The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-06-25
JUDGE LOVING NOW ON TRIAL Famous Virginia Murder
 Case Begins. THE "UNWRITTEN LAW" Prisoner Wept When Indictment
 Was Read. Miss Loving Has Been Living In se- ciusion Since the Tragedy But Appeared in the Court Room
 Yesterday.


 former Judge W. G. Loving for the murder of Young Theodore Estes. a sequel of a buggy ride which Estes took with Loving's daughter, moved rapidly today and when court adjourned this afternoon the prosecution had rested and the defense begun its case.
 Before adjournment of the morning session a jury had been secured. the taking of testimony began upon the reconvening of court and late this af- ternoon the commonwealth rested its case and Judge Loving, whose defense is the unwritten law had taken the witness stand in his own behalf.
 Widespread interest in the case was manifest. large crowd was present, but perfect order was observed.
 Jury is Secured.
 The actual taking of testimo- ny in the Judge Loving mur- der trial began upon recon vening of court at o'clock this after noon. The morning session was con- stunned in securing jury. The twelve men selected consisted of eleven farm CTS and one merchant. The farmers all reside in Halifax County. The sue cess in so quickly securing the jurors surprised both sides. Some of the ve- niremen were opposed to capital pun ishment. while several claimed exemp- ton under the law governing the serv- ing of farmers during harvest time. At the morning session of court the most composed of the Loving. party was Mrs. Loving. who displayed little emotion. During the reading of the indictment returned by the Nelson County grand jury May 2s. the prisoner raised his handkerchief to remove few tears. His daughter. Miss Elizabeth Loving, wept during almost the entire time of the reading, and when she left the court room at noon her face was flushed.
 A few minutes prior to this, she had been smiling like child at some anus ing incidents in the court room.
 Judge Loving appeared to be cool. but showed some traces of worry and fatigue. At the right of the defendant was seated his wife Dressrd in black and beside Mrs, Loving was her daugh- ter. Miss Efizabeth- She appeared more excited and trembled visibly. Her eyes were very watery and she raised her hand occasionally to wipe a few tears she could not restrain. To the right of the young lady was J. M. Loving, a farmer of Amherst County, and brother of the prisoner. On the left of Judge Loving was seated Miss Annie Snead, a teacher in the Woman's College at Lynchburg, and a sister of Mrs. Loving Others who were seated with Judge Loving were Judge J. Thompson Brown. B. R. Harrison of Lynchburg, ". G. Loving, Jr., and George Fortune of Nelson County, who is an uncle of Thomas F. Ryan. The last named Is a witness for the de- fense.
 Sensations Looked For.
 |. The trial promises to eclipse in inter- est the sensation of the McCue and the Strothers-Bywater case in Culpeper. They will put to test again the much talked of "unwritten law" Judge Low ing, armed with a double barreled shot gun, instantly killed Estes while he was unloading a car of fertilizer in Oakridge, on April 22. The shooting was the sequel to a buggy ride taken on the evening prior to the homicide by young Estes with Miss Elizabeth Loving, the 19-year-oId daughter of Judge Loving. The girl when brought home had been drinking and 1t Is al- legged that her escort had been mal- treating her. Acting under the impulse that his daughter had been drugged and assaulted, Judge Loving immedi- ately went in search of Estes. After the shooting he said
 "T shot to kill. Every drop of blood in my body called for vengeance. I would have gone a hundred miles to kill him.
 Backed by the millions of Thomas F. Ryan of whose Virginia estate he has been overseer for a number of years. and with powerful political Influence, every device known to the fraternity will be availed in the efforts of the counsel for the defense to acquit Judge Loving. The plea of the defense will be emotional insanity and the "unwrit ten law" The relatives of young Els tes, whose family connections extend to the Governor of this state. will ex crt every effort to clear the memory of the dead man from any wrong doing.
 Miss Loving, who has lived in se- ciusion since the tragedy, appeared in public yesterday for the first time.