Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-26

(COnIfnue0 from rIrSt EdSe.1
hands with Bywaters James strother was
near the couple while the ceremony was
being performed, Philip being near the
stove.
DO you know the Strother family?"
asked Mr.. Jeffries in cross-examination.
81 did not know the boys very WELL
Witness saw no indications Of any trouble
at the house. James Strother handed MIN
the license while they were on the porch
and handed him the fee with the license:
DO you know the denominations OF the
bills"
81 bill and 81 in change" -.
Counsel then asked what promises, II
any Bywaters made about the care OF his
wife. and Captain Woods objected Inc
court permitted the minister TO reaa .ne
marriage ceremony OF the Episcopal Church.
and he said Bywaters responded Will
to the usual questions.
l.. B. Crump, whose home is not far
from where the tragedy was enacted, was
and members of his family were reaoing
when he heard five or six shots nreo IN
rapid succession. Witness went to the door
a human voice, but could not say II 1t were
the voice of q man or woman. More tnan
fifteen minutes later he received mes
sage from Philip asking him to come to the
house. Witness went there ana saw seVerai
members of the family.
Remark Made by Phil Strother.
Philip strother." said witness. told me
he did it because he had ruined his sister.
and 1 told him he had better not tell me
about it."
Later he saw Jim Strother and he told
witness he Jim) fired two shots. or that he
put two bullets into him. Witness told him
he did not want to hear about 1t. He asked
Mrs Gaines If she were certain Bywaters
was dead, and she replied she was certain
did you see Bywaters' body?' he was
asked.
II did,
Where was it?'
ION the porch"
Witness said he went to the window open
ing out upon the roof OF the porch and held
a lamp while the coroner examined the
body. He also assisted in the removal of the
body from the house. A few minutes before
the body was taken away. said witness.
Mrs Bywaters left the house, and he as
sisted her into the carriage.
Witness Cross Examined.
Mr.. R. Walton Moore of counsel for the
defense conducted the cross-examination.
Counsel read from the notes of the coroner
showing what the witness mad stated at the
inquest. Witness said the written testimony
was correct, but he could not remember
every word that was said. He said the
Strother boys would willingly have told
him all about the shooting but he did not
want to hear Their statements.
Deputy Sheriff ]. A. Bowersett testified
that he went to the Strother home the day
following the shooting. going with the cor
oner's jury. Witness identified photographs
Of the house and showed the locations of the
places where bullets had struck. one of
them being in the wall of the stairway and
shot having been taken from one OF the
shutters of the window through which By
waters went.
Probably Caused by Bullet.
The blind was open when witness saw It,
and he thought the break had been caused
by bullet that had been fired from the
inside of the room. He thought pieces Of
the Stat were found upon the roof by mem
bers Of the coroner's jury. Witness OBJ
served three bullet holes in the house. one
Of them having been fired from the outside.
Sheriff Puiliam produced the two weapons
, he, got at the Strother house the night. of
the tragedy, and the third weapon, which
was turned over to him three days ago,
was also produced and exhibited to the
jury.
John Lamon. who was the nearest neigh
Dor to reach the house after the shooting
occurred, testified that he left his house
when he heard the shots fired and went to
ascertain what the shooting was about.
When he reached the house Philip told him
that he had killed Bywaters.
Philip told him: "Bywaters ruined my
sister, took her to Washington and had an
abortion performed, came back. got married
and when he attempted to desert her
killed him.
Witness asked him If his conscience hurt
him, and Philip said: Not a bit, I'd do
the same thing tomorrow"
He also talked to Jim Strother and the
latter told him he had done only what q
father would have done under the circum-
stances.
Pathetic Scene Described.
Witness then described the death scene
upon the roof Of the porch, his recital of
the incident causing the father of Bywaters
and others to weep. When Lamon reached
the porch and stopped over the form of the
dying man the latter recognized him and
called him by name.
II took hold of his hand said witness,
"and 1t was cold and clammy. He said, DO
something for me- and asked for water.
When he asked me what he should do 1
told him to pray
Bywaters, he said, called Mother sew
eral times, and witness saw him when his
death occurred. He and James Strother
gave him some whisky before he died.
While witness was in the house, he stated,
he heard Mrs. Bywaters say to her brother
James, Il have been tied to you like
hound dog and l can never lift my head
again. but now 1 will tell all!''
James Strother caressed and kissed his
sister and did what he could to ease her."
The witness was not cross-examined.
Recess Until 4 O'Clock.
Upon the conclusion of the testimony
given by the witness the court took re-
cess until o'clock, directing that the jul
rors be taken to the scene Of the tragedy
In the meanwhile Counsel on both sides
and two witnesses accompanied the Jurors.
1t is expected that the state will rest its
case after two or three more witnesses
have given testimony Not one half the
witnesses who were summoned by the
state have been examined, but, it is ex-
pected, some of them will be called in re-
buttal.
Testimony Heard Yesterday Afternoon.
At the session of the court held yester-
day afternoon there was a large attend
ance Of interested spectators, many COL
ored men and boys being among them. On
behalf Of the state, Commemorative At
torney ]. A. c. Keith, leading counsel for
the prosecution, and former State Senator
Jeffries made their opening arguments, but
there was not much said by either attor-
ney that had not already been told. Coun-
sci for the state said he would claim and
expected to show, that the shots were
fired while Bywaters was in the room, and
not while he was getting out of the win