taylor, of Tennesrce;
Rrown, of Nebraska; Shlvely. of In
Idlnnn; Rradley, of Kentucky; Smith, of
South Carolina; .lones, of Washington:
I Watson, of West Virginia, and Wil?
liams, of Mississippi. As a mark of
1 respect the Senate then adjourned.
HEARTBROKEN FATHER GAMELY STANDS BY SON
WHOM PUBLIC BRANDS AS BRUTAL MURDERER
WOULD INTERESTS'
PERMIT CHANGE?
Do Not Want People to Elect
Members of Corporation
Commission.
PUBLIC MUST BE AROUSED
Westmoreland Davis Gives Fur?
ther Word of Warning and
Advice to Farmers.
[Special From a Staff Correspondent.]
Staunton, Va.. August 10.?Amplify?
ing the views outlined In his annual
address yesterday In regard to the
i election of members of the State Cor
I poration Commission by popular vote.
President Westmoreland Davis, of the
I Virginia Kairoers1 Institute, in an In?
terview for The Times-Dispatch to?
day said
"While I would hesitate greatly to
criticize the splendid work of the last
Consltutlonal Convention, the mem?
bers of whloh are appointed by the
Governor, subject to confirmation by
the G-moral Assembly, a grave mis?
take was made. Indeed, 1-nm satls
[ fled that the convention had doubts
\ on the subject, since it provided for
I their election under certain conditions
I after January. 190s. It is extrem&ly
doubtful whether the Legislature,
usually dominated by t'no 'interests,'
[ would enact n bill placing the elec
[ tlon of members of the Corporation
Commission directly In the hands of
the people, whose rights the commis?
sion Is designed to protect, unless
great pressure of an aroused publio
sentiment is brought to bear. Ad
vorse Interests would no doubt muster
I their full strength to defeat such a
measure.
"It Is not my purpose in this dis?
cussion to crltlclzo or reflect on tne
present members of the Corporation
Commission. I am convinced that tho
people can be trusted to elect futura
members, and I was glad to hear Gov
! ornor Mann say yesterday that he had
once voted for a bill to that effect.
Eligible for lie-election.
"Not only should the commissioners
be'elected, but they should be entitled
upon their records at the expiration
I of. their terms of office to offer for re
I election.
I "The Governor o" Virginia In In?
eligible to succeed himself for a con?
tinuous term. The honor of his po?
sition is. save In the most exceptional
cases, the end of his political career
He has nothing more to hop* for, or
to ask at the hands of the people.
[ The appointment of a Corporation
Commission Is the most important of
(Contlnued on Second Page.)
HENRY C. BEATTIE, Sr.
WILL NOT FOLLOW
SENATOR MARTIN
Many Refuse to Attack
Veto of Statehood
Bill.
VIRGINIA POLITICS FELT
Washington Hears That Senato?
rial Fight Is Back of Vote
in Upper Branch.
j Washington, August 10.?President
Taft's personal friends in the Senate
and House will rally to support him
! In a veto of the statehood bl'l as it
lias passed Congress. That fact be?
came known to-day from congressional
callers at the executive offices. Presi?
dent Taft did not solicit any of this
offered support, his view being '.hat
thj statehood proposition is not a par?
ty question, but it is understood that
j he appreciated fhe warm loyally
j shown to him by callers who broach?
ed the subject.
Kor the first time since the begin?
ning of nil sorts of talk about puss
; ing bills over the veto of the Presi?
dent a grim determination on the part
of the President's friends was evident
i In their announcement that they do
I not propose to let any proposition to
I override a veto of Mr. Taft go with?
out a teard fight from start to finish,
l.eartere Declare Thein?elves.
Republican regular leaders like Sen?
ator Crane, of Massachusetts, and Rep?
resentative Pwight, of the Houso. ex?
hibited warmth in their declarations
that the President Is to be upheld In
Senate and House and they stated that
the President's friends will stand by
lilm Independent of party affiliation.
Styiator Crane made the fiat predic?
tion that the Senate Democrats will
not be able to command the full sup?
port of tholr party when it comes to
a showdown on a question of support?
ing the President on the statehood
proposition, while Representative
Dwlght wont farther and said: "We
do not propose to let any attempt at
making laws over the head of the
j President go through without a right,
j That might as weil be understood now
as at any other time. This statehood
matter Is not political In Itself, but
this overriding of the President is In?
tended to make politics against him
and humiliate htm before the coun?
try, tinder th03e. circumstances, his
! friends, Inside and. outside of the
! party, will rally to him."
I Representative Crumpacker. another
I Republican leader, made a similar dec?
laration, ond both men returned to the
Taft's
(Continued on Seoond Page.)
?Photo by Homeler & Clark.
LIQUOR WILL NOT
E LOCAL ISSUE
Nearly All Candidates for Legis?
lature Oppose Prohibition
Program.
ASKED TO STATE POSITION
They Oppose Referendum and
Anti'Jug Bill as Undemo?
cratic Doctrine.
Answers received from candidates
for the General Assembly from Rich?
mond to quostl?.B propounding the ex?
isting platform of the Anti-Saloon
League of Virginia, Indicate that with
possibly one exception the league will
tind no one to support its viows.
Those who bnve ulroady replied de?
clare emphatically that they will
neither support a bill referring the
question of State prohibition to tha
people, nor will they, if elected, vote
for a bill prohibit, ng the lntrastale
shipment of Intoxicating liquor into
"dry" territory.
Others when asked about their po?
sition, also express ttielr opposition
to the two propositions, although they
have not as yet made formal reply.
The position of the remaining candi?
dates is regarded as too well known
to need spe.cilic relation, with the one
exception of M. A. Campbell, of Wash?
ington Ward, who Is understood to
favor the principles of the league.
Will Xot n- lasne.
With the various candidates lined
up on the liquor question in opposi?
tion to the platform of the Anti-Sa?
loon League, the "dry" element, it Is
presumed, will divide its votes on oth?
er Issues, since It would appear to
have no choice. The prohibition vote
in Richmond Is estimated to be about
I 1.100.
The questions referred to are not
I asked by the league or by nny of Its
i officials. They are. however. Idontl
I cal with the platform as adopted at
: tbo last animal convention at Newport
j News In February, nnd are the queries
which the convention decreed should
I be asked of aspirants for the General
i Assembly this yei.r. The names up
I perjded to tho questions are those of
: citizens who, says their leader. S. I*
j Ledmnn. merely agreed to try to se
I cure an express'on of opinion, and
? have no actual connection with tho
Antl-Rnloon League.
CnndtdateH* Position.
! Senator K. C. Foikes. who has no
j opposition for re-Meetlon: F.dwln P.
i Cox and D. L Tonnv. aspirants for the
House, all say emphatically thnt they
oppose hoth the referendum and the
"Tconttnued on. Seventh Page.)
Though State's Evidence May Be
Strong and Overwhelming, Henry
Beattie, Sr., Refuses to Believe
in His Boy's Guilt.
PATERNAL LOVE NOT SHAKEN
BY MASS OF CRUEL EVIDENCE
Convinced That Prisoner Is Unjustly Accused,
Gray-Haired Father Feels Called Upon to
Speak in His Defense?Bares Secrets of
His Life So Those Who Cry for Ven?
geance May Understand Tha tGhastly
Charge Is Beyond Belief.
BY n. W. SIMPSON.
Heartbroken, but steadfast In the undying certainty of his boy's Innocence,
Henry C. Beattie. Sr., unfolded last night a story of that same boy's life which
makes the charge against him unbeHevable,
"I don't care how strong this evidence of the Commonwealth may appear,"
he. said, as his eyes filled quickly with tears, "1 can no more believe In his guilt
than I can believe that I will be stricken dead at this very moment."
Calmly, then, without pasrlon, without feelir^c except that of utter grief,
he went back to the time of his boy's birth, describing bis habits, his gradual
development Into manhood, his work, his loyalty to father and home, concealing
nothing and without attempt to paint a halo about his head. It was simply
an old man's word for his child.
For two hours while I sat with him In his library last night, not once was
his voice raised in anger.
Cut by Public's View of His Son's Cruelty.
"So many cruel things h3ve been said and printed about Henry Clay," ha
remarked, "that you can't understand how It hurts, you can't realize how It
cuts Into the heart. Because he is my boy does not mean that he Is perfect.
But he is misrepresented. They have called him a spendthrift, a term which
no more tits him than it would the thriftiest man that ever lived. Why, years
ago, when he was attending McQutre's University School, he sough', and secured
employment during the vacation season- When I asked Ulm if he did not want
to take a course in higher education, he told me that ho was determined to
become a business man. that ho believed the practical experience ho would get
in the next three years would better equip him for a business career. Ho has
been in the store with me for eight years now. and he was prepared to carry it
on if I should be forced to drop out. Why, when lie doclded to buy an automo?
bile with his own money, he would not do that until he had consulted me. W?
were very close together."
.Regardless of what optnlons they may have formed of the murder, the
people of South Richmond, where Mr. Beattie has lived for years, cannot think
of it without the utmost sympathy and pity for the gray-haired mar,. Indeed,
those nearest him will not discuss it; It hurts too much to think of all that haa
come about In these exciting weeks. And they know that the son in Jail grieves
most because of those tears which fall continually upon the grizzled cheek of
one at home.
Out of a sense of common decency, no effort has been made by this news?
paper heretofore to have Mr. Beattie discuss a tragedy which he can never
forget. But out of a sense of justice he was asked If there was not some word
he wished to speak on behalf of the chtld who bears his name. There was no
desire to invade the privacy of his home, no desire to have him take up or con?
tradict that wealth of evidence which has been sent broadcast?which has
pictured Henry Clay as a cruel, a deliberate, a ghastly murderer. The old man
knows that the public has rendered its verdict; unhappily, he knows the ver?
dict. But it has not swayed him one lota from the view formed long ago.
Declares That Henry Made Only One Statement in Jail.
"I hate to think of it," he said, "and yet I can think of nothing else. 1
hate to 6peak of it, yet 1 feel that I would not be loyal to my son unless I did.
And so many, many cruel things have gone forth. Take, for Instance, th?
statements and interviews .-rcdlted to him. He did say that if the detectives
would endeavor to find the real murderer with the same amount of zeal with
which they had endeavored to fasten the crime on him, his name would soon be
cleared. He said that after he had been placed In the county Jail, with the
brand of the coroner's verdict upon his brow. And that was the only statement
he has made. Why, some of them have put words In my mouth I could not
I utter, but I could not deny It and have the public feel that I doubted his lnno
| cence. I have tried not to ttad the newspapers. But I have no feeling of
resentment toward them."
Once in the midst of tho talk Mr. Beattie was Interrupted by a telephone
j coll, but he came back and picked up the thread where it had been dropped.
"Henry Clay," said Mr. Beattie, "Is twenty-six years old. Fifteen months
after he was born we wore blessed with twins?two little girls?and any mother
can understand the care and attention they received. Naturally, In this cir?
cumstance, 1 began to look after Henry with more Interest. I watched him
grow up, played with him, and was the one upon whom he mostly leaned. That
companionship broadened as he becaroo older. He was fond of outdoor life.
He loved his little friends.
Four Venn of Grief That He Can Never Forget.
"When ho was thirteen years old there came upon mo four of the most
heart-breaking years that any man ever hod to face. In that period the twins,
my wife and my sister died. I was forced to move in from 'Dundee.' which I
built, so as to give my business closer attention. In those days of grief I had
Henry. Ho was not a bad or a vicious boy. We got to be mighty good friends.
He loved to go with the girls and boys; he was what you might call an outdoor
boy, fond of that kind of life. He had ono of the first bicycles, and then later
on he wanted a motor car. but he wouldn't buy It?with his own savings-?
without my approval.
"When he went into the store eight years ago he immediately took a firm
grip on the business situation there. Up to the time that I went to the hos?
pital, a year and a half ago. I had beon in the habit of going down every morn?
ing to open my store. Henry Clay took that off my shoulders then, and has
opened the store ever since. I can best explain how close we wero by the state?
ment that we always went back and forth together. He gave very atrict
attention to the business, gradually dropping Into the buying. I always found
that while he took a general interest in everything, he gave his time and energy
to tho shoe ond gontlamen's furnishing depat tments. which wer? directly under
his control. There was never any question as to salary, for, as 1 explained to
him. he would come in eventually for a large Individual share of tho business,
and I thought it best to Invest the profits rather than pay him big wages, which
would be put in the bank, Instead of a growing concern of which we were the
owners. This was thoroughly satisfactory to him. and the salary question was
never mentioned again. While I was not what you might call a rich man. I
made it a point to give the boys n certain nmount of spending money every
week, and though I never asked what was done with it, I Impressed upon them
the Importance of living uprightly, remembering always who they were.
Tells How Up Was Crashed by Girl and Henry.
"There was. of course, on? incident in his life whjch hurt me, as it would
have hurt any father, yet I realized that Henry was not unlike many othejr
young men in this day. and time. But I must say this: Henry was frank w-lth
[ me at all times. The idea that ho w.as afraid of me la preposterous when you
I come to know how freely we. hod mtngied, how companionable we had always
I been. In his dealings with mc he was absolutely truthful. If I asked him a,
I question which a boy might hesitate in answering to his father, he came out
I like a man. He never to my knowledge told me :i Ii?-. I ,.in sny that truth?
fulness was his strong chajracterisfic as boy and man. His friends and business
j associates knew tills, and have often remarked*.upon It."
As he related Incident after Incident, Mr. Reattle's strong, honest face had)
I stamped upon it the marks of unutterable woa. Sometimes, knowing that & thill