Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-02-28
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MRs. BYNATERs TOLD
Tale FULL OF MISERY
The Hour wife Proved 10 be a
Strong Witness for Her
Accused. Brothers.
sHE. do NOT SPARE DEAD man
says That After Running Her He Re-
fused to Make Her. His Wife
. Though in frall Condition Mrs.
Rywa.ers Was Courageous and Full
of Determination.
tBy Associated rrrss.,

s tBy Associated rress.)
CULPEPER. VA. Feb. 27.-Foi
two hours and twenty minutes today
the fierce light of justice beat upon
( the pallid face of Viola Strother-By-
waters, as she told the jurors trying
her two brothers the story of her dis
grace and OF the tragic events which
sent Ssher bridegroom husband to his
grave. It was a fearful ordeal for
would have. thrown the average wo-
man into hysteria, but never once did
Viola Bywaters finch. 80
X She was in court to save the living,
to cast aside the memory of the loved
but erring dead. and though i'll al
most unto death, she went brayely
ahead. When ocasions arose which
required her to pause, the delay was
due to her physical Limitations and
not to any lack Of determination.
So white, SO wan, and so feeble was
the sweet-faced girl witness, that one
seeing her for the first time and not
knowing what she had already under
gone, would have fancied she was a
woman about to faint, 4
Bnt something more than medical
skill and careful attention bore up
the witness. Her determination shone
sradtantls through her ma u orr. Her
pure ray that illumined her dark
story.
Mrs. Bywaters INDUCED in no ex-
pressions of sentiment, no febrile rhe-
toric. and no unnecessary words.
Che want CT oh IN tho r,Oipt ffionlo-
ing at nothing embarrassing. denying
nothing that bore vitality on her error
and conceding nothing that might in
duce one to think her husband de.
served to live.
Without being vituperative, she pic,
tured the man as remorselessly selfish
and iterated and reiterated the fact
that after her betrayal he sought to
dodge the one obligation which might
have partially set things right. Cross
examination only made her more tie.
nacious of this idea, and. to many
seemed to produce only cumulative ev.
idence for the defense.
Exquisite was the chivalric courtesy
displayed on botn sides by the lawyers
IN the case. No Jerome tactics were
resorted to. and when she testified not
voice in the court room save her
own could be heard. Mrs. Bywaters
sought not to touch the hearts of the
jurors with woman's usual resource
in the hour of trouble-tears, sobs
and tumultuous emotions.
When the jurors in the Strother-By
waters case filed into court this
morning at $40, the room was crowd
ed with sixty or more tenacious spec.
tators who hoped by some hook or
crook to escape the notice of the Off
GERS that. had been ordered to clear
the hall of justice.
The twelve men had hardly been
seated when the deputy sheriff an
nounced that the judge desired them
to walls around and get some fresh
air." This meant that proceedings
were not to begin until 10 o'clock
The spectators, however, clung. per
sistently to their seats.
Close behind the states lawyers
snt Burrel F. Bywaters. the hoar.hair
ed father of the Strother brothers
victim. He Is quiet. dignified man.
whose conduct during the trial has
4 been absolutely circumspect.
Judge D. A. Grimsley. who declined
to sit in the case. as his wife is an
aunt VI iS "dtCio, ii CHtli
near Captain Micajah Woods, of coun
sci for the prosecution.
Judge Harrison. on ascending the
bench, announced that III would allow
no pictures to he taken during the
day. and that all should leave the
court room, save lawyers, officers and
reporters.
A Pathetic Figures Entrance.
After the spectators had scattered
less than fifty people, all men, re-
NAMED in the room. Then followed
a most tense situation-one of expec
fancy and anxiety, which preceded
the arrival of Mrs. Bywaters.
The scene at this juncture was I'M
speakably pathetic The court room
door. amidst deathly silence. flew open
and then anneared several men bear
ing an invalids chair. In 1t sat the
girl widow, but so wrapped and bun
died up was she that the lines of hel
figure were barely visible.
A brown veil covered her face
while liberal supply of pink swans
down quilting almost entirely conceal
ed her figure. Mrs HyWotera wore