Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

BEATTIE CONFESSIES THEN DIES IN CHAIR YOUNG VIRGINIA WIFE-MURDER ER IS EXECUTED. Slayer Goes to His Death With Un changed Stoicism--Three Shocks Administered Richmond, Va., Nov. 24.-Henry Clay 3eattie, Jr., went to his death at dawn today the self-confessed murderer of iis young wife. The confession was mot made public until four hours after 'he had paid the toll exacted by the law. He maintained to the .end the re markable nerve he had exhibited since first he was accused of killing his wife on the lone Midlothian turnpike on the night of July 18. His last expres sion was a sneer when he observed the chair that was to launch him into eter .nity. The confession was made public in the rotunda of a down-town hotel by the Rev. Benj. Dennis, one of the min isters who had laborea with Beattie to repent. As a matter of fact, it was acknowledged by the minister that Beattie first admitted his guilt No vember 9, the day after he entered the death cell and before the fruitless ap peal for a commutation of the sentence was made to Gov. Mann. It was not until yesterday that he would agree to .its being put in writing for his signa ture. Then all hope with Gov. Ma:n -was gone. The extraordinary docu ment follows: Beattie's Confessfon "I, Henry Clay Beai.tie, , desirous of standing right befora God and man, do on this, the 23rd day of November, 1911, confess my guilt rif the crime against me. Muc'L nat was -published concerning the details wa- not true, but the awful fact, without the nar row circumstances, remains. For this .action I am truly sorry, and beieving that I am at peace with God anL am soon to pass into His presence, his statement is made." Beatle's confession was followed b7 this statement by the attending min isters: "This statement was signed in t'.ie Dresence of the two attending minis ters and is the only statement the can and will be made public by them. "Mr. Beattie desired to thank the many friends for kind letters and ex Dressions of interest and the public for whatever sympathy was felt or ex jpresse." An Interested Prisoner. Beattie's attitude throughout the :trial and the imprisonment that was -ended only on his death was a study -for a psychologist. He read the news vapers avidly. Every reference to his case and to the fact that he was go ing to the chair without acknowledg Sng his crime in the hope of saving bis aged father further sorrow, ac cording to those who were with him to the end, seemed to afford him su preme satisfaction. Apparently he gloated over the notoriety his crime bad brought him. Even after his confession he maiu tained his air of bravado. What had since November 9 been considered stocism now is recognized as cynicism. His remarkable nerve seems to have had its basis and support in the knowl edge that he was being applauded as a man of Spartan courage and infiecxi .ble will. The secret of his confession was yneld inviolate by the ministers until .stoday. Not even the broken-hearted - father knew of its existence, friends .of the family declare. Not until four hours after he had been pronounced dead in the death chamber in State's prison were the murderer's attorneys cognizant that he had made a clean .breast of his guilt. Went to Chair Gamely. ~With 'the intrepidity that had mark ~ed his conduct from the beginning, Beattie went to the chair and brought the sordid story to a dramatic end. The shock that killed Beattie was given at exactly 7:19 o'clock this morning. Three times the current was turned on and at 7:23 it was shut off. Doctors W. T. and St. Julien Op penheimer a minute later announced ;that death had been instantaneous. .The 22 persons in the death chamn 'ber thereupon filed out and the end -of a lengthy and costly battle for jus tice bad ended. In addition to the two physicians there were gathered in the death house when Beattie appeared the 12 -witnesses to the execution as required by law, the Rev". John J. Fix, the Rev. Benj. Dennis, Maj. James B. Woods, superintendenlt of the penitentiary, the electrician and four deputy wardens. The room was flooded with light from a group of incandescent lamps set in the low ceiling and a light that swung on its cord immediately above the chair. A Silent Scene. Thee was no conversation. The witnesses labored under too great a strain and all, even the prison at tendants, seemed ill at ease and anx ious to be done. The electrician brought a board studded with electric bulbs and laid it across the arms of the chair. The lamps blazed brightly. Then in other ways the instrument of death was tested and finally at a sig nal attendants went over the appara tus, attaching the deadly electrodes and testing every strap and clamp. When the preliminaries were -over, Mai. Woods, accompanied by two de puties, threw back an iron studded door and started for the death cell. Instantly the death chamber was plunged in blackness with the excep tion of a vivid circle of 1 -t from the hooded and powerful lamps above. the chair. The chair, an oaken bit of fur-,I niture, which, except for straps and] steel bands, might grace any library, was on a rubber mat. All but it was obscured, the dazzling rays from the low swinging lamp throwing every thing else into darkness so dense as,, almost to be felt. . Death Warrant Read. The little party in the chamber heard the superintendent a few feet,1 away droning out the death warrant. Beattie listened to it with intensity, but did not flinch. Re stood during the readng, as is the custom, and when it was ended he swayed just a trifle, but quickly recovered. Then, without assistance, he took his place between the guards and be- ] gan his march to the unknown. His entrance to the death chamberl was as dramatic as anything he had done since first he commanded the public eye. He halted for a moment on the threshold, looked on the chair,. with an inscrutable smile that had in it the hint of a sneer, and then walked briskly forward. Not once did he deign I to strive to pierce the blackness out side his circle of glowing light. It had been feared that the prisoner! would flinch when the moment came to seat himself in tae chair. There was no trepidation and not a hint of hesitation in Beattie's attitude. Still wearing his peculiar smile, half amus ed and half cynical, he stepped lightly into the seat, settled himself as though he had been looking forward to the rest and assisted the attendants in ad iusting the straps and clamps by plac i:1g his arms and hands in the proper position. The only indication that he1 was under a nervous strain was, dis closed by his tightly clenched teeth. During the few seconds preceding the turning on of the current Beattie mov ed once. While the attendants were stepping back, he squeezed his feet back as though to seek a still more1 comfortable position. At the same]. time he raised his head, now almost completely hidden by the leather hel met that covered the upper part of his head an4 face. The next second 'the shock came. WhnTaken to Morgue. I] Whnthe law was avenged and the witnesses were gone the prison at-* I tendants removed the body to the mor- I tuary room which adjoins the death i chamber. There it lay for four hours i until an undertaker, authorized by the Beattie family to prepare it for burial, 1i remov1ed it to his me,rgue.1 Later it was taken to the Beattie I home, where funeral services attendled only by the family, will be held. In-] terment in Muary cemetery will follow Sunday. When the funeral cortege moves to1f the cemetery Sunday afternoon the Ii morbid will not finG places near the grave to satisfy their curiosity. The I police have received orders to clear 1 the cemetery during the service, and i to permit no one to enter the burial I ground save the Beam:es and their I dead. Tonight the Beattie family is lone S with grief. The window shades in the I residence are drawn tight and no Ii movement is seen about the place. I t STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, I COUNTY OF NEWBERRY. In Court Common Pleas. Wallace B. Todd, Plaintiff, against James J. Lane, The Scottish Ameri- f can Co., Limited, Tench C. Pool, The Bank of Columbia, S. C., The Pal- a metto National Bank, M. S. Bailey < & Son, The First National Bank of ~ Clinton, S. C., The Carolina Nation al Bank of Columbia, S. C.; South '1 Carolina Loan and Trust Co., and Georgia Chemical Works, Defend ants. Pursuant to an order of the court k here dated- 16th October, 1911, by his! honor, George W. Gage, presiding I judge for Eighth circuit, I will sell at:.) pu'blic outcry to the highest bidder t before the court hoyuse at Newberry, 1 South Carolina, within the legal hours I of sale, on Monday, salesday, Decem- C ber 4, 1911, the following described .1 tracts of land, to wit, same being lands I of James J. Lane: Tract No. 1 of the ''GIymph place,' being s:ihtua and lying in the county f Newberry, State of South Carolina, ontaining one hundred six and thir een one-hundredths (106 13-100) cres, more or less, bounded by lands f W. F. Brown, estate of Young Tobe, 'ract No. 2 of the Glymph place, and drs. Mattie Glymph. Tract No. 2, of the Glymph. place, ying and being situate in Newberry ounty, State of South Carolina, con aining eighty-seven and three one Undreds (87 3-100) acres, more or 9s, bounded by Tract No. 1 of the lymph place, lands of Young Tobe, ohn Cromer, E. L. Glymph and Mrs. [attie L. Glymph. Tract No. 1 of the Duncan place, ly ig and being situate in the county 'of ;ewberry, State of South Carolina, ontaining one hundred fifty-five and ighty-eight one hundredths (155 88 00) acres, more or less, bounded by ands of Henry Suber, J. L. Crooks, J. . Dickert, Tract Number 2 If the Duncan place, and Broad river.1 Tract No. 2 of the Duncan place, ly ng and being situate in Newberry ounty, State of South Carolina, con aining One Hundred Twenty-Three: nd Forty One-Hundredths (123 40 .08) acres, more -or less, bounded by 'ract No. 1 of the "Duncan place," ands of J. R. Dickert and Broad river. The Wicker Place, lying and being ituate in the County of Newberry, tate of South Carolina, containng eventy-Six and Eighty-Four Hun redths (76 84-100) Acres, more or ess, bounded by lands of W. D. Bun rick, John Ringer, Mrs. William ,ane, B. Cromer and Mrs. Mary Wed man. The Hentz Place, lying and being ituate in thle County of Newberry, tate of South Carolina, containing' ortyThree (43) Acres, more or less, ounded by lands of Sarah Fe.lker, ligh and drooks, Estate of John Ear ~le and W. F. Suber. -. The "Glymphl Mill' Tract, lyiw;~ aand eing situate in the Couiry of New-A erry, State of South Caroinia, con ining Sixty (60) Acres, mor2 oi I'nss' is t ounded by Broad rive", :audI.3 of .i. S. chili . Suber, W. F. Brown and others. ten: The "Oxn'er" Place, lying and being che~ [chili ituate in the County of Nowherry, tate of South Carolina, containing wro ~wenty (20) Acres, more nr less, but nd bounded by lands of Mrs. Carrie rem we ane and others. crot Terms of Sale: Except aIs to the 03- thro er Place, one-third 'of the pu:chaset sani rice to be paid in cash, the balance hay ..hem 1 two equal annual insta'31ments, wit.i $1.0' 2terest from day of sale at 8 per cen- Peln urn per annum, the credit portion to - e secured by the bond of tjhe purchas r and a mortgage of the premises A ld,' with leave to the purchaser to tis1 nticipate payments in whole or in New art; the mortgage t. pro-ide for aT The; torney fee of 10 per cent. of the that mount due thereon in case same is stip: >reclosed by suit or placed in the ohill ands of an attorney for collection. - 'e Oxner place the purchaser shall NO e required to pay one-half of his bid i cash, the balance in one year, withi N( terest at 8 per, centum per annum' ders rm day of sale, the credit portio:1 to e secured by the bond of the pnr aser and a mortgage of the premise~s ina :ld, with leave to tihe per:chaser toofi ay all or part of the credit portio.1 berr a cash; all other terms shall be as of N rovided in terms for the foregoing and -acts. Purchasers to pay for papers~ a dit nd recording same. H. H. R.ikard, As t Master for Newberry County. November 6, 1911. On the Duncan place is one million be et of fine yellow pine timber.O On the Glymph place, two hundred -- nd fifty thousand feet of same kind f timber. H< frier Now is the time to subscribe to Salv 'he Herald and News. past best BOTICE OF FIN~AL SETTLEM[ENT. -- Notice is hereby given that the un- N~O ersigned will make a final settle- I ent of the estate of Mary Manerva [umbert, deceased, in the~ office of the udge of Probate for Newberry Coun- N< , S. C., on the 28th day of November, book 11, at 11 o'clock a. in., and will im- Tow lediately thereafter apply for a dis- ed a targe as such Executors. urer ohn M. Kinard and James P. Kinard, day xecutors of the last will and testa- day ment of Mary Manerva Him bert, clus' deceased. 'the urr placed i our"sa Theitherwillrr Afrcenihgristarm. p1udel aced in r oup.Oa aosdLwill grmbind hMan pe . (.F Dfr their paidur JAM" E S MfrIdt OSHd Pei de dye hDre srting eicovery ofs, aue nly afeack ed bey cop Otfor t aosd Lewi Couhami,cd of Man t or Rung trouble." So do thou-' s of others., So may you. Asthma, fever, la grippe, whooping cough, rrihages fiy before It. 50c. and. . Trial bottle free. Sold by W. E. There u~ am & Son. have good Kills a Xurderer. merciless murderer is Appendici- kn a ~rith many victims, but I7r. King's Life Pills kill it by prevention. - gently stimulate stomach, liver bowels, preventing that clogging invites appendicitis, curing con tion, headache, billiousness, . 25c. at W. E. Pelham's. .CEOF FINAL SETTLEMENT. OE tice is hereby given that the un gned, as the surviving executor e last will and testament of JohnCmei -umbert deceased, will make a settlement of said estate in the there is a of the Probate Judge for New SCounty, S. C.. om the 28tn .day ,gladly Ord >ember, 1911, at 11 o'ciock a. in., immediately thereafter apply for charge as such executor. BUY John M. Kinard, e surviving Executor of the last 1 and testament of John W. Hum rt, deceased. tober 19, 1911. Has Millions of Friends. w would you like to number your .' tds by milions as Bucklen's Arnica does? Its astounding cures in the ________ forty years made them. rts the salve in the world for sores, ul Scurry has been CE OF REGISTRATION FORl or of registration. [UNICIPAL ELECTION FOR as register as hel THE TOWN OF NEW- shall be allowed to BERRY, S. C. town election to I ~tice is hereby given that the day of December, of registration of voters for the elections to be he of Newberry, S. C., will be open- Newberry during the office of t.he clerk and treas- months. n the opera house, from the 29th The production f September, 1911, untIl the 30th registration from f November, 1911, both days In- tration of Newber e (Sundays excepted), between the applicant to vo ours of 9 o'clock In the forenoon cinct within the 4t 5 o'clock,i t,, ma nauomn. 3. R. the Town of New )UNT T.Oh'AY. Zimmerman CC.--NO.44 oneyIspent come furnish grist for i start with it ,a w)*l] continue to the mi*l) and 1*f ings department vou sleep. Four savings account. )UNT TOwDAY Savings Bank ZImR R Y, S'. C. funs. ENst0D fohir. th eo everlbo and ifol o .iBoos tred,e am n gtth re at srablep ices. siftnoos acc0 ountc. 5,00 BOK $50,000.00RO no ano temvero and yourl lesure. not nyBook thrad, Ihen' yoin etoc Itwil er at sucresonalepics iBETE ooks AT T1E to PRICA , es'ur Book t orec and oose o vr Thyou isur.I appointed supervis- ."esidence within the limits of the Only such personis municipality for four months preced ein provided for ing the annual election for the year vote at the regular 1911, and the payment of all taxes as e held on the 12th sessed against him, due and collectible 911, and at special for the previous fiscal year, are neces Id in the Town of sary to entitle the applicant to regis the next twelve ter'. By order of the Town Counicil of th~e of a certificate of Town of Newberry, S. C., on the 5th :he oard of regis- day of September, 1911. ry county entitling 3. 3. Langford, Mayor. te n a polling pre- Attest: corporate limits of J. R. Scurry, um e nt o nf his C. & T. T. C. N.. S. C.