The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-08
DEFENDANTS ARE
GIVEN OVATION
Crowds Gather Around Them and
Heap Congratulations Upon
Them and Judge Harri-
son Warmly Com
mends Jury for sl
Verdict. Il
by WALTER EDWARD HARrrx.

RI WALIEN EDWARD HARRIS. 81 ssll
CULPEPER, VA, March 7.--James
and Philip Strother are free men to-
night, after having been on trial ten
days for the murder OF their brother-
in-law. William Il. Bywaters, on the IL
18th of last December. The verdict
was returned a few minutes after III IL
o'clock this morning. Friends Of tho
defendants started to cheer when this
| ilnding of the twelve men was an-NS
nounced, but 1t was sternly checked d
| by Judge Harrison and the sheriff,
But in discharging the jury, the Judge,
who has presided in this case with&.l
| fairness and ability which have won
the admiration of the bar and the
spectators, manifested his entire ap-
proyal of their verdict, and In no lii,-
certain language bade them rest ass u
sured that their consciences should 4
approve what they had done. Al n
| The scene when the Judge was max
/ ing his statement commenting the 9g
Jurors for their verdict was one OF the
| most affecting ever Witnessed In a n
courtroom in Virginia. The strong vi
face OF His Honor was distorted with
emotion, and the big tears were trick
ling down his checks. ImmediatelysS sS
in front OF him Mrs. James strother.
wife of one of the defendants, was
lying across her husbands knees. hav4
ing yielded to the terrible strain, her a
form auivering with emotion.
Jury Deeply Affected.
James Strother was sitting with hin
head bowed. tears In his eyes. u Hts
brother was standing, his face set ana Z
lstern, not a trace OF emotion Al apparer,t
in his countenance Every member of
the jury was weeping, or ut least III II
tears standing In his eyes
Counsel for the defense and the cfosas
Friends of the brothers, who have
| faithfully stood by them from the ID ss
ginning waited until the wife should
nave recovered her control before thew
surged forward to express their pleas a-S
ure at the verdict Counsel for the
prosecution sat motionless, their heads
bowed. An
Judge Harrison. the instant he had
sharply reprimanded those who start =.
ed to cheer the verdict, leant forward. 4
and sitting with his arms on the rail ~
IN front of him, addressed the tiiry
Ills voice quiyered with emotion. ana 6
several times It broke and he was
forced to pause until he could regain n
his control. He said, 81,
"Gentlemen Of the Jury. you h.xe
now for nearly two weeks been MI,
almost from your homes ana your a
daily avocatiOns In obedience 10 i3s
the dlsagrceable duty which your N
State has imposed upon YOU. You n
have horne every attendant dis E
comfort with patience and with- n
out complaint, and your conduct II
court and out, has been up to the M
highest standard of excellence.
have been proud of the fact that
yOu have come from county In
my circuit. Sss
"ln regard to the law that have
given you for your guidance,
have taken the instruction most y
likely to give rise to debate, word @
for word from an Instruction wAich
our highest court sanctioned.
''YOnr verdict, too, gentlemen,
has followed the precedent 0f
American juries generally, 40 far
as they have como under my oh
servntiOn. Law hooks may lay
down correct doctrines, hut Amcri- N
can juries will not punish 4 man
who Kills another, II that other. &
by aggravatinE anl daMnable
trcuchery, invadcs the sanctity 0e Isl
his home circle and destroys Its "
peace. isS
'You have listened to this evil 81
dence with scrupulous careI you
have been askisted by able and elO. @
quent representatives of the Com- III
monwealth and defense to reach
righteous verdict. I know You
tn he men OF high character md
high purpose, and the verdict ia
In accordance with the dictates Of
your censcience. This ID all the
court Ii satisfied. gssf
~ hope you will have pleasant
return to your homes and md all
WELL" Fa4
No Dry Eyes.
One could scarcely behold a dry eye M
when the Judge ceased. Impressive as
tt~r tnAr rt
meant life and liberty to the two young
fellows at the bar Of justice, far more 4
impressive We're the solemn words oe y
the court, commencing the jury for a ~
verdict acquitting OF all wrong the men %
who had taken the life OF the betrayer *
OF their sisters honor,
When the judge concluded his remarks Il
the spectators crowded about James and 4
Philip and shook their hands. Some oe #
them hugged tho boys and tears OF 10y
flowed from many an eye not used to S
weeping. but both the young men ana N
Mrs Strother hastened to shake each &
juryman by the hand and thank him for
their verdict. James and his wife went N
up to the bench and shook hands with Ga
Judge Harrison, who even then hA0 s
scarcely regained his self-controL IN ss
fact, almost everybody In the eourt-r00nt a
shook hands with the defendants ana
Mrs. Strother and with the 1urymen.
Only q few of the friends OF the dead Ssx
man We're in court to-day when the vAfssss
dict was announced, ssS
The number awaiting admission when
the hour of $3.50 arrived was surprisinaty ss
small, fact which may have indicated Xa!
that the great press OF people yesterday \ Els1
was due rather to desire to heas ~ s
II I'd