The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-02-15
Montgomery Circuit Court-.TriaI Of
Vim. A. En6, for Rrssi'9 canterfea Money
OF THE RICHMOND DAILY DISPATCH


CHRIsTIASsBuns, Va, Feb. 18th, 1855
The special term of the Circuit Court Of Mont
gomery commenced its session on Wednesday last
Judge A s. Fulton presiding true bill having
been found by the Grand Jury, against w. A. Poh
on the three several indictments, to wit: lst For
counterfeiting or forgery 3D. For utteriug or
passing counterfeit coin; aud 3D. For having coun-
terfeit coin in his possession--he was put upon
| MS trial. The counsel for the prisoner were
Waiter K Staples, BENZ. L. Visor. ii. e. Blair and
| NJ Ill. Holt. Esqs.; and in behalf of the Common
wealth, j. j. Wade, Esq. The first day was con-
sumed In examining the witnesses. The first and
principal witness of the Commonwealth testified
that at May or June Court last, the prisoner called
MIN and asked private conversation with him.
On retiring from the street, the prisoner pulled
out half dollar and asked him If he saw anything
wrong abont 10 witness replied he did not; and at
the same time the prisoner had in his hand small
linen SACK which witness supposed contained ten or
more similar pieces. The prisoner then told wit
ness that 1t was counterfeit money, and witness
says he took good half dollar out of his own
pocket book and compared 1t with the prisoners
piece, aud did discover difference between them
On opening his pocket-book the witness exhibit
ed several gold dollars, and the prisoner remarked
will give You sirtecR pieces for one. The prison
er then asked witness if he intended TO 90 West,
aud he replied in the affirmative; the prisoner
then asked if he might go with him, stating that
| he would go before and poy the way and it would
cost witness nothing The prisoner then asked wit
| ness 1T he had vacant room he could rent him.
adding that the room he now had was inconveni-
ent, as a family occupied room below it, and he
had to work very late at night You need not be
afraid to engage in t,ssys the prisoner it is mo
ney-makiug business, and We have thirteen in all
in our company, and among them tU0 preachers,
and three months ago was $500 in debt, and now
l am out Of debt aud have fl00 in good money
The prisoner then invited witness to go and drink
with him. he at first refused but afterwards con-
sented; on going to the bar prisoner threw down
a haifdolar, and on leaving remarked to witness,
IN moo hat iHah hot aEass
As you have already been informed, the Pris-
oner was arrested in September last at the house
OF Dsctor (who also goes under the name of q
preacher) l. B. Scott in the county of Giles, near
the New River White Sulphur Springs, and the
| officers arresting him deposed that counterfeit
| coin was found in his possession and wit
| bess testified that be saw the prisoner pull the
coin out Of his pocket and give 1t to q daughter Of
DIR. Scott, remarking that he was making her a
present, who straight to the river and threw
| 1t IN; and on searching afterwards some twenty
pieces were found To this part of the evidence
the prisoners counsel objected, not being legti.
mate testimony in An offence Committed ia Mont
gomery county, only far as 1t proved the guilty
knoWtedge OF the prisoner, tho Commonwealth as.
serting that the finding of counterfeit coin on his
| person was prtma fdcie truth Of bis confession,
| that he had passed it in Montgomery. The argu-
ment Was opened on Thursday morning by j. J.
Wade in behalf of the Commonwealth, who very
forcibly set forth the evidence and the law on the
various questions raised by the opposing counsel.
He was followed by h. 4. Visor, Esq, for the pris-
oner, who with great ingenuity and ability plead
the cause ofhis client, and after him came Messrs
Holt and Blair, and the argument for the prisoner
was closed by Mr.. Staples, with one of the best
| speeches we have ever heard from him-marked
by great ability and legal information; at once
eloquent and beautiful aud his peroration was irul
pathetic and sublime. Mr. Wade then closed the
argument for the Common wealth, In manner
scarcely inferior to that of the prisoners counsel
rebutting in masterly manner the nice points of
| law brought out by the opposing counsel The jury,
after retiring about half an hour, returned ver-
dict of not gritty on the first and third charges,
but guilty on the second, and ascertaned the prs.
9ner's punishment to be confinement for two
years in the pententiary. The prisoners counsel
filed bill OF exceptions to the judges decision as
to the legality of confession Of the pris per be-
ing used as evidence, independent Of corrol ating
testimony, to prove the corpus deiicti except in
| cases of murder, robbery and larceny. and asked
a suspension of the sentence unttthey cou!d hear
from the Court of Appeals, now in session, which
| the judge granted for so days and remanded the
prisoner to Jail.
The prisoner bore the character of an upright
honest young man up to the time of his going to
DR.. Scotts Such is the effect of evil associates
Yours, Eros.