The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-01
BYWATERS DEFENDS
NAME OF DEAD SON s. ]
Aged Man Issues Lengthy, State
ment Out OF Sense of Duty
to Sons Memory
ALL FACTS DID NOT COME OUT
SO Declares Elder Bywaters, Be-
cause Witnesses Were Not
Allowed to Testify
especial to The Times Dispatch.)

ct iIsPfansi to vA hn' April '2s T. F.
Bywaters aged father OF William i. BY
waters, to-day aie pu1'c u statement
the strother brothers early last winter
inter they had forced him to marry
their sister.
After recalling the fact that before
and during the trial Of the strother boys,
the Bywaters family had followed pol
Icy of silence" the statement proceeds III
ths. following language:
During the progress nr the recent
trial In Culpepcr they awake toy late to
tho fact that their policy OF :ilencc hhd
worked II cruel injustice TO the dead; FOR
while they had pcrsisientiy reained 81
lent the press had been made Il medium
of circulation for many cruel and ut
terly false statements IN regard to MIN.
and In the end his family were denied
the privilege OF bringing into court any
evidence to prove his general good
character or honest intent in his mar
riage. .
"This statement of Il few facts with
out comment is given to the public un-
der a sense OF solemn obligation to his
memory. .,.
time OF the trial as to his personally
cruel treatment of Miss Strother while
in Washington rested on Two. s ,,a,
Incnts: that he left her alone In o hotei
ana abSnnteu flfnscil Ifoti VIZ ,,''' -
that ne took her 10 and from the aoc-
tors office. in that city, in Il street car.
'The day after her arrival In WASH
ington, and before any operation had been
performed. he went to Leesburg for some
hours. He went there Ia pursuance OF
a promise made me some time before
that he would 20 To Leesburg at thas
time.
II had been In negotiation continues
the father, with gentleman for the
sale OF some fonhounds, and he had prom
ised rue TO bring the matter TO u close
lie effected the sale OF the dogs %hlte IN
Leesbu e. and received the purchase
check of three undred and fifty dollars
(s350, payable to me.
Cruelty of Purse.
THE selection OF a street car instead
Of a carriage as a means of conveyance
for her Was a cruelty OF the purse, anc
not of purpose. Such comforts as were
provided involved personal sacriiice o, on ms
part His lack OF funds while in Wash.
ington WAS SO great that he was reduced
To the necessity Of stripping himself OF
lis overcoa, and pawning IL there.
Hills second absence from her - ex-
piaIned on tho same ground. During his
stay in Washington his need of money
became so pressing that he came TO Sul-
pepper, deposited the check above reiefre,
To In the Second National Bank. and got
the cashier TO allow him fifty dollars $500
of the amount To secure this sum II
Was necessary that he should come where
both he and / we've known.
When Mrs Viola Strother Bywaters
WAS asked by Mr.. John l.. Jeffries, before
the coroner's jury. how WEI Bywaters
had treated her her response then was
that ha had always been very nice 10 her
Statements are also given from the
clerk OF the Hotel Nontrose and from
DIR. L. %. Walter, TO the effect that
Bywaterss treatment OF Miss Strattor
was affectIonatc and considerate to q
marked degree.
Honesty Of Purpose.
"As to his honesty of purpose In his
marriage. the following Facts could
have been proved:
ION the evening OF their return to
Culpeper, December 18TH my son saw
n friend for few moments, who no.
ttced his depression of spirits: in re-
Spouse TO his friends inquiry thereto
be replied that he had been through a
great sorrow. On being questioned as
To it's nature, he replied that it was a
sorrow which he could contide to nc
one; that he had not been able even
10 tell his mother of it His friend
laughingly said that his love affairs
must be awry: to this he replied in
lighter vein, but In the conversation
occasioned by this remark. informed
his friend that when he married he
would marry Viola Strother.
The following day Friday, he was In