Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-05-12

expected to divulge even more sensa,
tional evidence than has hitherto been
submitted.
(Times--Dispatch May, 1919
Court agrees to adjournment so law
yers can reach agreement--comprO
mise still is under consideration.
Christiansburg, Va, May 4,-Tha.
a compromise will be reached in the
trial of Professor Charles e. Vawter,
charged with the murder of Stockton
Hcth, was the prediction here this
afternoon when the court ordered q
special adjournment allow the at
torneys to hold conference. Recent
developments are said to have con.
WINGED the prosecution that the jury
probably would not consent to flat,
unqualified verdict of murder in
the first degree. The defense on the
other hand, is said to be unwilling to
submit it's case to the jury unless the
commonwealth admits that Vawter
was insane when the fatal shots were
fired.
Whether or not the commonwealth
will join with the defense in asking
tho court to instruct the jury that
Vawter was mentally unbalanced, but
Is now Of sound mind is prohlemati-
cal, If not, indeed, extremely doubt
full. Unless this is done, however, the
defense may decide to continue the
case In regular manner, relying upon
Mrs. Vawter's testimony and the fact
that Heth kept Vawter supplied with
whiskey, despite the mans efforts
at reformation, to influence the jury
for acquittal.
This mornings session was marked
.. by the most bitter wranging and eff
forts were made to impeach witness
es. The two outstanding features were
the breaking down by the defense of
tho states witness in rehuttal, A. N.
Keith, and the defense's absolute fail
ure to shake the commemorative
star rebuttal testimony, that of II. p.
Campbell, dean of v. p. l.
Keith furnished touch If humor
to the heretofore almost ghastly pro-
ceedings. A tall, gangling youth, in
typical store clothes, he fairly with.
ed under the biting cross-examination
OF Colhoun, chief counsel for the de-
Tense. He was the manager Of Stock
VIII iISIii - lai III ttllh WIS OH
the stand to say that Vawter had
called up Heth and told him that he
was going away and that his wife
would be in Roanoke, supposedly in
viting Heth to see her.
There was a dramatic moment
Vawter whispered audibly, THAT'S al
lie.' Under cross-eXamination, Keith
said he had not sought evidence for
the prosecution. A moment later he
admitted having gone to Ed Slusser
for information about the case, and
having made no use Of this informa.
ton because 1t did not suit the COM
monwealth's case.
Colhoun was vitriolic in bringing
out the fact that Keith had heard the
purportcd conversation by eavesdrop
ping. In startling contrast was tho
testimony Of II. p. Campbell, dean of
the faculty of Blacksburg. He told In
a simple straightforward manner how
Bernard Williams the student at the
Vawter home at the time Of the shoot
Ing, had told him the same morning
that Heth had been shot, declared:
II tried to keep Vawter from shooting
l begged him not to shoot. 1 tore the
sleeve off his shirt trying to keep him
from shooting, But I couldn't"
1h'stwas III direct "CofftrdtiiuTion OF
William ) cariicr testimony for the dc
Tense. Colhoun made every effort to
tangle the witness. He brought out
the fact that he had regarded Heth as
son, and had known him for years,
but Lee brought out equally convinc-
fngly that the dean also had known
Vawtcr for years, and had been very
fond of him. Asked pointblank by
Colhoun: "1sn"t 1t T; It that you
want to see Professor Vawter punish
'od?' Campbell Replied, slowly and
convincingly, mo. / don't know that
do"
Along toward the last of his testi-
mony when Colhoun became vitriolic
Campbell was plainly angry, but he
never lost his composure. At the
later part Of the morning session
Mrs. Virginia Longcly Vawter, widow
ed mother of the prisoner, sat beside
her son in the courtroom, n pathetic
figure in black, tears streaming down
her cheeks every now and then. In
addition to Campbell and Keith, the
prosecution called two other witness
cs in rcbuttal-Miss Ethel Brown of
Baltimore, and Hampton Hoge, OF
Blacksburg. Miss Brown, who is book
keeper for the house from which Vaw
ter purchased his liquor, verified
Vawter's account in an effort to show
that the professor did not, as alleged,
drink more during May, 1916, when
he first began to suspect his wife
than at other periods. Hoge contra.
dictcd Williams by saying that the
latter had told him the day after
the shooting that no liquor had been
drunk at Vawters home the night Of
the tragedy. Earlier in the day the
defense had called two Witnesses to
testify on questions of little import
ance.