The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-26
GREAT INTEREST
IN LOVING TRIAL
Court Convenes To-rnor.
row Morning; Loving's
Indictment Follows
ALL DEPENDS ON
GIRLS TESTIMONY
Life and Liberty OF Father, Who
Shot Man for Her Sake, in
Control OF Daughter-Rc-
markablc Case-All /.
Are Promi
Especial From staa Correspondent.

Especial From STAFF correspondsnt.I
LONiNGSTON, VA. May 25.-People
of this community arc taking the live
liest interest in the approaching trial
of Judge w. G. Loving for the killing
of Theodore Estes So many circunl-
stances combine in this renlarka BILE
case that it cannot fail to arouse much
speculation as to the outcome. and
tongues have wagged about little else
since that fatal April 2lst. wien Judge
Loving fired TWO loads of buckshot into
the body of the young man who had
been paving his daughter some atten-
ton Judge Loving. with the exception
Of Thomas +. Ryan. in whose employ
he remains, was almost certainly the
most prominent man of Nelson county.
Socially his family is of the county's
best. He had been a member of the
Nicgira General Assembly, taking.
even though then a young man. a lead
ing part in making the laws of his
| State. He had been Judge of his coun-
| ty court, and for years had been re-
garded as the leading citizen of his
community. His family circle was a
most attractive one. For years the
family. consisting Of Judge and Mrs.
Loving and their pretty daughter. Miss
Elizabeth. had resided at Oakridge. the
handaome country home OF 1hos. +.
Ryan, but at present and for sorua
time past the Lovings have occupied
very simple but pretty home on the
Oakridse estate. about half mile
from the mansion house.
Fathers Life in Her Hands.
Theodore Estes Is also a member OF
a well-known Nelson family. His
father Is sheriff of Nelson county. and
one of his daughters married Mr.. John
| p. Swanson. brother of Governor
| CLAUDE A. Swanson.
! Little wonder then that people gath
/ e. in knots at Oakridge railway sta
| tion at the country stores, and espe-
/ cially at Lovingston. the chief village
I of the county and the storm. centre of
the tragedy. and discuss 1t in every
I phase. Added to 1t all is the fact that
the whole unfortunate occurrence re-
wolves about a pretty and Iovable girl
whom every one in the county has
known from babyhood. 1t is not over
looked that with her rests the life
ard liberty OF her father. The history
/ of the Loving trial will be dictated
by her red lips.
Indfct Him Tomorrow.
Judge Loving will be indicted Mon
DAY by the grand jury in the Circuit
Court on the charge OF numbering
Estes. or this there seems to be no
doubt.
/ 1t is not certain that he will be tried
in Nelson county. IT is certain that the
counsel for the defense will move to
change the Venue TO some other county.
| This motion will be vigorously fought
by the prosecution. If Judge Barks-
dale, designated by Governor Swanson,
to preside at the trial in place of Judge
| Gordon. refuses the motion to change
| the place of trial to another county. tha
| defense will make an effort to have
venire sumnon' from another county.
1t is not believed the STATE would OBJ
ject to this being ordered. We shall
resist the motion to change the venue
said S. B, Whitehead. the Common
wealth's Attorney. to-day. Under our
/ present law the court is justified in
| changing the venue only in cases where
the military have to be used because
Iof the intensity Of feeling against a
defendant. There is nothing like this
in Nelson. There has not been day
since the shooting of Estes that the
4 man who shot him could not have come
here and remained all day without be-
ing harmed or threatened. We shall
.koppose the motion for q change of
i venue"
No Witnesses Yet Summoned.
Mr.. Whitehead said there had not
been any witnesses summoned byteither
4 side as it was we'll settled there would
not be a trial Immediately after the
4 grand jury returned an Indictment.
4 He believes that change OF venue
4 to distant county would make 1t inl-
/ possible to secure the attendance OF
I all witnesses desired. since railroad
A fare would have to be betrayed by in.
diviauals summoned. and their cost OF
/ living While waiting to be called to
1.-The chair would have to be borne by
Continued on Sixth Page.)