The Washington times., 1917-05-04

uHpTONeus Indls aIterWaTQ, IN NpNSlhDSi
she had been guilty of improper con-
duct with Heth, and in order TO avert
the suspicious of hcr husband she had
put the blame on a woman who was
visiting her when Prof. Vawter noticed
things that caused him to ask questions.
Finally. she admitted that she was in
Heth's room on the night of the shoot
ing about 10 or Is minutes just before
the shooting. but she declared that Heth
had come to her door, caught her and
| dragged her in when she went into the
hall to get medicine for one Of her
children.
On top of all this she admitted that
she was completely under the infiu-
ence OF Heth, or, as she expressed it,
he had gained her affection.
Like n PettIsh Child.
She also contended that she had
never been indiscreet with him. ex-
cept when she had been drinking, and
she swore that she was intoxicated
that night in May when she left Prof
Vawter drunk on the parlor sofa and
went with Heth to his bedroom. She
was SO intoxicated, she said, that she
remembers but little after leaving the
porch until she heard Prof. NaWter
coming up the stairs, when she made
a dash for her own room, leaving her
clothing behind her.
Mrs. awter's story, although II
was told without nervousness and
without blushes, nevertheless did not
sound like the revelations or an
abandoned woman. Sitting there us
tening to what she had to say. OBJ
serving her calm demeanor ana see
| VI
NATURALLY would expect her to be on
the verge of tears. one felt that she
was nothing more or less than
foolish child who deserved sound
spanking.
still she is thirty-four years old.
and has been married since October,
1902. She is unusually pretty. She
also knows how to wear her clothes.
Vawter Goes with Wife.
Once when there was a lull in the
proceedings she looked across the
room at her husband and smiled. He
smiled back and little later walked
over to the witness stand and for
moment, until his attorneys told him
| to move away, stood beside her. When
court adjourned husband and wife left
the courtroom together and went
Eaway in the same automobile, for ii
must be remembered that Prof. Vaw-
ter is out on bail and at liberty to go
where he pleases SO long as ne Is
present when court is in session.
| Prof Vawter's attention. perhaps,
may be taken as indicating that he
appreciates the supreme sacrifice his
wife made for him. For it was a su-
preme sacrifice and one that no wom-
an could be expected to make unless
moved by a very deep reason. AL
| though her way of telling her story
| was striking because of her apparent
| lack of concern, IL was difficult to
keep back the thought that she de-
served a martyrs crown for the rev.
Citations. all the more because she
swore that every word was true.
Mrs. Vawter declared most emphat-
ically that she gave her testimony
/ voluntarily
"Mr. Nawter. some time ago. came
! to me-" she said, "and told me that he
was perfectly willing to leave me out
of the case and take chances on the
punishment that might be handed out
to him. / said No, have wronged
you once, l will not wrong you
again."
Evasion Not Attempted.
Not all of Mrs. Vawter's statements
regarding her relations wi;n Stockton
Heth were brought out on her direct
examination. It took the cross-exa:n-
iEa.ion, conducted by Attorney Lee,
to bring out all of the facts, but when
he asked questions there was no at
| tempt to make evasive replies. BY
| her confession she proved that Prom
Nawter, after what he had seen,
might be expected to experience the
worry which the defense claims,
along with excessive alcoholism. de-
ranged him mentally.
She admitted that Heth had taken
liberties with her even before the
night in May when her husband saw
her coming from Heth's room. Coun-
sci, however, objected to questions
relating to matters antedating the
beginning OF Prof. Vawter's suspi-
cions, and the objection was sus-
tanned.
Mrs. Vawter was not asked II she
had had improper relations with Heth
| on the night Of the shooting. She
merely testified that after retiring
| she had been aroused by the cough
ing of her daughter. She got up and
went into the hall to get bottle of
medicine to give the child a dose.
Heth, she said, heard her and called
her name. She answered, and Heth
told her to come into his room. She
| refused, and he came to the door,
caught her. and drew her into the
room. So far as she remembered. the
door was not closed.
Ran Into Sons Room.
In what seemed to be about ten min.
utes she heard Prof. Vawter get up.
Then she ran out Of Heth's room and
across the hall into the room usually
occupied by her son. She was trying
to get into her sons bed when her
husband struck a match and looked
at her.
Without uttering word, Prof
VAwter went downstairs and she fol
lowed him. He procured revolver
and she asked him what he intended
doing with it. lie told her to come
into his room and would tell her.
Then she asked him to give her. the
revolver and let her kill herself. a
moment later Heth grabbed her hus-
band and in a gurglinE voice the lat
ter said: Turn me loose" She grab
bed for the revolver and had one
hand on il when Prof. Nawter fired
the three shots that two days later
ended Heth's life.
She verified the statement of Prof
Nawter that she had leaned over
Heth's PROSTATE form and told him