The Washington times., 1917-05-01
TRIAL OF VAWTER AS
HETHS SLAYER BEGINS
Amazing Rapidly Shown at Start
In Selecting Jurors.
CONTINUED from First Page)

4AOAAA a. - - ~
ing was the scene of such activity
as 1t has not seen for six or seven
years, since the famous Eskridge
murder trial here. By o'clock the
streets were crowded with witnesses,
veniremen, and Just interested spec
tators, although there was little
prospect of the case getting under
way for hours. Witnesses had been
coming in ever since yesterday. First
Lieut.. Clement G. Heth, brother OF
the slain man, was among the first to
arrive. At about the same time came
Miss Ethel Brown, of Baltimore, a
young woman of mystery, who is eX-
pected to be one Of the witnesses.
Prof. and Mrs. Vawter arrived by
motor from Blacksburg last night and
at once proceeded to the home of DR..
and Mrs: A. D. Evans, whose guest
they will 30 during the trial. AL
though it is certain that Vawter's
plea will be based upon defense OF
the sanctity of the home" he and Mrs.
Vawter have been living ever since
the tragedy as If nothing had hap
pened.
At o'clock this morning the old
bell on the courthouse pealed
out its hoarse call and the grand
jury assembled Lieutenant Heth
was the only witness summoned.
He remained closeted for some time
with the investigators. Meanwhile
the courtroom was rapidly becoming
crowded
Judge Moffett spent his waiting
time in routine business, entering
decrees in chancery, granting soft
drink licenses, and the like.
Two Girls Appear.
In the meantime two more wit
nesses came in, Miss Eleanor V. Jones,
librarian at V. P. l., and Miss Emma
Garrison, nurse at the Blacksburg
hospital. where Heth was taken when
wounded.
Both are pretty and young. They
are to be prosecution witnesses and
were at once conducted to a private
chamber by Commonwealth's Attor-
ney Roop.
As the morning wore on and the
time came neArer and nearer for the
selection of a jury the lawyers grad
ually began to drop the veil of Sc
crecy with which they have been
surrounding the case. They explain
ed that their only reason for with
holding all the sensational details of
the case from the public had been be-
cause IL would have been impossible
to find a jury in the county once they
were published.
1t is so generally reported, that no
doubt is longer felt, that the techni-
cal plea of the Vawter counsel will
be self-defense. That this will in
ka F-3a
written law" is a foregone conclus-
ion.
However, although there never has
been an unwritten law conviction in
this State, the Virginia statutes do
not recognize II as a plea Lawyers
explain that the only way in which
1t can be utilized as a valid plea is
when II is used as the basis for a
hypothesis Of insanity. That is, that
the prisoner, fired to sudden and
terrific anger. becomes momentarily ,
unbalanced and commits the crime.
After a wait of e few minutes, during
which time counsel conferred, each side
announced it was ready. and Vawter
was called upon to stand. while Clerk
George W. Wilson read the Indictment |
Erect and apparently emotionless, |
Vawter stood beside his counsel while |
the clerk droned through the dreary |
Language Of the indictment. interrupted |
every now and then by sharp correc-
ton by Attorney Lee. At the conclusion |
came the sterotyped words:
Prisoner at the bar, do you plead /
guilty or not guilty?"
Not guilty" Vawter replied in clear
tones Then he sat down
There was another delay, during which
Vawter withdrew for conference with /
his counsel At the conclusion Mr.. CAL
houn moved to quash the venire for the
petit jury on the ground Of irreguIarity.
This motion was overruIed by Judge
Gorett, and the examination IF veneir-
man began at once.
rn-rR-n,., -~ |