The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-10-15
LOCAL MATTEns.


Chargs Of Fssoxy.--Yesterday morning I
large number Of persons assembled at the City
Hall to witness the examination Of Samuel
Peters, q foreman in one Of the workshops o1
the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad Com
Pany, charged with emhezxling 500 worth Of
nIass. copper and other metals, the property oi
the company; and L. IL. Leonard, charged
with receiving the same. knowing that Peter
came oy II dishonestly. When the case was
called, Jas. r. Crenshaw, Esq. appeared as
council for the prisoners, and the Witnesses
ioI the commonwealth were called and
dence: "a -
John T. Clarke, in the employ Of the COM
pany, testiiied to the following facts: In April
or May last Leonard went to the Workshop.
purchased an old locomotive, the Sheppard, y
cut II up. and sold it as scrap iron. Peters
sold the locomotive by the authority of the
about the shop at different times. and witness
saw lot Of metal boxed up and given 10 him
by Peters. From that time to the present wit
ness has frequently seen boxes Of brass sent
out Of the shop without knowing where they
Were to so. Peters had been in the habit Of
selling old brass to the founders who worked
LOT the railroad company, but when he fur
nlsned them the brass was never boxed mp
W illness had seen brass boxed up and sent or
Had seen copper cut into scraps, in the storage
room, and put in boxes and bags, but could
not say where is went to. In the storage
room there was at one time large quantity OF
4
new-but there is only single piece left
witness saw a lot of metal boxed mp, directed
70 L. II. Leonard, care of Samuel Peters, at the
depot. The box or keg came out of the car.
penters' shop at the railroad depot Leonard
said on Wednesday that the President had or
dered Peters to sell him 400 pounds Of old
brass.
| VIM. Whitaker, also an employee at the
company's shops, had suspected Peters of sell
| Ing brass and copper, and defrauding the COM
pany, for some time past. He had seen copper
iiuss cut up, put in box and sent away Saw
| 4l2 pounds of metal taken at one time 13u
| pounds at another, and 100 pounds at another;
| and had threatened to inform agains him hui
| put IT on from time to time, with the hope
that he would stop it, Witness described the
manner in which Peters got the metals out OF
| the store-room, which is oyerl the workshop
and said that he had seen a negro man cutting
| up and packing in box, copper flues thai
belonged to the company Nine or ten months
| ago there were not less than six hundred fiues
| in one of the storage rooms, but now there
| were not more than one hundred and fifty il
| that. Witness had seen the negro man bring
| down bag of brass and carry it to Peters
office, where the brass was deposited under
| the table, the bag re-filled with wooden blocks
! and. sent back, to delude the hands in the shop
Witness saw drayman come to the works
| ask for keg for Leonard, from Baltimore, re-
ceive q keg of metal and leave. Witness heard
Leonard say that the President had ordered
Peters to get him out 400 pounds of brass
When brass was furnished the Richmond
founders, it was neyerl boxed up, and when
copper was cut for them, it was cut down in
the shop with shears, but when cut to box fol
Leonard, it was cut up stairs, by Morris, &
negro man, with q chisel and hammer. Wit
ness gave information of what was going on
procured a search warrant, went with the of.
ficers to Leonards house on 4th street, and
there found quantity of metal belonging tC
the railroad company.
John G. Andrews had bought scrap brass
from Peters for Samson & Pae, giving him g
al of 10 he
company by it on their account. Mr.. Samson
had engaged 800 pounds of old brass from
Leonard, to be delivered on the 18th inst
The defence then introduced witnesses, who
stated the following facts
John Mittledoffer works in the chop under
Peters-knows that the composition boxes''
were worthless and thrown aside, and that
Peters sold some of them.
NJ Warrington, the Superintendent's clerk,
knew nothing of Peters selling or Leonard's
buying old brass. By the direction of the Su-
perintendent Peters sold Leonard an old loco
motive, for which he paid witness, the ac-
count being rendered by Peters. Leonard also
bought lot of old iron and steel. and paid
witness for it. Peters has reported no sale to
witness since June last. Peters has sold old
brass to Samson & Pae and ID. Hagerty, and
rendered an account of it, but witness never
knew of any being sold to Leonard. Witness
never knew of the Presidents selling or CIV
ing directions for the sale of old metals.
Roland Leonard had been buying old brass
five weeks Bought some in Salem some in
Liberty, and some in Richmond.
p. V. Daniel, jr., called for the Common
wealth-stated that he never gave any direc-
ton for the sale of brass in his life. In March
or April, the Superintendent consulted him
about the sale of an old locomotive, which
Leonard bought and cut up. The Superinten-
dent never sold anything without consulting
witness.
Officers Chalkley and Morris searched Leon
ards house, and found brass and other metals
in bags, which was recognized as the brass
and copper of the railroad company.
Two letters of recommendation, given to
Leonard by Supt. Wynne, now absent in
Minnesota as a witness, were read.
MIR. Crenshaw, for Peters, admit.ed that he
sold Leonard the old metal, as agent for the
company but contended that he had the right
to do so, as it was in his possession, and he
had been authorized to sell it.
The Mayor, after hearing the evidence and
argument remanded the prisoners until this
morning