The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-08-27
LOCAL MATTERS.

LOCAL MATTERS.
The HOPPE CoUNTERFEITING CASE
The examination Of William A. Hoppe,
charged with counterfeiting an inspectors
tobacco brand, was resumed before Com
missioner Chahoon yesterday morning.
William A. Fordham, policeman, sworn
On the morning of the 9Th | was on my
beat near the factory of Mr.. Hoppe. Saw
man knocking at Hopes door, and,
failing to get in, he went to the window.
Thinking it was clerk trying to get in, |
went on. At the corner of Grace and
Union streets I saw wagon. 1t was then
4 A. NJ. Asked the driver what he was
doing there. He said he was waiting for
another wagon, as q party of young fellows
were going on a picnic. W. A. O. Cole
has since told me he was the driver. |
then went back towards the factory, near
which 1 met Mordecai Page. He asked me
if he did not look suspicious. 1told him he
did look very suspicious, to which he re-
Piled, {" I am waiting to get some tobacco" !"
He was waiting for some one to come. |
told him met some one going down the
street. He said, "Yes; that is Pearman
going after the wagon" | told him where
had seen the wagon. he said that was
the one. I asked if he had knocked at the
factory door. He said yes, and | then left.
Thought no more Of it until few nights
afterwards, when / saw private watch
man guarding the factory. He told me OF
the robbery, and showed me where it was
supposed the thieves had broken in. !
examined the outside Of the factory, but
saw no evidence Of its having been broken
into, save pane of glass being broken.
The case here closed for the Govern
ment. and evidence for the defence was
called. &,
II. S. Merrill was sworn: lie stated
that he knew nothing more about the rob-
berry than what Hoppe had told him some
DAYS after it occurred. He told me the
names of several parties whom he sus-
pected. told him 1 thought he was mis-
taken in some of them. After awhile he
showed me the names of Pearman, Ben.
Allen, and Mordecai Page. told him l
knew them as contraband tobacco dealers.
| know of Aliens dealing in contraband
tobacco, and I have had Page and Pear
man arrested for conspiring to defraud the
revenue.
Henry Thompson, sworn: l have worked
in Hoppe's factory since February. My
business was to put the tobacco in the
cases after they were inspected by the in
spector. l could see what was going on,
because it was all in the same room. |
could see what was going on in Hopes
Office when I was at work on that floor. l
never saw any tobacco branded in Hopes
Office, all of it being branded in the front
room, never saw Ben. Allen carry any
tobacco into or from the Office. All the
tobacco have ever seen 60 out of the
factory was properly branded by the IN
spector. Here he described the inspec-
tors brandt have never seen any brand
but the one brought by the inspector When
he came to brand tobacco. Have never
seen Hoppe brand any. l do not
know whether Aliens testimony IS true
or false. To my knowledge the factory
has been robbed three times. One time
the door was found broken open, and some
sugar stolen; another, some sugar and
Deaches. The last time window had
been opened by parties from the outside,
and then they had forced open door al
the head of the steps leading from the
basement. This time some boxes OF to.
bacco were carried off. I do not say that
I saw all that went on in Hopes office
but / could have seen all that went on
while was at work.
The cross-examination elected nothing
new. IT..
Cnrtis Dickinson was next sworn. His
statement confirmed that of Henry Thomp'
son. He said that he knew some of Aliens
testimony to be false. Ben. Allen was not
Mr. Hoppe's book-keeper; he only carried
on his business for one week.
Mrs. Hutchinson was sworn, and stated
that the statements made by Ben. AlleI
about selling her tobacco were false. -,
Two other witnesses were sworn. !heJ
stated that they were in such a position
as to know whether or not Hoppe used
counterfeit brand, and that the statement 0
Ben. Allen that he did have and sse one
was false.
Here the Commissioner decided to post
none q further hearing until this morning