Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-05-02
DEFENDS SONS name
8. F. BgWa(ars Cones oul al Last
With q Formal Statement.
RAPs HARD CRITICS Of HIS BOY
Father of Murdered Man Declares
Victim Acted in Honest Manner
Tells of Evidence That Could No.
Be Produced at Trial.

waters. father OF William It. Bywat-
ers who was shot and killed In De.
cember at Culpeper by Philip and
James Strother. after he had hastily
married their sister, Viola Strother.
mas issued a statement to the public
in defense of his sons memory. 4
My son went 10 his death shield.
Ing the reputation OF Miss Viola
Strothcr" he says. Though con.
scious for twenty-four hours of the
danger In Which lie stood In respect !;
10 her brothers, he faced that danger
alone and nnlllnchingly rather thnn
coniide 10 amy member OF his family
or friend story which SO involved
her good name"
Tho aged father brings out many
iacts which were excluded ut the
lrinl In which the Strother brothers
We're acquitted and declared that his
son had announced his Intention OF
marrying Miss Strother In January.
ne says that many cruel ana utterly
raise statements i'm regard 10 his son
nave been circulated, and I'm the emf.
MS family were denied the privilege
OF bringing into court any evidence
10 prove his general good character
or honest intent In his marriage.
The statement says:
The charge brought forward at the
time of the trial as to his personal
cruel treatment of Miss Strother
while In Washington rested on two
statements; that he left her alone
In n hotel and absented himself from
the city. and that he took her 20
ana from The doctors office IN that
city In street car
The selection of street car In.
stead or carriage as n means or
IN. fnt. 4,
the purse, and not OF purpose. Sucn
comforts as We're provided inyolyeS.
personal sacrifice on h:s part, els
lack of funds while in Washington
was so great that he was reduced
TO the necessity of stripping himself
OF his overcoat and pawning It there
! Had Mrs Triplett been allowed TO
testify she would hnve told that on
| reaching home her brother sought his
room, and, summoning her, stated
thnt he was to be married that af.
ternoon to Viola Strother. He safe
that he had loved her for three years
and that she was sick. threatened
] with typhoid fever: this fact occas.
Toned the hasty marriage. He told
of their plans, saying that Syio.a
would have about $4,000; with this
they would buy home that he
would try to secure that home as
near To his mothers as possible, In
order that he might still look after
her and provide for her comfort. Fre
asked for n diamond ring OF his In
the possession of his sister saving
that he would use 1t as n wedding
ring. as he did not have time to
provide another.
"She suggested to him the lmprop.
riety of using n set ring for that pur-
pose. ut Will be remembered that
he afterward consulted James Stroth-
u plain ring for the wedding ring to
his bride) He asked his sister no.
TO tell, his mother OF his intended
marriage, saying that she must hear
I 1t first from his own lips. He said
That lie would return that evening
for the purpose. His sister suggest.
cd that after the marriage he would
not be able to leave. He replied that
there would be no improperly IN ms
doing so.
(, When he first referred to her sick.
ness he showed emotion, the secon,.
time lie smoke of 1t. he covered his
face with his hands and wept. lie
said: If | tell my mother now of
my marriage 1t Will cause her great
distress and bring on one OF her
attacks of acute pain and then 1 Will
nave to choose between leaving her
SICK ana suffering. or being late fm'
my engagement at the Strothers.: ,
am due there at 4 O'clock. anu fee.
that must have two or three hours.
talk alone with my mother. His
sister states that lie made Il very hur.
ried toilet and even asked for as.
sistance in some of its minor details.
a young cousin who Is an inmate OF
the home was present turing a great
or portion of this interview.
Promised to Return.
"iic left the house ut o'clock.
whom he told his mother rooa.by on
that occasion and kissed her with
more than ordinary affection and she
] said to him, VIII. arc You coming
back tonight?' to which he replied
4 Will see You again tonight to this
she responded, now, boy. don't fail
To come. Little did either think tina:
he had pressed that mothers Inns
| for the last time"
The names of several other persons.
TO whom Bywaters announced That
he was TO be married, are given.
IL could also have been proven
by numerous witnesses that Tor
months previous to the tragedy he
mad often spoken of his devoted ai
lection for and intended marriage 10
MISE Strother. To some of these he
had mentioned the winter as the
probable date of that event"
IN conclusion the statement says:
1T appeared from the evidence that
no quarrel or violence had occurred
In the Strother home until the arr.
Eal of Mr.. and Mrs. Gaines. 1t could
Ialso have been proved that after Mr..
Gaines had been informed OF the IN.
tended marriage and about the time
my son left the town to go to that