The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-07
Traitor Was Protector.


Bywatcrs was welcome visitor TO the
Strother home. In fact. as testified to
BY Mrs. Gaines. sister OF the bride
widow ne at times had acted as pro-
tcctor for The family i'm the absence Of
Philip StrothCr who remained with the
girls after the death OF the father and
mother
He told MS 90 regard him MS a broth
err Mrs. Gaines testified, and 20 call
on him at any time that we needed a
protector. He was welcomed both as
q cousin and q gentleman
All went well until one night month
or more before the homicide. when By
waters was seen by Philip Strothcr com
ing from the direction of his sisters
room late mt night He was undresscd
at the time BEWItcrS fciEucd sleep
when Philip went To his bedroom. but
finally aWOkc and volunteered the iuf0r-
nation that he had been i'm the room
between his room and EiOla'S for the
purpose of getting some whisky. Philip
however the next day wired for James
Strother the elder brother. who resided
at Welch. W. Va A family council was
held and the girl protested her innO-
Cence so sire nUOusly and effectively that
the brothers apologized for their sus-
piciOns-
Late i'm November Viola STROLLER
wrote her brother James FOR 50. stating
that she wished TO visit friends at Rec
tortown. The money was sent and the
visit TO friends.
Came to Washington.
She was joined by Bywaters and the
two came 10 washington. registering at
the NOntrose Hotel on November ~ as
y. T. Tyson and wife. Richmond. Va"
They were ASSIGNED TO room % The
next day, so Mrs. ByWatCTS testified
BywatCTs carried her to see a Washing
ton physician. Arrangements were made
for criminal operation the day follow
ing She begged Bywaters To marry her
then she said. but he would not prom
Use one way or the other. The opera
ton was performed. but was unsuccess-
full. A later one proved successful. and
the witness returned home on December
l3. desperately ill.
Mrs Gaines and Philip became sus-
piciOus. but still the girl protested her
innocence. BywateTs was hunted NJ He
too, declared the accusation absurd
In the meantime James Srothcr had
again been telcph0ned for and reached
CUlpepcr on the 18th. French StrOther.
another brother, accompanied him. The
family physician was called and his dI-
agnosis removed all doubt Il don't he
leYe she would have lived another hour
had medical attention not been afforded. Pc
he said At last the confession came
both from Bywaters and the girl. By
waters was told he must die, but. il is
alleged. begged pitifully for his life
Let me marry her" he pleaded. and
thus repair the wrong 1 have done
The Oath Of Vengeance.
"To save the family honor and the
knowledge Of our sisters shame from
the world, we finally agreed" French
STROLLER said. IKE was told If he ever
abused Viola or failed. to perform his
duty es husband we would hunt him
anywhere on earth and kin him"
With this understanding the license
was procured by Philip Strother and BY
waters although ByWaters is said To
have advanced various suggestions
while II was being procured that "a post
ponemert ana church wedding would D.,
preferable. on don't have TO marry
our sister, Bywaters was told He
acquiesced then and few hours later.
while Viola Strother lay upon what her
family regarded as her deIthbed. the
TWO were made man and wife.
After the ceremony. the boys are said
10 have shook hands with Bywatcrs and
kissed their sister as she lay suffering
Bywaters had said something about not
being financially able to take care of a I
wife. and the evidence went 10 show
that. after the marriage. the Strother
brothers informed him that 81 800 due
Viola StrOther from the estate. would
be turned over 10 them. and. in addi-
ton, gifts from Mrs. Gaines and her
brothers would swell this amount 20
about 5000 to begin life on. Byw&ters