The Pensacola journal., 1917-05-05

NAIH ' dWLGE = testimony
Christiansburg, Va, May 4.-Tes-
tiEnOny in the trial of Prof. Charles
E. Vawter, charged with numbering
Stockton Heth, Jr., apparently was
drawing to a close when court con-
vened today, Mrs. Vawter, who yes
terday barred her life in defense of
her husband, had not completed her
recital, but few witnesses were ex-
peCted to follow her. The outstand-
ing features of Mrs. Vawter's testi-
mOny was that she acknowledged in
timaCies with Heth while under the
influence of intoxicants; that she re-
PEELED him at other times and that
Vawter was aware of her acts and
had upbralded her. Heth had at
tackled her she said, the night he was
killed. 49,,
mrs. Vawter's description of the
tragedy in her home on the morn
ing of March Is was the dramatic
climax of the trial.
-~ 81 was awakened by the sound of
my child's coughing" she said, "and
ran into the hall for medicine. I
heard Heth call come in here;
want to talk to you I refused and
he grasped me.
"Soon I heard Mr.. Vawter moving
about in his room, and I ran toward
the room of our children. I heard
him strike a match. He went down
stairs for his revolver and I follow
ed, pleading with him to let me kill
myself, but to no avail. Coming up
stairs in the darkness, I felt him
sway, and say turn me loose Then
l heard Heth's voice saying, 4 won't.
Shots followed and I found Heath w.
ing on the floor. I told him it was
my fault, and he answered that it
was all his. Then I went into the
childrens' room and found Mr.. Vaw-
ter talking to them"
Mrs. Vawter so far has resisted all
efforts of Attorney J. L. Lee to
, break down her testimony.
The Third Day.
When court convened for the third
day of the trial of Prof. Charles F.
Vawter, charged with the murder of
Stockton Heth, Jr., the defense pre-
sented two witnesses who testified
they saw Vawter between 9:3O and
1880 o'clock on the night of the
shooting and that he was not dring-
ing.
With this testimony the defense
rested. The prosecution asked for a
recess for 25 minutes to arrange the
order of rebuttal testimony.
Rainy weather and a feeling that
sensations are over reduced the Grove
IN the court room materially today
The prosecution has abandoned in.
PRODUCTION of Heth's dying state.
ment, a document that has formed
basis for considerable speculation as
to possibility of its containing ma
terial facts not made public wher
Heth's brother gave the statement
TO the press following Stockton
Heth's death.
One of the features of the trial
In the minds Of spectators, was thl
manner in which Mrs. Vawter main
tanned herself in the face of Lee
cross-eXamination.
The conference of the attorney
was somewhat prolonged. and it wa
1850 before they introduced a youn,
woman boOkkeeper for a liquor hous
now of Baltimore, but formerly O
& Roanoke, in an effort to show tha
1t was not correct that Nawter ha
drunk more liquor in May last tha
at other times as had been intimate
In testimony of Vawter and his wife
I3ere was objection but the cour
admitted the testimony. and ledge
leaves from 1910 to 1916 were intro
duced.
When court adjourned for lunch q
1z:9O to reconvene at 1:5O, the prose
cutlon had not yet finished rebutts
testimony and the defense was sun
monlng new witnesses in sur-rebut