The times dispatch. [volume], November 25, 1911, Image 2

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

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
_h* man they believed to be guilty, the
Jurors end the court which tried and
r-ondemnod him. and higher appellate
tribunals called upon to Interfere, can
'; flow be absolutely assured that they
1 ?wore correct in their judgment and
gjtlrat ttiey have only aided in carrying
.."out the mandatos of the law and in
protecting society against crlnilnuls
who might otherwise have hopes of
??'*!;tovadlng punishment.
Virginia has won golden opinions
from the press and poople of tho en
'i; . tire continent In the celerity with which
Sj^'/thls case has been handled. It Is tho
(.'A I generally expressed opinion that tho
example has done much as a deter?
rent to lawbreakers and as a beacon
Hght for other States to follow.
Work of Mr. Dennis.
Th? public now knows that not the
'slightest injustice has been done. It
.is tan tiled. No small share of com?
mendation Is heard for Mr. Dennis,]
who, realizing the situation, prevailed
on H. O. Beutle, Jr., to confess his
guilt before the world. In reply to a!
r'j{>> contention that it Is not a religious]
l'-t .requirement to have public confessions
Fs^ nt sins. It Is recalled that Beattle swore'
thai he wus Innocent und that his of
fenso was a public one. Tho horrors ?
of a forcible talcing of a life by the I
(processes of law, at which the city and ,
'-; State have shuddered, are mitigated by
'. the confession of guilt. ?
Relying on what he thought was the'
_ lack of convincing evidence and on the I
=? plausibility of his initial story of nn}
attack and shot by an armed stranger
B on the public highway, Beattle believed .
11 that he wouid escape the death penalty. I
1 * llle maintained this conviction through- !
oui Iiis incarceration during the weeks !
which followed the conviction and the'
I.passing of the sentence. He believed
tit when under some impulse he made
... 'ills early confession to Mr. Dennis. Ho.l
believed It when tho Supreme Court;
'refused him a .writ of error. He be-1
lieved it even when Governor Mann i
declined to Interfere In any manner I
(With the execution of the Judgment, i
I3y that time the Paul Beattle" eplsodo |
"had arisen, giving the prisoner hope.
When this revelation feli (lat, and
'the Governor announced last Saturday |
.that ho stood on his public statement.
and would do so unless something un
*?" -foreseen occurred. Beattle gave up for ?
.the first time and refused to eat his
h meals. From that moment he began :
P ?earnest preparations for death and
so. sought to compose his mind for the
letiy'.final ordeal nnd to prepare his soul for]
In sr.; its lllght Into the unknown,
n Grim Tragedy In 1'rlaon,
e It was then not difficult to prevail ;
E upon him to sisn a confession which
would set the merits of the trial and |
' .tho death penalty r'ght before thej
courts and the public forever. '
..Nothing whatever occurred In the.
prim tragedy of yesterday morning to .
.distinguish it from tho other electro-i
(Cutlous which have preceded it save j
only the Intense public Interest. Heul
"tie arose at the usual hour, was dressed .
*ln tho partial array which is most con
Venlent, and spent the remaining mill- !
'Iltes of his life In religious devotion
with Mr. Dennis and JJ.r. Pix. Tho
'twelve witnesses summoned by Super- I
intendcnt Wood were all at the pen!ten- c
't'nry by 7 o'clock, the appointe.l hour. I
'They were conducted to the death ;
Chamber and there Ken ted.
Work (lulcklj- Dune.
But nine minutes elapsed between I
L the entrance of tho "jury" and the;
p, 'moiiifem when Dr. William T. Oppen- !
lioimer, tho prison surgeon, pronounced '
Henry Clay Beattle; Jr.. dead. 'Ho'
< died as he had lived?with self-control j
? 'and undaunted demeanor.* The wit
\ tiesses quietly Hied out of the chum
l ber, and the body was removed from
the death chair to the adjoining mor?
tuary .room. At S'.IO 11 was taken from
j<\ ?'_ Ithe prison 'n un undertaker's vehicle.
"""*"""^Tlaore are mon to whom. In consid?
eration of cortnln circumstances, me
Governor might have listened had they ,
united In nn appeal for a reprieve of I
thirty days. They stood ready to tuke |
?och action under certain circumstances.
Indeed, a consultation regarding this
muttor was held as late as 0 o'clock
on Thursday night, but It was deter?
mined that no end which was desirable
Could be su'oberved. Beattle had al?
ready confessed, he wuh prepared to
die, nnd he hud said he wanted no re?
prieve If there wero no chance of
.commutation of sentence.
Law Complied With.
Superintendent Wood, understanding|
tho intent of the Legislature to sur?
round the detulls of un execution with
the utmost secrecy, took especial pains
to prevent the dlssominatlon of Infor?
mation. Ho admitted no newspaper
Dhoti, In .aocordancc with a determina?
tion prpvlpjisly,'announced, and no em?
ploye of the-prison was permitted to
make any statement
t'he llrst word of any sort which1
name from the death scene was a mes
6tige telephoned by Major Wood to tho:
office of The Times-Dispatch, for the!
use of the Associated Press, announc?
ing fhat the death took place at 7:23.!
Other news services. It was stated,
were served with a guess, but the As-i
pocluted Press had the first facts. A
special representative of the organiza?
tion was In waiting in The Ttmes-Dls
patch office, and immediately sent out
Sl bulletin. This Information wus es-i
To del
Us Bmtdldai Effects;
i .
in..
manufactured hyihe
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by ail leading
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Suits extremely snug, trim
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Overcoats go to the other ex- :
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peclully desired by morning newspa?
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where, because of the difference In'
time, tho news was published in regu?
lar city editions.
Law Openly Violated.
There was. of cours?, no way to pre?
vent those who witnessed tho execu?
ting as witnesses from relating tho de-;
lulls of the gruesome scene, and Inf or-'
motion was easy of access throughout'
the day from this source*
It Is almost certain that tho events1
of yesterday will result In a penal
clause being added to the statute on
the subject of electrocutions, which
forbids the publication of the dotnll3
of the execution of criminals. Somo
nowspupers went Into complete stato
mcnts of the events In the death cham?
ber, relying upon the failure of the
General Assembly to impose punish
ment for violation of the ruin which i
thnt body Intended to make. i
Governor Mann Intimated yesterday^
that he would call the attention of;
the General Assembly to the need for
such an amendment to the law as will
provide adequate punishment for those
who will not otherwise obey It. The
statute says: "No newspaper or person'
shall print or publish the detnlls of'
the execution of criminals under this
act. Only the fact ihnt the criminal
was executed shall bo printed or pub?
lished."
Family lVo>t at Prison.
No member of the neattlc family
went near tho penitentiary yesterday.
The good-byc?y of Thursday afternoon
between the prisoner and the. father,
brother and sister were final, and It
was understood thnt they would not
meet again. The ministers of the gos?
pel wero the only persons present who
might be considered as representing
th i family.
The execution over, the community
was relieved of Its tension. Tho tlnls
of the tragedy was generally discus?
sed, and the people went about the
streots soberly?glad that all was over.
Kverywh'oro it seemed that tho tension
of the past fow weeks hud beon'illlted,
und especially In .View of the confes?
sion thorc was a. feeling of rollcf that
nil was over. While Virginia has won
a reputation for the prompt "adminis?
tration of Justlco. Richmond aus gnlnod
a notoriety whioh Is nnythlng but
tasteful to her citizens. Judging from
the generally oxpressed opinions. Tho
c-ntiro progress of the case, from tho
murder to the electrocution, hus been
regarded as peculiarly unfortunato for
tho community.
But If the public Is pleased with the
confession, the feelings of Governor
] Mann may bo Imagined. Bombarded as
he has been with letters aud telegrams
beseeching him to at least Interfere
to the extent of a reprieve, and Know?
ing that he held the life of Henry Clay
Beattle, Jr., in the hollow of his hand,
bis position has been unenviable. .
Got Itcniiirknble Letters.
This has been his first experience
with a case of the first magnltudo,
and not for ycurs, if ever before In
tho history of the State, has there
been an occasion which called for such
ti manifestation of all that Is grotesque,
in tho human viewpoint of such a
crime and its punishment. The execu?
tive has given tho most careful study
to the evidence and the detullB of tho
trial, and became absolutely convinced
of tho prisoner's guilt. Yet 135 letters
In thirty-six hourB, piling up on-every
muH. und couched In ull sorts of lan?
guage from the excruciatingly pitiful
and tho disgustingly maudlin to the
fiercely denunciatory, are not contlu
cleve to the peace of mind of ono
charged with grave responsibility.
Sonic of these letters went so far .is
to denounce tho Govornor as a mur?
derer If ho failed to commute tho
sentence, and pointed to his hands
which would bo stained with bloud.
Beattle Was pictured as a high-minded
young man, with heroic courage and
spotless virtuo, tho victim of hired
vlllflers and the picked scapegoat for
tho sins of others or tho machina?
tions of detectives. j
Just how these writers feel to-day,
after rcndliiK the positive confession
of this uuondain hero that he killed
his young wife In cold' blood, Is a
matter of speculation to the Governor.
'the number of confessions which
have been sent to the Governor are
also a subject of Interest. When u
score of Individuals In wldoly scat?
tered parts of tho country all assert
thnt they are the guilty parties, It .
becomes evident that somebody 1? mis?
taken. When the man under sentence
of death says In the face of his excu- :
lion that he did it, the verdict that all j
havo made a blunder Is regarded us
Inevitable.
Mode Public at Hotel.
Following the appearance of The
Times-Dispatch yesterday. Indicating
that a confession had been made and |
signed by Beattle, the many newspaper
men In the city were on '.he qul vivo.
As soon as tho electrocution wns over !
they sought- Interviews with the two
ministers. Mr. Dennis made the ?<tate
nient that he would appear In the lobby
ol Murphy's Hotel at 11 o'clock with
stich material as he and Mr. Ueatllb ,
and Mr. Pix desired to glvo to tho I
public. The minister was also thought- !
ful enough to en 11 up local newspaper i
odices to make sure that they would
not full to share In tho Information.
When he appeared In the lobby, l\f
teen minutes late, ho was Immidlar?*
ly surrounded by at least a score of 1
press representatives. Taking care of i
local papers first, Mr. Oenms thcr. Ola- ]
trlbutod typewritten .ihcots to tha re?
mainder, so far as they woui-1 go
Ho then briefly said that the conf'S
Itlon was made to him on November 9. I
and that ho communicated It to tl.e I
father of the prisoner an.l to Mr, F'x.
Mr. Donnls added that the strain of the ,
ordeal hud had Its effect upon him, nti'd i
that ho could not havo stood it iruth ?
longer.
VIRGINIA SHOCKED
BY BEATTIE'S CRIMEj
Whole Country Aroused When Wife Was Brutal
I ly Slain by Husband?-Salient Facts in
State's Most Famous Case.
How Justice Hurried
in the Beattie Case
July IS?Mm, Henry Cloy Heat tie,
Jr., murdered while automobile rid
in.: lrltli her husliuud, near illeh
moud.
July SI?Henry Clny Ilenttle. Jr.,
placed ander nrrest.
July it 2?Coroner's Jury charge*
lleulllp with murder.
August 1-1?Indicted l>y the grand
Jury for the initrdcr of ills wlfr.
August - i?-Placed on trinl for hin
life in Chesterfield county court?
house, Vn.
September H?Jury brings In ver?
dict of millty, nnd Judge Watson
sentenced Ilenttle to die In the elec?
tric rbnir November !M,
November 13?Supreme Court of
Appen is refused t<> grant writ of
error In Ilenttle case.
November IS?Governor of Vlr
Klnlu refused to grant stay of ?e.
cutlon,
November 34?Ilenttle electrocuted
In the Virginia I'enltentlnry,
The crime for which Henry Clay |
Beattle, Jr., paid the extreme penally
of the law in the State Penitontiary
early yesterday morning was com?
mitted on the night of July 18. By
all tho evidence?circumstantial as it
was In all Its main essentials?young
Bcnttic hud planned and deliberated
over the murder of his wife for a
week. On the fatal night he called at
the (home of Thomas B- Owen, uncle
of the dead young mother, with whom
she had been staying during convales?
cence after the birth of her child, and
at-Ued her to go with him for n short
drive on the Midlothian Turnpike. Mo
j was Insistent that they go alone. Mrs.
i Beattle turned her baby, then hut five
weeks old, over to its grandmother,
and, placing a raincoat about her
?houlrtpr.s, for the night was cool, en?
tered the waiting automobile with her
husbund. They first went by a drug
store to have a prescription filled, and
there Henry ^Beattie bought his wife
15 cents' worth of candy.
Mcnrd Cry of Angulsb.
i Mrs. Beattle was never more seen
I alive- Mr. Owen and Dr. Wilbur Mer?
cer were sitting on the lawn In front
of the Owen home about 11 o'clock,
when they heard a cry of anguish
down the road and the fast chugging
I of an automobile. A second later
I Beattle swept around the driveway,
one hand ,on the steering wheel, the
other around the dead form of his
wife. Both, men started at the cry.
Dr. Mercer lifted the lifeless form of
the young mother, and carried it Into
the house. Iionry Beattie staggered
about for a few second^, onrt sobbed
out a wild story Hint he had been held
up by a bearded highwayman, and '.
that his wife had been shot down as |
she sat by his side. Urgent telephono
messages were sent to Beattle's fam- I
ily, the father and brother, Douglas,
responding without delay. Then came
upon the scene Magistrate W, A. Jacob
ana County Oillcers Flynn and Jnrrell.
The Richmond police were Informed of
the crime and Detective Sergeant.
W ren, on duty that nlgnt at the First I
Police Station, went to the scene of |
the crime < in a motor car. Sergeant ;
R. B. Sowell went, accompanied by a
mounted detail, and they scoured the
immediate neighborhood for some trail
of that bearded highwayman. Ho was
never found. Later Detective Sergeant
Wiltshire Joined In the (man hunt,
tlenrlco county and the otatc farm
were requested to send bloodhounds.
Through L. K Seherer, head of the
detective, bureau of the Chesapeake
nrsl Ohio Railway Company, blood?
hounds were brought down on a spe
cail train from the Slate farm. John
Alsop was waiting at the station when
they arrived, and, accompanied also by
Major James D. Pat ton, the dogs were
raced to the scone. Deputy Sheriff
Webb Sydnor, of tlenrlco county, tnlso
hud his dogs on the scene.
Gun Scut Him to Cbalr.
By this time the young husband
and his brother had nlso arrived at
tho scone of the murder, and they
watched the 'laying dogs at work.
Kver they ran to a stump on the side
of tho road, and as often they re?
turned to tho blood spot In the road.
] Tho detectives examined the ground
i carefully. They discovered but one
trail. It led to that telltale stump
I and back to the blood Bp?t. Then they
I culled off the dogs. Suspicion was
i formlngvln their minds. But ns is tho
1 way with detectives they kept their
mouths shut, not even whispering
j thoir suspicions to ono another. They
i wanted developments. They came fast,
Weak Lungs
We strongly recommend
AVer's Cherry Pectoral. We
believe it prevents, protects,
soothes. What does your
doctor recommend? Take
only the medicine he ap?
proves. Trust him. ioSen?:
each on .tho hcols, as 't wore, of tho |
other.
Mrs! Bcattic hua bco..killed with a
shotgun. Thoy cried ' for tho shotgun.
Given the -shotgunY- tholr work would
bo short. Beattle had. olalmcd that he
took It from the highwayman und
tossed It Into tho tonnouu of hlsv cur,
und that It had Jostled out on the mud
dash homo. Then came the hunt for
the gun- Henry 'Beuttlo and his
brother. Douglas, took part in tho
search, driving tho machine In turn
Early In tho morning Mandy Alexan?
der (colored) saw a guA lying on tho
cracks of the Atlantic Coast Line
Hallway, twenty teet from tho edgo
of tho road. Later Henry Jennings
picked it up. It came into the hands
of tho officers, and thoy showed It to
Henry Beattle.
Ideutllled by Ueattlc.
?That Is the gun," he said. They
looked at It together. Then ho said:
"I think that Is tho gun." It was an
old-fashioned weapon and rusty. Part
of the stock had been broken und had
been monded with tacks.
And they questlonod Henry Beattle,
questioned him there in tho middle of
the road. And calmly the young man
repeated the Elory of having been held
up by a bearded highwayman. Tho
man had Jumped out from tho side
of the road, he said, and cursed him
fpr taking up the whole turnplko.
"Why the hell don't you run over
me'.'" ho demanded. (
"I ought to have done It," Henry ro-'
plied. "Vou have tho wholo r.'.itl."]
Then he throw in this clut? h und tried
to get by. The highwayman stepped
forword, leveled his gun and llred.
That was Beattle's story. It was pub?
lished as ho told it. But tho public
suspected him tho next morning, and
wild rumors, becoming wilder aB thoy
passed from tongue to tongue, gained
ground, and would not be hushed. A
lather languid search for tho sup?
posed owner of the gun was made, and
ono negro was questioned. All eyes
were turned to Beattle. Ho had superb
control of himself, and for a while
gave no outward sign that he knew ho
was suspected. On July 20, two days
after tho murder, Mrs. Louiso Welltord
Owen Beattle was burled, tho services
being conducted by tho Rev. H. C. ?
Pfleffcr, of Central Methodist Church,
the same minister who had performed
the marriage ceremony on August 24,
1910. In the meanwhile the public wob
clamoring for un arrest. Detectives de?
bated among themselves whother they
should arrest Beattle at once, or await
further developments. Advice was
sought, and they were advised to wait.
It was well - that they delayed, for
when the arrest was hnally mode, the'
chain of circumstantial evidence was
wrought practically to completeness,
luqucst In ChcMcrticld.
The Inquest was begun on the morn?
ing of July 21 In the home of Coroner
W. G. Loving. The day was hot. und,
the sessions were held In the open air.j
Then from the shadow of doubt step- ?
ped Paul Beattle, a weak, vacillating
stripling who had been unable through
sheer terror longer to still that small
voice ot conscience. He told his wife
that he had bought a Rhotgun for his
cousin from the Weinstein pawnshop,
on Sixth Street. She told her father,
und Mr. Houchcns Informed the police.
And so Paul was cast into the arena
of legal conlllct. He was taken to the
inquest to testify, and he fainted and
nearly died in an agony of fright. He
was sent to a hospital In an ambulance.
But the detectives had learned what*
thoy wanted to know,, and, as ho was
seated In his home, Henry Beattle was!
arrested by Captain McMuhon. The In?
quest was concluded on July 22. Henry[
Beattle 'taking, the stand In his own:
defense. Close to him sat Attorney H.
M. Smith, Jr., though ho had not been
then definitely retained.
Tho coroner's jury brought In a for?
mal charge of wife-murder ugalnst
Henry, and he wns taken a prisoner to
the Henrieo county Jail. Ho laughed
the detectives to scorn, for he had no|
fear then that they would over be able*
to gather enough evidence to convict|
him. In that he was mistaken. They
went at their labors systematically.
They searched through all the life
history of tho young man, and Into:
the light they brought the shameful;
tlgure of^Bculah Blnford. They proved
Intimate associations between the two.j
They proved that they had been out
Joy' rlillng on the night before the I
murder. They proved that tho two bud
been separated for a time after
Henry's wedding, and they proved that
sho had again crept Into Henry's life
and that all their old associations had
been renewed. In her they found a
part motive at least for the crime.
With Paul she was held as a material
witness. The story she played In tho
enactment of this drear tragedy is
known to all. No need there Is that it
should be told again. She was but
seventeen years old, and sho had been;
a mother. Her life had been as pitiful >
as It was shameful. Gradually bits of
evidence were weaned from her Hps,
and more of the story was unfolded
from Paul.
Uulckly Indicted.
When a Chesterfield grand Jury In?
dicted Henry Beattle on August. 14, tho
detectives had the caso In their hands,
with all tho evidence recorded In writ?
ing. They were able to prove that Paul
Beottlc bought a shotgun for his cous-'
In on July II; they were able to prove
that ho delivered It to Honry. on July
1?, and through Henry's own lips they
could prove th.it It wns the snme guni
which killed his wife. They hnrdly;
needed more. But thoy were not suro'
of the vacillating Paul. Thoy would
not believe his uncorroborated story.
So they net themselves to learn what'
connection Paul had with the murder.
If any, and where ho was and what ho'
was doing on the day previous and on
tho night of tho murder. They found'
substantial witnesses to provo that;
Paul and Henry were togother on tho
night Paul had said he delivered tho
gun to Henry, and that on the night
of tho murder Paul was In his father*
In-law's homo. One by Ono they found
other witnesses. Through thorn they
found that Henry had stopped his car
on the Midlothian Turnpike, near the
scene of the murder and at tho hour
of that murder. He was seen In front
of the- car; his wife standing on the
running board. They had examined the
car before, and so they could prove
that Mrs. Bcattic was not In the car,
as Henry had stated, when sho was
killed. She was murdered on the
ground, and her hair was filled -with
grit and sand. Blood could not have
llowcd through the bottom of the car,
and the detectives' conclusion was
j correct. And then they showed that
Bcattic must have thrown his wife's
body Into the car as that of a slaught?
ered boast, and sat on It until ho ar?
rived within the gateway of the Owen
homo. There was blood o." the sent
of his trousers, and there was blood
where -her head had lain weltering on
the cushions.
Ready to Begin Trial.
Thus prepared, and sure of their
ground, the Commonwealth's attor?
neys and officers wore ready for irlal.
Tho defense?Attorneys Harry M.
Smith, Jr.,-and Hill Carter?asked for
delay. One week was granted them.
On tho morning of August 31. In the
quaint-little courthouse of Chesterfield
county, the-famous trial began, with
Judge Walter M. Watson on the bench.
An army of .newspaper men had gath?
ered, and pcoplo came from all the
countryside to "watch-this boy prison?
er play his hund against fato. He play?
ed It with a master's hand, but all
tho odds were against him. Shrowd
enough' himself,' ho had too many
equally as shrowd playing their hands
against him.
Atto'rnoy L. O.- Wcndonburg hod- boon
ougagcd,. without foo or charge, to aid
Commouwoulth's Attorney Judge Greg?
ory. Fortified with the evidence gain?
ed by Scheret- and the Richmond and
county dotectlvcs, Mr. Wrndenburg
conducted the case for the State.
Through nearly throe weeks tho trial
contlnuod. Matchless lawyers opposed
each other for tho conviction of tho
young man. His lawyers fought every
, inch of ground, noting an exception to
[nearly ull tho turns which to them
wore unfavorable. Judgo Watson was
eminently fair to the prlsonoi. Hp af?
forded him every ?idvantage. But the
evidence was overpowering. Always,
though, Henry smiled, for his Iron
nerve did not forsake him, and ho'
soomed to believe in that thing people
culled luck. Ho faced his accusers
with now nnd thtn a merry1 quip, and
always with that haunting smile. Even
when his deal wife's motner told tho
story of unfaithfulness which her
daughter, with bitter tears, had told
her, he remained unmoved. Perhaps;
his heart was made callous by the longi
siege.
I Thnt Final liny.
The final day?September 8?came,
and the lawyers began their argu?
ments. Attorneys Smith and Cartor
made masterful pleas, contending that
the evidence was Insufficient to con?
vict. Mr. Wendenbuvg arose His pas?
sionate appeal for lustlce will never
bo forgotten by those who ncard him.
When ho sat down jury and audience
were awed Into sllonce, and a minister
bowed his hond In prayer. The Com?
monwealth rested, and the case was
given Into the hands of twelve of
Henry Beattle's peers. And with one.
voice and with one accord, they called
him guilty. Judge Watson passed on
Beattie the awful sentence of death,
and condemned him to die in the elec?
tric chair on Friday, November 24.
The case was appealed to the Su?
preme Court, and mat august body re?
fused, Judge Keitn handing down a
verbal opinion denying the plea. Ap?
peals for stay of execution were token
to Governor Mann. ){n set tho Until
seal on Henry Beattle's fato by refus?
ing to change the verdict of law, and!
an anguished father know that his
son's last hopo was blasted, and that]
his body must die the Ignoblo death of
a murderer. And beforo that boy dledi
he confessed.
EAT WORLD WITH
OFFICIAL NEWS
Associated Press, as Usual, Sent
First Bulletin on Eeattie
Execution.
The Associated Press, as usual, beat
the world on the official news of the
Ucattlc execution yesterday. Befoia
leaving his office to announce^to wait?
ing newspaper men outside tho peni?
tentiary tnat the wlfe-murdorcr was
pronounced dead at 7:J3" o'clock, Su?
perintendent James. B. Wood called
tho Associated Preis correspondent In
The Tlmes-DIspatch office, giving him
nil facts, and the first bulletin handled
over tho leased wires was In Wash?
ington, New York, Chicago and all
points on the trunk Hues at 7:28
o'clock. Two minutes later the super?
intendent's announcement was made to
newspapor reporters at tho prison
door.
Representatives of other news ngen- |
clc-s sent out HoPp'Ip* -' ' ?' ' ?'
which It was 3tated that Roattle hRd
been put to death. The story was an?
ticipated, but holding ii, ib'o, . .
accuracy and dispatch, the Associated j
Press wulted and got nnd sent out the
first authoritative, accurate and offi?
cial report. The most Important de?
tail was the exact time, but the oppo?
sition did not state the minute, merely
saying thnt the execution took place
shortly after 7 o'clock.
Made 1'onMIiIo by Wood.
Realizing the tremendous Interest In
tho final chapter of the famous mur?
der case, the Associated Press made
Its arrangements In advance, nnd the ?
results were even more satisfactory ]
than might have been oxpectcd. W. A. ;
Crawford, of the Washington office,
Wbi sent to Richmond to handle the
report. On Wednesday' night he went!
with' a representative of The Times- '
Dispatch to sec Superintendent Wood, j
and when the situation was explained
Major Wood agreed to give Mr. Craw- !
ford the first announcement over Tho
Tlmes-DIspatch telephone. Reporters 1
were not admitted to tho prison. Major j
Wood very courteously consented to |
call Mr. Crawford Immediately upon j
hw return to his office from the death <
chamber. I
Beattle went to the chair at 7:10,|
wan officially declared dead at 7:23,
nnd four minutes later Maj. Wood had
Mr. Crawford on the telephone to tell
him of tho facts. The first bulletin, ns^
stated, was spending over trunk llne3
out of Washington at 7:28.
While Mr. Crawford was at Tho!
Tlmes-DIspatch office, D. C. Probort, of
tho Wnshington office of the Associated
Press, who had been sent here to
handle the National Roads Congress,
wns ot the penitentiary door. Mr. Pro
bert heard the superintendent's state?
ment at 7:30, although he know that
tho story at tho moment had already
been sent out by Mr. Crawford over'
the leased wire from The Tlmes-Dls
patch.
Service Wna InMtontsneoas.
i No better record could have been
! made, and It was due to the superin?
tendent's help. He had promised to
furnish the Information, and In the
midst of all that excitement he did not
forgot. The chief operator at the tele
i phone oxchango was notified in ad?
vance that an Important rush message
: was oxpectcd by The Tlmes-DIspatch
EOMUCK9
It Means
Original and Genuine
MALTED MILK
The Food-drink for All Ages.
More healthful than Tea or Coffee.
Agrees with the weakest digestion.
Delicious, invigorating and nutritious.
Rich milk, malted grain, powder form.
A quick loach prepared in a minute.
Take no substitute. Ask (or HOR LICK'S.
Others are imitation*
The rush and roar of deadly <)j
modern life is everywhere.
Your nerves are weak
and worn, they are
overtaxed, strained
to the breaking point.
Strengthen them,
build them, vitalize
them with a Food'
Tonic*
is one of the oldest, purest
and best-known of
FOOD-TONICS.
from tho penitentiary, and when Mr.
Wood took down hie receiver there
was an Instant "Number?" and tho
switchboard operator In this office, had
completed the connection three sec?
onds later. By the time tho regular
afternoon circuits over tho country had
opened, the Associated Press had near?
ly 1.0U0 words In shape for odltors.
Mr. Wood had agreed to notify Mr.
Crawford If Ilenttle mada a confession,
the supposition being that It might be
given Just before he went to the death
chsmbor. The confession, however,
was not given out until 11 A. M., nnd
the superintendent, had no knowledge
of Its exlstenco when he gave out the
first bulletin. If ho hnd known, the
confession would have gone out over
the wires at 7:28.
CQNFESSIONGREAT
RELIEF 10 FAMILY
Father of Mrs. Beattie Says It
Satisfies Mind and Clears
Case.
Dover, Del., November 21.?The exe?
cution day of Henry Clay Beattle, Jr.,
found the Owen family going about
their usual routine as though no
tragedy hud ever entered their quiet
lives.
"1 thank you for the news," said R.
V. Owen, tho father of Beattle's murd?
ered wlfo. Mr. Owen, who Is the man
ager of a large plant In this city, was
at his work when tho news that tho|
law had taken his con-ln-law's life was
voluntarily Hushed him. "I thank you
for the nowa, but I have nothing to
say."
Mr. Owen explained that slnco the
murder of his daughter, none of thu
members of the family hus had any?
thing to any about the aftuir and would
continue to maintain a dignified sil?
ence. "We have not and will not dis?
cuss the affair outside the family cir?
cle," he said.
But he would talk about the baby,
the six months' old son now an orphan.
"My wife," he said, "was naturully
much wrought up after the death of
our daughter, and our doator told us It
would be better for her to care for the
child and relieve her mind. We
brought the baby to Dover, and It Is
with us now. We will keep It and raise
It."
Mr. Owen said that the Infant has
not yet been given a name. "We call
him 'baby,'" he said. "The question
of naming him has not been discussed
by the fnmlly. You see we hav? been
In this tangle for tho last few months
and no one has talked about the baby's
name.
"The child will be given the loving
care of Its grandmother. She Is con?
cerned that some day the child may
be told of the tragic fatnof Its pa?
rents, but we cannot help that; we
must do the best we can for the little
one."
The ohlld Is well and rccolves much
attention from the members of the
family and Intimate friends of the
Owens. I
"Is that bo? I .am glad that ho
made a clean breast of It," declared
Mr. Owen, later to-day, whon told that
Beattle had confessed the crlmo and
asked forgiveness.
"Hp was convicted on circumstantial
evidence, and' this fact left a doubt In
tho minds of some peolc. His confes?
sion satisfies our minds and clears up
the case, nnd to that extent I fool u
sense of relief."
Flui CHAPTER
RITTEN AT LAST
(Continued From First Page.)
grabbed it out of the highwayman's
hand, and whon It could not be found
after he had reached the Owen home
lie suggestocr~that a search be made.
The morp general Idea was that Beat
tie had deliberately pitched It out with
Jibe Idea that'some tramp?some, poor
white man or negro?might pick It up.
With that weapon in his possession,
the finde? might have paid the death
penalty.
After the verdlot in Chesterfield
county on September 8 tho public ex?
citement was minimized, though It In?
creased when the time camo for tho I
Supreme Court to act Then came the
refusal of Govornor Mann to inter?
fere.
The Final Moment.
Then came the night before tho exe?
cution?Thursday night?whon the city
was seething again?when the wholo
talk drifted back to the one question
?confession. Thero had been enough
evidence to justify tho assumption that
Beattie had confessed, although by'
midnight tho Konoral verdlot was that
this confession vsould not be made
publla. But when It came, clear, to
the point, and unmistakable, there was
an ond of that Intensity of feeling
One great sigh swept over Richmond.
There could bo no pore discussion, nc
more doubt, no more uncertainty, no
more denunciation of courts and
Jurors. Without that confession years
heneo the Beattle case would still
figure In tho public mind.
Now the thing Id done. Only th..
funeral?then the end of excitement ?
und the desire to forget. With all ci
those startling events crowded int..
the brief space of a few months, tho
whole country was unnerved. The
people thomsolves convicted Beattle
long brfor? the newspapers dared sug?
gest that the public had returned Its
verdict. Tho courts came next, an't
finally the hopeless creature admitted
his guilt that he might make pcuc.
with his God.
EARLE MAY HEAD BANK
Prcntdruey of Itiailui tl<>u tu Kerf York
Reported Offered to .lira. j
Now York, Novombcr "I.?A repot i
sold to be from an authoritative oourow
was current yoslfrduy that George IL
Eorle, Jr., of Philadelphia, defeated
candidate for Mayor, hae been offcro<!
the presidency of one of the largo
bank* of this city.
The offer, tho report said, was mndo
to Mr. Barle yesterday In a formal
communlculion sent to him by the om
cors of the bank, the name of which
Is withheld for the present. The Phil?
adelphia banker has taken the propo?
sition under consideration, and n
reply Is expected from him within t -
few days.
Those who made advances expreesot
hope last night that Mr. Earle's an
swor will accept the offer. Some o.
his friends In the financial district It
this city have been eager for a lone
time that ho should join the bankers
here.
Advice to the Aged.
Age brings Infirmities, such as ?lux?
gish bowels, weak kidneys and blas?
der and TORPID LIVER. >
if
haven specific effect on theseon
Stimulating the bowels, causing
to perform their natural f noetic
In youth and
IMPARTING VIGOR. ?
to the kidneys, bladder and LTV
They ore adapted to old and youn?
Virginia Educational
Association.
NORFOLK, VA? NOV. .'i-DIT, It
Via
?2.60?ROUND TRIP?82.00
Chesapeake and Oblo Railway.
Fast trains, with Parlor Cars, leav J
Richmond dally, 0:00 A. M. and 4:01
P. M. Tickets on sale November 25 f
29, Inclusive.
Remarkable Christina
Present
Among the curious Christmas pret
?nts of this year will be one for & ma
of national reputation, which has bee'
all year In the making.
Way last January the present wi
decided upon, and a friend of the* pruu
Inent gentleman requested the Burrei
Press Clipping Bureau, of New Vor
to watch every paper in Amerloa a
to take up every item which appeur
concerning the man.
The clipping bureau people follow
instructions, and now present tho h
tory of ono year In the Ute of to
especial man.
The history ends Just after elect!
and the 20,642 newspapor Items fuu
Include everything from a throe-i
editorial mention to lull-page in
trated stories. These have been mou
ed on 3,200 great sheets of Irl.ah lin
paper and bound into three rnassl
?oiumes.
At the head of each Item is the na
and data of paper clipped from, t
information having been put in wit
book 'typHWrlter. The words thus
aerted amount to 153,262.
In actual tlmo, a very strict reco
of which has been kept, the work
requlrod sixty-four working
.hroughout the year, and has kept
employment during that time th
people, as readers, clippers sor
mountern and binders. Every n
paper of Importance is represented
This Is merely a specimen of so
the unique orders which get into
Burrelle Bureau, for the extent
which clipping* are used, by Individ
and by bujl.'.esa ooncerna seems
remarkable.
There are many people In prlva
well as in public life who need
clippings and don't know it. It
be well for them to look up this
Burrelle, who In said to bo so
known that a letter simply add
"Burrelle, New York," will re&c
with, no dolor.