The Washington herald., 1907-02-28

b Stan Correspondent
Culpeper, Va, Feb. 27.-TWO sisters and
brother Of James and Philip Strother-
three Of the little group Of the accused's 5
nearest relatives to whom alone is known
the tragic story of the bullet-riddled body
Of William F. ByWaters-took the witness
stand to-day for the defense.
Unhampered by the prosecution. de-
PENDANTS counsel skiIlfully drew from the
lips of Mrs. Viola Strother-B -Bywaters,
George French Strother. and Mrs. Nellie
Strother-Gaines a volume of testimony
calculated TO drown whatever analytical
reasoning power the jurymen possess in a
sea of pity and sympathy for the ruined
girl and her avengers.
The tale unfolded by Mrs Bywaters.
her brother, and her sister was one to
sicken strong mems souls. 1t spared no
narrowing details. 1t brimmcd over with
tears, glowed with the fires OF soaring
passions, and bristled with eXcoriation
of the young Virginian, mercilessly shot
down Ike dog while attempting, IL is
alleged. to desert his bride. whom he had
first betrayed, brought TO deaths door.
and then married under the fear Of the
death that finally came 10 him.
Statements Justify Deed.
Taken at their face value, the state
ments of these three snembers Of the
Strother family would seem in a measure
TO Justify the remark made to Bywaters
just before The shooting-"You are the
lowest dog that ever lived.
The jury was told that Bywaters
Thought Of nothing but self: that when
the young couple feared the disclosure of
their secret his fear Of the consequences
led him 70 risk his sweethearts life three
times, that while in Washington he
treated Viola Strother caIlOusIy and cru
ely; that he repeatedly refused to make
reparation by marriage: that when the
disclosure came he begged for his life
like a coward; that he was forced 10 the
marriage. fguratively, at the point of a
pistol; that after the wedding he refused
10 stay and help nurse his wife. then
hardly expected 20 live. and that finally
he attempted TO run away and was killed
in the act
Prosecution PONerIess.
Throughout the recital the common
wealth attorneys sat pJwerless. There
was no way TO check the flow of words
rising like the tide about the stranded
ship of the defendants 10 float it and
sweep it safely into the harbor There
was nothing to do but let the witnesses
tell their stories and express their opin-
ions and beliefs in regard TO the dead
mans intention TO escape his obligations.
an objection, but invariably the counsel
for the defence reworded the questioned
interrogation ana secured the desired
answer
Il was expected that the State would
endeaVOr strenuOusly to strengthen its
case by crOss-eXamination. But when the
pitiable figure Of Mrs. Bywaters. white.
wan, and emaciated, was wheeled into
court i'm an invalid's chair TO tell her terri
bly, painful story when her brother French
told in chOked broken tones, and with
tear-hlled eyes how he sought for and
finally secured confession from his
sister and Bywaters. and when Mrs
Gaines related, with tense face and flash
ing eyes, or with quivering, anguished
tones, according 90 whether she was
speaking Of Bywaters or her sister. the
prosecutors could but sit looking at the
Witness Treated ChivaIriOusIy.
The chivalrOus manner i'm which Com
monwealth Attorney Keith and his asso-
ciate. Capt Wood. directed what few
questions they chose TO ask the two
women was characteristicallv Vi-ginian.
To Mrs. Bywaters was directed a few in
tcrrogations tending 10 assist her to re-
member some Of the details of the shoot
ing about which she testified that her
mind was practically blank. The questions
were not pressed and she was presently
allowed to retire. French Strothers was
not cross-eXamined at all. and Mrs.
Gaines hardly more than her sister
From the outset il was apparent that
there was nothing for the prosecution 20
gain by antagonizing OF challenging the
witnesses. They alone knew the story
and II was the general opinion that the
State would derive little benefit by trying
To disCTedit their testimony The states
attorneys recognized the logic Of this de-
duction, and Il was evident that they lost
no influence with the jury through their
attitude.
VIII NOt BE SO Lenient.
II was intmated to-day that the State
will not deal so leniently with the de-
PENDANTS when they are called to the
stand tomorrow to defend themselves. /
Cross-examination Of sick or sorrow /
stricken women is one thing. and cross
examination Of two hardy men, confessed
slayers of a fellow-being is another. It
is expected that the prosecution will play
its last card against the brothers. Thz
story of the shooting viii in all likelihood
have been told many times over before /
Mr.. Keith allows the defendants to step
aside
Mrs. Bywaters' testimony threw little
new light upon the case except in so far /
as il tended to tarnsh and biacken the /
name Of the dead man. The main facts
in her story had already been outlined 1
by the defense ard spread throughout
the country al the time OF the shooting 4
last December. T0-days recital merely I
filed in the cracks and crevices Of her /
lfes history and its last few months 4
of horror. Nauseating details were freely F..
brought out
Courtroom Cleared.
Considerably. the court had ordered /
the courtroom closed to the public. spar |
ing the stricken woman some little morti- 4
fication
Bravely the white-visaged, pitifuI little
girl, once considered enc OF the most
beautiful in the county. faced the terrible
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