Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-04
MRS. VAWTER LAYS
WHOLE LIFE BARE
Places Herself on Sacrifcial Altar
in Defense of Her
Husband.
ADMITS HER WRONGDOING
Tells Dramatic Story of Events
Which Led to, Staying of
Stockton Heth, Jr.
ADMITS HER WRONGDOING

cHHlSTIANSBURC;. VA. Ma a.
Mrs. Charles T.. Nawtcr. tcstify:nE to-
day III the trial OF her husband pro-
fessor Of mathematics IN the Virginia
Polytechnic Institute. charged With
rurIcring Stockton Itc;h. Jr declared
that Hcth attempted to assault her in
her home a fcS n'inutes. bcfoi. he wa,
killed by Nawtrr on the morning of
March - Mrs. E:,wtci. barring her
life in defense OF her husband said
that always she had rcpcllcd ileti,'s
advances when not under tho inn Icnc.
Of liquor
Following the Introduction ycs;crda:
of letters written to Heth by N.,,ricr
III which the professor pleaded with
the younger man not 10 mis,rcat''
Mrs. N;,wtcr. the defense suddenly be-
gan Introducing testimony in N effort
I" prove Nuwtcr was insare When he
wrote .hc letters. several PHYS icians
testified that Nawtcr apparently Was
unbalanced when he wrote Heth about
affairs in the Vawtcr household
RELATES HAPPENINGS
on NIGItT OF SHOOTING
'rhc climax OF Mrs Nawtcr's lcst,-
n"ny came latc 'o-lt:. when she re-
lated happenings imme lately prior 10
aud following tho shooting. After
iio;h had been sho, she testified Vaw.
ter said
II have avenged the family hono,.
md Will go 10 t.ial win MY lips
sealed 10 protect YOUR honor
You wili not Mrs. vawte, said she
tod her husband. Il will atom for M.
pas, sins ny barring myself to save
Won"
Mrs. Nawtcr told = lra:natic story
of her homo ,ifc At El;,ck il,urs. 50.
ing i'Ack to MAJ. 1915. sh" asserted
that 'Icth had begun "dogsinr her
tracks. always plying her with liquor.
Once. she said. her husband. seeing n.r
cmcrring from Hcth's room, dcrorrccd
the guest. and few mcmerti later
iIc'h brought Naw,er into his bed.
room. apparently .incor scious
The witness told o: another occasion
when Nawter saw lIeth trying to en-
brace her. Nawtcr again derourced
Heth. and later I1eth again brought
Eawtcr into his room AMI pu; ain, TO
bed. on the following morning. she
said. she found finger prints on her
husbands throat
MIS- Nawter attired III a blue serge
SUIT, with large lace collar entered the
courtroom at $50 o'clock and WAS
sworn The witness wered ire
questions put To her in :, l,v. c,.r-
voice
MARRIED. LIEi; HAPPY
UNTIL. TWO YEARS ..CO
MR. Nawter testified RS 10 her haprv
married life up until TWO years ago.
saying that Nawtcr was n kinu and
r. ~ n hlte 4
slightly before her marriage and for
severa years he visited her hnrr,, nfr.
puently. Heth's frequent visits COM
mehced about ciehtecn months ago
She declared that during Nav. 1915
teih brought "a bottle of cocntail 10
her home. She. her husband and Heth
had a drink and Nawter went i'm from
the Ncranda and fell asleep. She stated
that she and I!eth took another drink
and went to lieths room: that she
was under the influence OF drink AT
the time She recalled that her hus-
pand came upstairs and saw her come
out OF Hcth's room. heard him accuse
her OF being in Heth's room and de-
clare that Heth was a "d--n libertine
She closed the door at Heth's com
mand and heard Nawter say something
In gurGling voice. She then went TO
her room and later Heth brought
Vawter in
The witness stated that she rcpclled
Heths advances when she was no,
under the influence Of whisky.
VAWTER's Suspicious
AGAIN ARE AROUSED
According TO Mrs. Vawtcr's tcsti.
mony. nothing occurred to arouse
Fawter's suspicious from May until
October. when x woman guest was in
the Nawter home. Nothing happened
after that time to arouse Nawtcr's
suspicious until Christmas She told /
OF the time on the night of Christmas
Eve when Nawter saw Heth attempt
TO kiss her. Vawtcr went into the
Kitchen. and Heth followed him. V:,w.
ter denounced Hcth. and she told him
TO go to bed and have no argument
Iicth told her TO go and that they
would follow. Later Ieth dragged
Vawter into her bedroom and they put
him TO bed. She supposed her husband
was drunk. She testified that on the
following morning ltcth's finger prints
were on Nawtcrs neck. and that he
could hardly swallow. Both she and
FIeth explained the matter TO Nawtcr
and convinced him that he was wrong
in accusing them of improper conduct.
III" witness stated that in June. /
ticth wanted TO give her :, pearl neck |
lace. When she asked her husband 1
about the matter he refused To allow
IL. Ilcth then offered to leave his !
automobile for her use, hut Nawter
refused to allow il. and said he would
get ono as soon AS he was able.
Coming near the events OF the trac
coy. MIS-, Nawtcr said that when Hcth !
started to the inauguration he wanted
TO send them some whisky. brt the |
offer was refused. On the night OF the !
shooting she told of going I" the re.
hearsal and Of returning ah"ut 10
o'clock