Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-05-12
VAWTER TRIAL. A
Continued from Second Page.)

seen Heth, who was not drinking ut
that time. Special Prosecutor Leo
made no effort to cross-eXamine the
witness and p. w. Winter, Blacksburg
hotel keeper was summoned Ivy the
defense. He testified that he had
seen Vawter the night before the kill
ing and that the professor apparently
had had nothing to drink.
Vawter was looking for his wife
Winter said, who was at q rehearsal
for some amateur theatricals. Lee
did not oss-eXamine and the de-
Tense rested. Mr.. Lee announced that
a conference would be necessary and
the jury was conducted into it's room
and recess called
Those who have followed the de-
velopments of the case are inclined to
attach grave Importance to the casual
statement made by Mrs. Vawter that
she had her finger OH the trigger of
her husbands pistol when the fatal
shots were fired. 1t is true that Vaw
ter, according to his own testimony,
had armed himself to "vindicate his
family honor" but all else failing, it
is considered possible that an effort
may be made to show that, although
Vawter had intended to kill Heth, he
may not have pulled the trigger.
Determined to "atone for past sins"
Mrs. Charles Il. Vawter was expected
to resume the stand today and per-
haps further bare her disgrace in an
attempt to save her husband from the
electric chair, but it was decided not
to question her further. In placing
herself on the sacrificial altar in de-
Tense of her husband on trial for the
murder OF Stockton He:h, Jr., Mrs.
Vawter admitted her infatuation for
Heth, and said she could not give him
up and that he had absolute power"
over her. She insisted that she had
refused all Of Heth's advances except
when under the influence Of liquor,
which he gave her.
OVERPOWERED EN-
RACED HUSBAND.
When the woman began her story
she told Of several encounters Vaw-
ter had with Heth in their home when
the professors suspicious were arous-
ed. Mrs. Vawter told how Heth over
powered the enraged husband and
put him to bed; how she found fling
or prints on Vawter's throat the next
day, and how he could hardly swal-
low
THEN tic ,nisl.t 81 che murder, Mrs.
Vawter insisted after the three had
been drinking, all retired. Her daugh
ter Rachael was coughing. She went
to give her medicine. Hcth called her
to come In his room, she said, and
she refused.
Gle told me-" she said, "to come
in and sit down OH the bed and talk
to him. / replied that 1t was no time
to sit On the bed and talk. Then he
grabbed me by the arm and pulled
me into the room. Just then l heard
Mr.. Vawter coming. ran out Of
Stockton's room into Charles room,
and just as l did Mr.. Vawter struck
n match"
Seeing her near IIeth's room Vaw-
ter started down stairs and got his
revolver without saying word She
pleaded with him to give her the gun
so she could kill herself. Then, in the
darkness hse felt Vawter pulled to-
ward her, heard Vawter demand that
IIeth turn him loose and hear Heth's
refusal. In the struggle which follow
ed, the revolver was discharged. Mrs
Vawter declared she had finger on
the trigger at the time, never having
given up her attempt to seize the gun
Insisting that her husband always
upbraided her for improper acts with
Heth, she admitted at the same time
that she had concealed facts all along
as to her relations with Heth. The
defense insisted today that introduce
ton Of insanity testimony did not
mean that it would rly On the
insanity plea to save Vawter. They
explained it was merely introduced
to counterfeit the effect Of a damag-
ing letter Vawter had written Heth.
Mr.. Lee ss-examined Mrs. Vaw--.
ter He began with the letter in ques
tion, and had her tell how she had
Jumped on" Professor Vawter for
writing it. Mr., Lee wanted to know
why she jumped on him, and she re-