The Washington times., 1921-09-28
Of II
PHYSICIAN IN
v|RG|N|AFRE
Road Builder Who Killed Be-
cause Of Wife, Acted in
SeIf-Defense.

LYNCHBURG, Va, Sept. 3D.
Jesse l.. Ford, who shot and NOR
tally wounded DR.. William A.
Strother, a prominent Bedford county
physician, at the latter's home last
Saturday, was discharged yesterday
by Magistrate B. d. Clay after a
preliminary trial, which was held in
the home occupied for eighteen
months by Ford and his family. The
hearing took only twenty minutes.
Case Is Ended.
1t Is believed that this 10 the ter
mination OF the legal phase OF the
tragedy. which come about by reason
OF an attachment between Ford's wife
and the dead physician.
Ford was the only witness called al
the hearing, II being announced that
Mrs Ford had claimed exemption from
testifying under a State law which
does not compel a wife TO TESTIFY
against her husband. She did not APP
pear at the trial. though she had been
staying in the house since the trag.
edy. which occurred 100 yards away
in the yard of the Strother residence.
A large crowd gathered to hear the
recital OF the evidence, but the crowd
was excluded from the room in which
the trial took place. John L. Lee was
the counsel for the accused.
Shooting Stirs County.
The shooting stirred northeastern
Bedford county and Lynchburg. the
native home OF DR.. Strother and Ford,
where both were prominently connect.
ed. but the people had to wait for
the details OF the case until the pre-
liminary hearing. for Ford declined to
make any statement before that. ex.
cept that he had shot DR.. Strother be.
fore the physician could shoot him.
Ford testified that he moved to
Boonsboro in April. 1920. and that his
wife met DR.. Strother within the next
month. He heard reports about her.
he testified, but she always assured
him that she was leading q proper
life and he believed her. June "a, he
said, she left him for a visit to her
old home in Albemarle county. but
later he found out that she was not
there.
He said he received letters from her
| postmarked Lynchburg and had an
idea she was staying in Bedford
City, but this was not definitely es'
tablished In his mind. Once since
June she returned home and stayed
there six days while he was sick, said
Ford, and another time she called him
by telephone to meet her In Lynch,
burg. There, he testified. he pleaded
with her to return home, but she said
they could not get along and she did
not love him. Ford then stated that
| he saw her no more until Saturday
morning when he was driving by the
Strother home to his work and saw
her face at one Of the windows.
He drove on TO his work, he said
but turned around Immediately and
hurried TO Lynchburg, where he
bought an automatic pistol. Re
turning to Boonsboro, he saw DIR.
Strother leaving his automobile IN
20 into his house. Ford testified
that he went into the yard and
asked where Mrs. Ford was. With
out waiting for an answer. ne said
he charged DR.. Strother with doing
him the dirtiest trick white man
had ever done.
Started Toward Strother.
He said he started toward Strother
and Strother advanced to meet him.
Strother in the meantime. said Ford.
had apparently assured himself that
he had his pistol by feeling his hip
pocket, and just as he put his hand
back again as IL to get the 1istol
struggle began for possession OF his
pistol.
In the struggle Ford tried to get
the pistol against DIR. Stroth"r, and.
according to his testimony, he fired
several times. After the shots, he
said, he broke away from DR.. Stroth.
err. who then got out his own auto
matte and fired twice. Then Strother
Fell dead.
Ford said his wife screamed from
one Of the windows Of the Strother
residence as the struggle for the gun
ended, and after Strother had fired
at him she came out of the house
and at her solicitation he placed the
body on the back porch and walked
away.
Counsel did not argue the ease.
but when Mr.. Lee told the Justice
that he believed Ford not only had
a right TO go to Strother's house TO
inquire about the whereabouts OF
his wife and that he had performed
a duty. the magistrate said he agreed
with the attorney and dismissed the