The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-03
Prosecution Throws Bomb In
Camp of Vawters Defense.
Creating Sensation
DEFENDANT TELLS HIS
STORY ON STAND
Declares His F alse F riend Won
His Wife From Him While
Plying Film With lntoxicat-
ing Liquors

Especial to The Richmond virsinian)
Christiansburg. Va, May 2.-The
strange condition of the mind of a
man who has been teaching abstruse
subjects at one OF the leading tech
meal colleges in the South. his ad-
mission that whiskey had been the
primary cause OF his downfall and his
apparent inability to breach tho gap
between his wife and her lover. were
among the potent points brought out
in the trial OF Professor Charles f.
F., vawter. accused Of killing stockton
Heth, prominent society man, at
today's session of the Montgomery
circuit court Professor Nawter re-
manned on the stand practically the
entire day, and before the court ad
iourned some OF the most sensational
letters ever produced at murder
trial in the annals OF Virginia court
. were introduced by the attorneys for
the prosecution
Asked Hc,h TO Paw Liquor Bill. q
4. These letters we're from Protesses
Vawter TO stockton Heth. the man
he killed. and were written during
the month Of June. 1915. In the most
dramatic OF the letters introduced the
writer admits that young Hesh has
gained the love of his wife and he
bees him to be good TO her and not
10 anything that would hurt her
This letter is peculiar. inasmuch as
Il never mentions the name OF Naw-
tiers wife. but always indites the pa
per with six dashes the number o!
letters in his wlfes given name. Ra
chei Professor Nawter points out
the amount OF his liquor bill at a
Roanoke mail order house and asks
Heth TO settle. up. and send him a
receipt To show his friendship. II
reads
MY Dear ........ Please read
this and when you have. destroy IL,
] can't speak IL for REASONS you can
guess. bat 10 make my position clear
IN 8 matter over which ] have no
control know ii Is my duty to state
rny position. II ali seems SO strange
ard weird.
II know what happened SUNDAY
afternoon was thought 10 be
asleep. but in reality was never more
wide awake came to the door ana
found for myself what | have sus-
uicioned for quite whiio. Now am
going to give YOU the surprise Of YOUR
life and | only hope that you Will he
AHA -atfArne4ate- position H Y
A. supreme effort kept myself con-
trolled that afternoon and can keep
n now forever To make long mat
ter short, love .-.-.... beyond what
can EXPRESS and the conventions OF
this world cannot make me do any
hing 10 mar her happiness I re-
member all the years she has had 70
stick nv me when drink made a de-
mon Of me. how her love has never
-xa s..I-s4a5i+n- shall Rnt-l know
,hat you are the only love Rachel
has ever shown for anvone except me-.
she loves YOU dearly and YOU must lot
hurt her Never let her know that
have AN idea that she loves YOU or
that YOU love her | hope you do. be-
cause II she knew her happiness would
he marred Now vou car love her
with less tear. You are not worry
ing me for il is for her happiness not
YOURS. although like you very much.
yon are simply tucky neins.
He Mentions Other Debts
Now / have one favor TO ask YOU
N AZ for me- II will not do for ME
- eyer. touch one drop of drink again.
I am supremeiv myself when sober,
hut ouite the reverse when drinking.
II would mar all our happiness II I
Aid drink / owe the Roanoke Wine
rornpany SIS My other debts are
$500 | want you to pay this bill
for me when you go to Roanoke.
Please pay it and tell them to mail
mo receipt and from this I will
know that YOU propose to make me
one promise and that is all | shall
ever ask YOU and that is that you will
MT mistreat | mean by that not to
ranse her to be talked about or get
into any trouble whatsoever
Now you may think me an unpro-
,ecting beast of my own, but 7 am not
Love from her comes to few what
right have I to demand that she be
my slave and give up all in life that
feel badly about me. II you can help
10 make her happy yon will help to
make me happy. Now We understand
each other I do not blame you ir
the least. You .hsvetaken no advan.
,are OF anvont You are square tn
tbe bone and ! don't hiame her for
loving YOU one bit. She viii love
mo again some dav. for 7 am going
10 cut YOU out bv fair means as you.
unlntensionally. have me. Remem-
her like YOU and love her. That's
All Don't WORRY hut above all don't
let her worry. G. @. ].
p Sd would not ask YOU to nav
the hill, " had the means II 1t
stands I mrst order fnnre or pay IN.
n Will not he for me that YOU pav It
but for her For me to pay it will be
onIv to deny her
Tha letter and postscript was found
~ Miss VIRGINIA Heth In an envelope
.znted Nav 81 1916. with a bill! from
the Roanoke Wine COMPANY.
A.. the boomerang fell into the calm
or The. defendants counsel thew tried
IL hurdle the breach that had been
knocked In their case. On redirect
examination vawter said.
..J Was drunk as fool when I
wrote IT. You know Just as much
A. Continued on Second l'sr.,