The Washington herald., 1906-12-18
BYWATER IS BURIED
Culpeper Man, Shot by Bro
therS-in-law, Laid TO Rest.
CROWDS ATTEND THE FUNERAL
Services by Ministers, Followed by
Lodge RituaI-Bride of an Hour,
DeIiriOus, Calls Constantly for
Observation-Disclosures of Community
Divided over killing by StrOthers.
snsci.I To The Washington Herald.

Special u The Washington Herald.
Culpeper. Va, Dec. I7.-PracticaIly the
entire town of Culpeper turned out to-day
to attend the funeral Of William By
water, who was shot to death by James
and Philip Strother Saturday night as
he was escaping from their home after
marrying their sister
The funeral was held from the little
Bywater home, where Bywater lived
with his mother and sister. The services
were conducted by Rev Mr.. Winfrey. of
the Baptist Church. and Rev. Mr.. Wells.
OF the Methodist Church Crowds Of peo-
PIE fiOcked to the house. and there were
many negroes there, as well as members
of many of Virsinia's most aristocratic
families.
After the services at the house were
concluded, the I. o. o. F. lodge, of which
Bywater was a prominent member. took
charge, and the rites We're conducted ac-
cording TO the lodge custom,
Hundreds Of people followed the c0rtege
to Fairview Cemetery, where the body
was laid to rest, and there We're banks
Of floral tributes at the grave. as well as
at the house.
Aged Mother Is PROSTATE.
Bywater's aged mother is Frustrated be
cause of the Staying of her son, and she
is joined by many relatives OF the family
and friends of the dead man in her
mourning. There were few people in the
county who numbered their friends by
the score as did Bywater. and his partf-
sans come from every rank of society.
His bride Of but an hour, Viola StrOther-
Bywater, is lying at the point of death
at the house of her sister, Mrs. Nellie
Gaines. wife Of Edward Gaines, one Of
the eyewitnesses Of the tragedy.
In her delirium, the young girl calls
continually for her husband, and pleads
TO her brothers not to shoot him down.
James and Philip Strother, who shot
him as he was about to leave his wife's
room, alleging that he had told them he
intended 10 desert his wife. are out under
$1,000 bond. and they still insist that they
shot Bywater because Of his intention
TO desert their sister, after being COM
PEELED 10 marry her.
That Bywater only intended to return
10 Culpeper and spend the night at his
mothers home, after having promised to
do 50, Is the claim made by his friends
This is borne out by the aged mother.
who says her boy VIII had promised To
come home that night She also SAYS
that she knew nothing about the pro-
posed marriage For the reason that they
believe Rywater intended to so no far
Their than Culpeper. his friends contend
the StrotheTs acted hastily, and their re-
fusal to 80 to the wounded mans aid be-
fore be died is commented upon severely.
Had Planned to Marry Her.
It has developed that Brywater had
been considered sutton for Miss Stroth-
er's hand, and that he had said that he
intended 10 wed her as soon as he was
financially able to do So His friends
further argue that after having permit
ted BywateT to marry their sister. they
had no right to kill him until he had
proven his intention TO desert her.
Bywater partisans have indicated that
Il was a cold-blooded murder for the rea-
son that John r JeGries, a well-known
attorney from Norfolk, was in Culpeper
Saturday, and Immediately took charge
OF the case They expressed the belief
that Jeffries had been brought to Cui-
peper by the Strother boys, but this is
not true.
Mr.. Jelfries, who is prominent through
out the state as an attorney, and was
at one time State Senator from CuIpeper
county. was in town on an entirely diff
feTent mission, and there is no founda-
ton for the rumOr started by the BY
waters faction. Jeffries was to appear
before court In a case of the County
against Culpeper bank.
The inquest viii be continued on Wed
nesday, but it is almost certain that
young Mrs. Bywaters viii be unable TO
attend, and her condition is such that il
Is doubtful if she will recover.
There is great division Of sympathy.
and, while many deprecate the shooting
as Easty. there are as many more who
believe the Strother boys We're justified
tn taking the steps they did 10 protect
their sister and the name Of the family.
which is one of the cOunty's best. and
when the case comes to trial it viii be
bitterly contested.