The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-02
Will Take Stand Today and
Tell Why Fatal Shot Was
Fired In Blacksburg Home
LIKING FOR WHISKEY
{ ADMITTED BY VAWTER
Heth as His Guest Took Ad-
vantage of Weakness-Says
Heth Was Choking Him
When He Shot
dspecial 10 The Richmond virginia,

sSpeciai 10 The Richmond Nir2inian ,
~hrlst!ansbur2. Va May BE
tore the first days proceedings In the
.IAaL- ht1faftes Sawter. professor OF
mathematfcs at Virginia Polytechnic
institute. charged with the murder of
STOCKTON iieth, .Ir.. I'm the upper hall
way or his home early on the morn
.ng or March / 8, had been completed
= was Indicated that the most sensa :
uonal evidence in the criminal an
nals OF Virginia will be submitted in
IN effort to save the accused man
IN the statement which was made
pSfore Bail Commissioner Pierce
when Nawter applied for bail, and
Mhich was made public In court for
me nrst time today. II Is alleged that
yawter had, on several occasions
compromising positions, and that he
had warned her to stay away from
heth- Nawter also admitted his Xix
IN for whiskey.
Another Involved.
II ~ stated that he ordered mar
ried woman, Il guest AZ his home, to
itase or account OF ner relations with
young Heth, also a guest. The woman
VIII probably DC called on the stand
Tomorrow. Il is expected that both
psofc3 sor and Mrs Tawter viii take
the stand today and that the woman
viii lay bare her l.fe TO save her hus-
bard.
Judge Mo6eti convened cour, AZ .
O'clock and half an hour later the
graud jury began It's hearing. The
|crsy Witnesses before the grand jury
WE'RE Dr Gordon simmons, OF Eoa
oke who pcfformea-the autopsy on
|stack,oa Eieth's body Lieutenant
ClsmaHs Hath, brother of Na.ter,s
ttct!gl who took the dying statement;
|i5- w +. Henderson resident rhysi-
eiar al Y. p. J.. who was first TO reach
the Nawtor home after the shooting
K. NJ. Camper. deputy sheriff of Mont
gonIery county. and Miss Emma Gar
rison head nurse a Y. +. l. hospital.
Jury Returned True Bill.
One hour and forty MINUTES was re-
rss...t1l ft,t ttt2ii .+aFiatitns and at
ii: - the jury announced. Common
wealth, Of Virginia ~. e., L. Nawter a
felony~-a true bill Counsel for the
defense move d that the grand jury
luminous be quashed because of an
error In it's preparations. which mo-
|tson was overruled by the court.
Fifts en- out of the first venire OF
sixteen were qualified as jurors, one
nan being excused because OF con-
sclentious scruples against the infitc-
sIon Of capital punishment.
Jury Is Chosen.
The following men were chosen
X e. Correll farmer: i. G.. Whitaker,
farmer. N. ". Strike. merchant: G..
W. Sission, merchant and farmer, A.
j. Al;izer, farmer: J. 7. Welch. car
renter: c. ". Allen. miner; r II.
shelton, farmer: p. Fl. Lucas, farmer
M. { Hensiey, farmer: Joseph NJ.
Kanoden. farmer; II. l.. Smith.
farmer.
Professor Vawter appeared worried
and showed distinct signs OF nervous
hess although hs answered Not
snilty'' in a clear voice when charged
With the murder.
Mrs. yawter. although IN Chris
iansburg. did not appear In court to-
|day. When court convened for the
afternoon session Commemorative AL
tornsy r. I. Roop stated to detail the
evidence given before Bail Commits
doner Pierce. The defense objected.
kut the objection was oSerruled and
Mr.. Roop continued his statement.
statement Before Commissioner.
This statement before the. bail com
missioner was mads by Attorney Call
houn and II is understood was ap-
proved By Professor vawter. The sub
kstance of 1t is that Nawter admitted
hat. he was very fond of whiskey
kand that Stockton Heth and he had
been friends for a number of years
In fact they were somewhat intimate,
md Heth would bring whiskey to
Eawter's home as means of getting
Into his good graces On two different
Occasions Vawter caught Heth and his
~,ife in compromising positions. One
hight during last summer they We're
,ut on the porch of the Nawter home
aud they had some drinks. Professor
Eawtcr went into the reception hall
and laid down on couch and went to
kleep. Shortly afterward he awoke,
nrobably one O'Clock in the morning.
and he went upstairs where ne saw
Mrs yawter running out of Stock
Ton Hath.s room. Mrs. Vawter ran
heross the hall into her little sons
boom.
4 Her husband upbraided her -or
His conduct and few moments
her he talked TO Mrs. Vawter and
4eth. His wife explained the oc-
surrence' in a halfway satisfactory
hammer. Then Heth jumped on Pro-
lessor vawter and choKed him. At
knother time Nawter went down in
lie cellar to bank tho furnace fire
Ind when he returned he saw Heth
kissing Mrs. Vawter. Again Heth
Ao,anced upon him and choked him
nto insensibility. Professor Vawter
having to take to his bed. After this
happened yawter attempted to have
M wife refrain from keeping COM
hanv with Heth.
Mrs. yawtcr stated that she would
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