The Washington times., 1917-05-03

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va, May g.
Just before he introduced the letters
written by Prof. c. Z. Vawter, which
were supposed to have been destroyed
long ago, Jack Lee. note Southe=n
criminal lawyer. who il aiding in the
prosecution of the n accused OF
taking the life of Stoc kton Heth.
asked that the courtroom be cleared
Of women.
The letters, which came as a thun-
derclap, follow. 1t was the cross-ex-
animation, based on these letters,
which the attorneys for the State id
for the defense did not want women
to hear.
The first letter. dated May 5 1916,
and addressed to Heth. follows:
My dear -: Please read this and
when you have destroy It. l can't speak
it for reasons you can guess. but TO
make my position clear In matter over
which / have no control. l know II Is
my duty TO state my position.
'It all seems so strange and weird.
Then again 1 know you will condemn
me, but that matters little.
KNOW WHAT hdppNhCN SNs
ernoon. was thought to be asleep, but
in reality was never more wide awake.
came to the door and found out for
myself what i have suspicioned for
quite a while. Now l am going to give
you the surprise Of your life, and 1
only hope that you will be able to ap-
preciate my position. BY supreme ef-
fort kept myself under control that
afternoon and can keep it now forever.
To make long matter short l love -
beyond what / can express and the
conventions Of this world cannot make
me do anything to mar her happiness
Love Never FaItered.
"I remember all the years she has
had to stick to me when drink made
a demon of me, how her love has
never faltered. Now mine shall not.
/ know that you are the only love
Rachel has ever shown for any one
except me. She loves you dearly and
you must not hurt her. Never let
her know that 1 have any idea that
she loves you or that you love her.
/ hope YOU do, because II she knew
her happiness would be marred. Now
you can love her with less fear. You
are not worrying me, for 1t is for her
happiness, not yours, although ike
you very much. You are simply
lucky being.
Now, 1 have one favor to ask
you to do for me. 1t will not do for
me to ever touch one drop of drink
again. / am supremely myself when
sober, but quite the reverse when
drinking. 1t would mar all our hap
piness II 1 did drink. So this Is the
favor: l owe the Roanoke Wine
Company S63. My other debts are
81. 600. want you to pay this Dill
for me when you go to Roanoke on
the a5th. Please pay 1t and tell them
to mail me a receipt. and from this
1 will know that you propose to make
me one promise. and that Is all
shall ever ask you. and that Is that
you will not mistreat Il mean by that
negIect) my precious sweetheart, and
that you will be very careful not to
cause her to be talked about or get
into any trouble whatsoever.
"Now you may think me an unpro-
testing beast OF my own. but i am
not Love for her comes for few.
She cares very little about most
people What right have I to demand
that she be my slave and give up all
in life that might make her happy?
Now don't feel badly about me. My
happiness in life r. her happiness. II
you can help to make her happy, you
will help to make me happy.
Understand Each other.
Now, we understand each other.
do not blame you in the least. You
have taken no advantage of any one.
You are square to the bone. and I
bit She will love me again some day,
for am going to cut you out by fair
means as you, unintentionally. have
me.
"Remember ! like you and love her.
That's all. Don't worry, but above
all. don't let her worry.
81 would not ask you to pay the
bill II ] had the means. If II stands.
/ must order more or pay up. II will
not be for me that you pay II, but for
her. For me to pay 1t will be only
to deny her. c."
This is the letter Of which Vawter
said he was drunk when he wrote 1t.
Invites Heth to Visit Them.
The following letter, dated October
IS, 1916, was found in an envelope ad-
dressed TO Stockton Heth, jr:
my Dear Stockton: In letter writ,
| Ing / have Woodrow beat a block. j
can't say what / want TO say to you
as we never seem to get the chance,
and II Is also hard to write just what
/ would like for you to know. II II
were not for the fact that I feel as
sured that you are a most sincere
| friend Of mine, probably would
never have written at all. ! don't
know why you avoid coming to see
US, but ] have an idea, and ] believe
that / am correct. l know you would