Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-19

have been caused by the shooting of Will
liam F. Bywaters last Saturday Is met
with the query. what excitement? and
with the prompt response, There has
been no excitement here" The residents
of Culpeper do not understand why the
shooting of ''Will' Bywaters. as he was
called, should have caused any excitement
in town. He was killed way out in tho
country and the details of the crime were
obtained only by piecemeal. so that by
the time the whole story was made known
the time for excitement had passed. There
was nothing about the town last night
to Indicate that anybody was unduly ex-
cited, nor has there been anything to In
dictate that a hostile demonstration was
even anticipated. James and Philip
Strother brothers of Mrs. William F. BY
waters. who riddled the body OF their
brother-in-faw with bullets two hours
after he had been made member OF tnelr
family by the act of the Rev j. W. ware
town yesterday in their buggy as II moth
ing had ever happened in their lives TO
cause them trouble.
People rubbered' at Them said mer-
more than to speak to them the same as
they had when they were in town last
week."
Viewed the House.
The Strother boys spoke to acquaint-
ances as they passed, and upon more than
one occasion they stopped and conversed
with friends. Having attended to their
business. they left town and went to the
house where the tragedy was enacted sat
urday. At the house they visited the room
In which their wronged sister lay Satur-
day at the time Will Bywaters is alleged
to have made effort to desert his bride
of two hours. and they also saw the roof
of the porch from which the dead body
of their victim had to be removed by
Sheriff Pulliam and others.
eff the Strother boys had shot down
VIII Bywaters on the public street
resident of the town said last night,
there might have been some excitement,
but doing it In their own home out in the
country robbed it of some of Its senu-
mental features.
And. the resident of the town added,
II think some of the people are dsap
pointed that the killing did not occur upon
the streets"
Business has not been interrupted be-
cause of the shooting nor are any residents
of the town losing much sleep over the
affair. unless it is these who are charged
with responsibility for the prosecution of
the brothers and counsel who are to ap-
pear in court for them. Farmers are bring
ing in wagon loads of turkeys for the
Christmas holidays. just the same as they
would have done had VIII Bywaters been
on a foxhunt. and the merchants are do
Great Deal of Interest.
The dramatic scene that was enacted at
"Rotherwood' interests all the people in
the town and most of the residents of the
county on account of the prominence Of
the parties. and the case has been freely
discussed by friends of both sides. VIII
Bywaters was foX-huntel and horse
trainer. and was a man who always pre-
sented a good appearance. He was geo.
tlemanfy and courteous, and while he
was looked upon as being a man who was
exceedingly fond of sports 1T was the
kind of sport that is calculated to uplift
rather than to degrade. But. as he is said
to have admitted before he became the
husband of his cousin, he did what he
could to degrade her as well himself.
and when he realized the extent Of his
wrong he was willing to take her to
Washington and have her risk her life in
the hands of some one who probably was
paid a big fee for his alleged criminal
operation. Having seen that she was re-
turned to her home in an almost dying
condition, he also returned.
In Washington Thursday.
He was in Washington last Thursday.
two days before the marriage and death
ceremonies were conducted. and got
check cashed for S.. Then he came here
probably not suspecting that he would be
known as the one who had accomplished
the Tuln Oh an eSI1IndNc young woman.
and had then baked at the proposition,
that he right the wrong so far as it lay N
his power to do so.
He undoubtedly felt that Miss Viola
Strother would remain true" to him, al
though he had done everything in his
power to be untrue to her. She had been
away from home and had returned. but
he never imagined he would be asked to
give any explanation Of her absence. AL
though they were cousins they had . zen
looked upon as lovers and people in the
highest social circles in the county nad
circulated a report that they were en-.
gagged. Her unexplained absence and his
being away from the county at the same
time. therefore, caused her relatives to do
little thinking They also did some
questioning, with the result that both the
young man and Miss Strother were ready
with a wholesale denial of anything which
might tend to connect them with a scandal.
1t was regarded as being the most natu-
raj thing in the world &c: the young
woman to make a statement that wocId
uphold the good name she had always
enjoyed. and 1t was also deemed natural
that ByWaferS would enter denial Just
as would have been entered by any per
son charged with crime.
Played Parts Well.
The young people played their parts we'll
until the condition of Miss Strother became
SO serious that the family physician had
to. be called. Then she could rot hole out
French Strother. the lumber dealer. near
WEIGH, W. Va. and James A. Strother
the attorney at WEIGH. We're conveniently
at home for the Christmas holidays when
the subject of the ruin of their sister was
suggested. Philip Strother was already at
home. He IS perhaps one of the most pros
porous farmers In Culpeper county, owning
and farming more than 500 acres Of land.
Bywaters a Cousin.
1t is said that he and lis brothers had
always taken a deep interest in the well
fare of their cousin. Will Bywaters, and
when they became aware of what he had
done they were Inclined to act rather more
harshly than they would have done under
other circumstances: but. however. they
would probably not have spared any other
person who had taken such a mean advan-
tage of their sister. When the truth finally
became known the brothers. who had de-
termned to treat the man who had wrong
ed their sister the same as they would
treat a viper. delayed the killing because
of the earnest entreaties on the part of
their sister and cousin.
I'm willing to do the right thing" the
foxhunter and horseman is reported to have
said Let us get married and I'll do my
part by Viola"
The Story Not Yet Told.
tha