Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-03-07
TIE sTRoTHERs TRIAL.


incorrect, Sc the arguments we're not
concluded iilllate last night.
When Mr.. r. W. Moore finished his
arsumen; for the defense yesterday he
WAS + loved BY Mr. John Lee, also tor
the defense, who consumed over three
hours 10 addressing bis arguments to
the jury he brgsn shortly after IL
o'clck and, after speaking nearly an
hour Judge Harrison asked tha' an cd
ournment be taken until "'cluck, al
which time MIR. Lee resumed bis argu-
meDt.
"Our Defense" said he, "is not an
insanity which 10 menace to the social
and moral well-being Of the community,
bat that which can come upon any man
who loves and respects rll that is highest
and best 10 everything. II the Suother
bows had been guilty of moral misco"-
duct or had committed any great @r"n.
against society, then it would be we'll
for you to 10 k with suspicion upon
this plea and to scrutinize it we'll betrre
entertaining 1t. Ordinarily when the
question OF insanity is imposed 1t Is a
case where the party has been blackened
with crime and numerous witnesses are
produced bat bis insanity vas Inherited.
"Our defendants are no such persou'
They are scions of the nobles' race OF
Vreinians, men of intellect, Of tender
feelings and who entertain the highest
regard for all that is true and best Ia
everything, and we interpose this plea
so that the jury may be able to say, in
keeping with their conscience and dutv,
thai men such as these may under s'rfs
and strain Of mind be dethroned Of their
reason."
NJ. Lee took the evidence as 1t was
broughI out by the testimony of Mrs.
Bywathers and vent over it step by step
detailing every circumstance in sll ITS
horror. he declared she had 10 60 on
when Bywaters ruined her, aud then
illustrated the great distress Of Philip
when be saw Bywaters leaving a rom
adjoining that Of his sister. Mr. Lee
pic ured the trips to Washington for the
criminal operations, how she was lsfI
al zoe. made tn suf-r agony By walking,
the sudden illness aud reaching the
climax In the marriage The attorney
c-lled DR.. Leon. who performed the
operations, a butcher" and insisted
that Bvwaters even thoughtso little OF
Mrs Stroller that be would not resent
an insult Of DR.. Leon, who talked to her
roughly, she declared Edgar Allan
Poe, Juler Verne and other writers, the
lawyer declared With all his powers OF
oratory, could never imagine story 81
full OF horror. Dr. Leon, butcher as
he wss," Mr.. Lee continued, "refused
to operate on Thanksgiving Day and tl-
sabbath, but this creature Bywaters goes
of to look after hound puppy, leaving
her alone IN q straDg- CITY. And this Is
the man they say we'd her and wanted
to marry her. No man can tell what
Was tho makeup Of that man. lie
sctuslly kept a horse and buggy here
for bis owa pleasure, but didn't furnish
hack or even street car for that young
girl after the third operation had been
perform
Mr.. Lee in arguing before the iurv,
did not select any particular plea set By
the defense, but took the case as & whole
and endosvored to impress up ~ the
Jury that the SIrother boys were guilty
OF no cril1e In taking the life Of Bywsters.
Captain Wood concluded the argument
for the prosecution and addressed the
Jury for about 80 minutes, when judge
HARRISON suggested an adjournmeD; until
7 o'clock, when the night session cOh-
vened. This wss agreed upon.
In his remarks Cap ain Woods took oc-
caslon TO congratulate the members Of
the inry for the strict attention which
they had given all evidence and the man
ner in which he had been treated by the
opposing counsel. He preiaced his re-
marks by referring to his speech before
the State Bar Association at Virginia
Springs, when he stated that be had re-
fused to prosecute q msn for resenting an
insult offered TO q woman.
81 meant every word Of that" said
Captain Woods, "and | wish to say right
here that had Philip aud James STROLLER
killed Bywsters when they iirs, learned
of this seduction nothing but divine in'
tervention could have persuaded me to
appear in this case. do not intend To
make any remark against the y Jung
woman, who, Lord knows, has passed
through enough to burden any poor soul.
9Th 2, however, does not deter me
from doing my duty TO the state and at
tempting 10 prove that the Strother bows
had no right to kill Bywaters. In my
opinion there must have been some
agreement Of marriage between the
parties, for no girl ia going to surrender
her chastity without exacing this much
from a man
"Horrid pictures Of Bywaters have
been drawn by the counsel for the de-
defense. II has been charged that by
reason OF this be should have been
stricken from the face Of the earth. Yet,
you remember, that against all that has
been said, the man is dead and cannot
bring to the Jury one word of explans-
ton. Everything has been brought for
ward to blacken bis life, and there ia no
method known 10 las by which We might
have produced some evidence to deny
thoir charges or bring ray OF sunshine
to brighten his memory"
Taking up the details of the case,
Captain Woods came 10 the marriage OF
the couple, after their return from Wash
ingfon the LAST time.
both Bywaters and his wife had de-