Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-02-26
THE srRoTHEHs TRIAL.

pepper vi Tulilp ana JdmeS n. So"'nN'
charged with the killing Of w. F. By
waters.
Ac ing Prosecuting Attorney h,l'h
outlined the case of the 'm@on"ealth
against the Sirotbets Briefly he went
into The history of the case, and be said
that be state would ''produce witnesses
to prove that Bywaters VAS killed du,-
ing quarrel 10 the room, aud not while
he was attempting to escape from bis
girl-hride, as claimed bv the dstense.
ave will SHOW" said Mr.. Keith,
"shat Bswaters was only too willing to
marry the girl, and that IN doing so he
made full PREPARATION. We will also prove
that b. waters could not have been shot
wbile on the roof, and that from the dis
c0veTy OF several bullets imbedd-d IN
the ineror Of the house, IL Indicated
that the shots we're fred by The STROLLER
boys inside the house.
"rhere could not have been much ami
mostly toward Bywsters, s, far as the
marriage to VIC Strother is concerned,
because after he ceremony was perform
I'd The brolh-rs of the girl declared their
fnendship tor hun BY shaking bis hand.
Ii WAS something else which I'D to q
brawl during which BywaIers lost his
life, aud il will be the endesvor OF the
stare TO prove that the young man waS
kill. d IN cold blond by the Stroller boys
wi hout any provocatiOn Whatever"
SIR. j fries addressed the jurymen i'm
med alely after the remarks made by Mr..
XII h, and fer more than an hour be
held the attention of the court. Mr..
] fries vent into all the phases of the
care and made no attempt to conceal
any of the revolving features leading up
to the killing. He drew picture OF the
lie OF the young woman, who IS now In
serious conuiiion at Rotherwood; of
DER love for the man who had not obly
brought disgrace upon her, but her fam
lily, and of her piliable plea that his lite
be spared when in desperation her
brothers sought We igesnce for the wrong
that they claimed Bywaters had done.
10 bis review of the history Of the
case Mr. Jvfties went deeper into the
facts than was done at the cOroner's jury.
and be brought to light for the first tue
the little drama which was enacted 10
the room IT Mrs. Bywaters just priOr TO
the killing, when, with tears IN her
eyes, she begged that the life OF her hus-
band be spared.
One Of the most surprising features Of
the statement OF the defense to the court
was he great stress laid upon the sun
written law" aud the objection which
wa- made on tn part Of the counsel for
the prosecution. The plea on behalf OF
the STROLLER boys shove plainly that
the silorneys for the defense intended
to play a strong card 10 the opening
statement to the court, and so Well for
fed were they that not one OF the OBJ
ecIions made by Mr.. Keith, acting prose-
cutiog attorney, was sustained by Judge
Harrison. Mr.. Jeffres cslled particular
attention to the tact that the Strol her
boys believed that member Of their
family had been wronged, and as the
dead nan did not attempt to repair 10
the fullest measure this wrong, the
brothers Of the girl we're justified IN the
action they took
despite the intense love that the
girl entertained for Bswaters," con-
tlnued Mr.. Jeffries, '"he treated her llSe
q brute. Why, even in Washington, when
Viola Strother was at the point OF death,
he came 10 Culpepper on some trivial er-
rand, leaving her aloue without the prop
or attention. Continued absence from her
home excited the suspicious OF the broth
ers and sisters Of the girl, and, learning
that he was being hunted, Bywa ers
brought the grl back TO her home. 10
her condition she begged the man TO
marry her, but he refuse 3, Yet, let me
tel you, the girl never. betrayed bin.
When sne returned to RotherwoOd and
Was accused of wrongdoing che POSITIVE
y denied the crime which her family al
tempted to fasten upon Bywsters, and,
10 her feeble condition, she shielded him
constantly. Tue truth, however, DO
came kno m, and both Bywaters and
he girl finally made full confession.
The confession nearly cost Bywaters his
life, for French Strother, one Of the
brothers, upon learning the truth, threat
ened to kill him on the spot Bu' By
waters pleaded for bis life and the girl.
to show her grea; affection for the man
who had wronged her, In ercedet and
prevented Bywaters from being shot By
her enraged brothers.
Mr.. J. fries then t Id Of how, after
promising to marry the girl, Bywaters,
under one pretext or another, had post
poned The wedding. SOintent, however,
was Bywsters in having nothing to do
with the girl that be pretended be was
C mpslled 10 go to Oulpeper to have the
marriage announced.
This move was blocked by the
SToiher boys, and they swore they
would kill hm if he left their sister IN
her precarious condition. Bywaters then
requested that be be allowed to return
to Culpeper aud announce the marriag
to his mother This was granted upon
condition that he be driven 10 town by
Philip Slroiher. He refused, and again
ne was told that If he attempted to leave
he would he killed. He was killed, as
sou are well aware, but 1t was his fault.
lie had wronged home, ruined ayouRg
life, but aside from sll this he was for
given, provided he stood by his marriage
He failed and paid the penalty.
Before adj 'urnment several witnesses
we're examined by both the prosecution
/ l. n. L II omia