Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-27

|
court early in the morning. She wal
brought in a rolling chair. and was made
| comfortable in one OF the rooms in TIT
building until after the court room hat
| been cleared, thus depriving the curious
| crowd of an opportunity to see her. Hun
Strother. brother of the witness: the cour
] officers and others rolled the chair into TIN
court room and lifted it inside the rail, de
| posting ii upon che witness stand. Th'
| young woman looked pale and weak. show
ing clearly the effects of the ordeal through
| which she had passed, but loose fitting
| red jacket reflected color upon her fac
and showed her beauty striklngly. DESPITE
| the terrible strain to which she has beer
| subjected she stood the examination well
She complained of fatigue several times
but it did not become necessary for her tt
! leave the stand until the examination wa:
| finished Her sister Mrs. Gaines, remained
| at her side during the time she was II
| court.
| Upon taking the witness stand Mrs. By.
| waters began her testimony.
| What is your name?' she was asked
viola Strother Bywaters."
! How old are your
| Twenty three years"
| Witness said she was eighteen years OF
| age when she left the Episcopal Female
| Institute.
| Il was nearer nineteen years. she cor
rected.
| How long had you known the gentle
| man you afterward married."
| 81 had known him since had worn short
dresses" she replied. Il was a little
! child
| department toward you,' said Mr.. Lee.
| when | was small child he treated me
| just the same as brother would"
Before your fathers DEATH said coun-
| sell did he treat you in a manner to lnd1-
| cate he wanted to marry you?"
He became more affectionate after my
( fathers death" she said.
After her fathers death. in 1904. she
Icto tod thn far r
| her sister Bessie, Philip and herself Her
brothers, she said, We're as sweet and lovely
| to her as they could possibly have been.
| Il believe you were the baby girl of the
| family?'
Yes, and the youngest child
After her fathers death the visits of
Bywaters became more frequent and his
conduct she said, was that of brother.
Now. my child" said counsel tell the
jury when the improper relations first
| began
about four months before my mother s
death"
And when did she die?"
About fourteen months after my father s
DEATH"
Loved Him and Believed Him.
Witness was asked how it was that she
happened to yield to him, and she replied:
| 81 loved him and he said he loved me- He
| told me he would then have greater love
| for me, and 1 thought it was true and 1
believed in him, loved him and had con-
| fidence in him and felt that he would
| marry me as he had promised to do
When she realized her condition, she said,
! she spoke to Bywaters and he said that
| she was mistaken. Bywaters suggested a
| criminal operation. She had no idea what
such an operation meant, and she did not
! know anything else to do. Finally she
consented, and early in October, on a
Tuesday. she went to Washington
Did Bywaters go with you?"
when did you Co."
Il went at 1920 o'clock and he went at
9 o'clock
Reaching Washington too late to see
the physician, she stated, they went to
the Montrose Hotel and remained over
| night. The next day they went to the
doctors Office and she was operated upon.
Who was that doctor?" Mr. Lee asked.
Or Leon"
The doctor, she stated seemed angry at
Bywaters. but the latter did not resent
what he said The operation was not sue
| cessful and two weeks later they returned
to Washington, going to the Office of DR..
Walters.
Were you operated upon again?"
Not then"
What happened upon the occasion OF the
second visit?"
DIR. Walters said he could not help me
and told us the best thing we coulu do was
to get married.
Witness was then questioned with regard
| to the time Bywaters was seen by her
brother Philip coming from the direction
| of her room one night.
! He sent for her brother Jim, she said
and, of course. she entered denial to
their accusations.
She was asked II Bywaters had COM
| municated with her by letter after that in
| cident occurred, and she said he did. The
| letter was produced and identified by wit
ness.
The Bywaters Letter.
! addressed: My Dear Own VIOLA" and
| signed yours forever. lovingly, Billy"
| The letter was as follows:
My Own Dear Viola: You Just can't
imagine how 1 feel, just feel broken
| hearted, never was as blue in my life. You
| and all your people have always been SO
| nice to me, and now for them to suspicion
| me of a sneaking act; 1t nearly kills me to
| think about it. / came down on the early
| train this morning and have been in my
| room the most of the day. Never was
| troubled as much in my life.
| Il met Jim and Phil each last night and
was so in hopes that they would mention
| the subject to me. l was riding past and
| they were driving in a trot. / recognized
the horse and stopped, and we talked about
different things, and 1 was praying for
| them to say something to me about the
matter. / would have mentioned 1t, but
| thought probably you would not want them
| to know you had said anything to me about
| Ii.
II am going to tell Phil the circumstances
when / see him again; that / went into the
room to see IL there was glass / could
| take drink out of, and / heard him open
| the hall door and did not want him to see
me attempting to take drink for fear 1t
would tempt him.
Don't fail to come here Wednesday; /
am anxious to see you. i will sure meet
| you at the train, then you can 60 right I'D
| to Blanche Miller's. / am so lonesome to-
Il
as you get this, If you can. Yours forever,
lovingly, BILLY.
| Psf Phil knows you said anything to
| me about the matter, suppose you read part
of this letter to him. Do what you think
| best"
| The letter, the witness explained, was
written in Washington, and 1t contained a
statement admitting the wrong he had
| done. speaking highly of the Strother fam
| lily, and telling of the excuse they should
| make for his conduct the night Philip had