The Washington times., 1917-05-04

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va, May A.
Opposing sides in a murder. case
united in a common cause, trying to
save a woman's reputation. and fall
ing-that is the amazing spectacle
presented in the trial of Charles Z.
Vawter. Blacksburg professor. for
the murder of Stockton Heth, jr.
When the court recessed for lunch
con yesterday everybody believed the
end of the trial had been reached.
Every one knew that the Common
wealth, the defense, and the judge,
with true Virginia spirit. were will
ing TO do anything in their power and
more to save Mrs. Vawter from the
ordeal of testifying about her shame
before crowded court room. And
everyone knew that every effort
would be made to compromise the
case to save her.
Rejects Sacrifice Ofer.
But their efforts failed.
Among those who feel strongly in
favor of the defense, the statement
is made with apparent authority
that, when told that no agreement
could be reached, Vawter volunteer
ed to accept the proposition advanced
by the Commonwealth of commitment
to the asylum for the criminal insane
at Marion, Va, to keep his wife on
the stand, and that she refused TO ac-
cept his sacrifice.
Whether this be true or not. it is COM
mon gossip in Christiansburg that Judge
Moffett threw his weight in the balance
and urged the compromise. either a ver-
dict of mot guilty because Of insanity at
the time of the act. but sane now." or.
mot guilty because of insanity now" or.
time Of the act and insane now"
Some trivial difference tied them up
and the compromise was banished. Mrs.
Vawter took the stand.
Men who have followed hundreds Of
criminal cases. men who know more
about the psychology of the court than
can ever be printed. stood amazed at her
testimony.
For three and a half hours. a delicate
ly nurtured woman, a beautiful woman.
woman of manifestly the finest sensi-
bilities. sat before a throng made up for
the greatest part OF ignorant. morbid
sensation seekers. and never fiinched as
she testified so intimately on such sa-
cred subjects that a veteran OF hundreds
Of murder trials ,lost his composure and
averted his face
Something Quite New.
The criminal annals OF America are
yet they show not a single case parallel
to the testimony of Mrs. Vawter. Amer
lea has had its Nan Pattersons, its
Evelyn Thaws. its Beulah Rinfords-
there was nothing really new in any of
them-and Mrs. Vawter gave something
absolutely new. She is the great enigma
of case Of enigmas.
In all OF little Christiansburg today
there is not a single tongue that is
not talking about her performance of
she sat composed
and dry-eyed. and said: "Yes, I sup
pose / did act improperly with Stock
ton Heth that night; but / was too
much under the influence of drink to
remember much"
She sat there, beautiful. with the
beauty of a Madonna yet without the
Madonna's maturity, for all her thir-
ty-odd years, and as she testified there
was just the touch of the theatrical.
Was she natural? A great woman.
IL not a good one, making more than
the supreme sacrifice for a man whom
greatest of all actresses. enjoying the
sensation caused by her presentation
of wonderfully rehearsed part?
That was the question.
Yet the TsNt moment she made the
doubter ashamed of his doubts.
Trying to Tell Truth.
1t was Special Prosecutor Lee, at
the height OF his triumph as one OF
the shrewdest cross-eNaminers in
America who was questioning her
Gentle with the gentleness of a real
man. yet fighting like a demon for the
Commonwealth. he put some questions
she was unable to answer.
I'm trying to tell you the truth"
she cried. gOaded for the second out
of her composure. "and yet you are
just trying to twist me up"
mo. madam" he replied, with the