The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-03-24
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| Va, which said letter had been deposited in
the post-omcein the city of Richmond, with
the design to obstruct the correspondence
of the said ". n. Samuel and Edgar Allan,
and to pry into their business and secrets,
and did secrete such letter, 80 taken and
opened as aforesaid, before the said letter
was delivered tc the said Edgar Allan; 5a9
These are, therefore, in the name OF
the Commonwealth Of Virginia, ,to. command
you forthwith to apprehend and bring be-
fore me or some other justice of the said
city the bodies of the said Henry B. Wells,
II. G. Bond, Charles E. Zincke, and L. E.
Dudley, to answer the said complaint, and
be further dealt'With according to law
!" Given under my hand and seal this
22d day Of March, 1869.
JAMES MURPHY, J. P"
;. Judge Bond was frst.arrested. sergeants
Rankin and Gum, Of the police, went to
his house in company with Allan and SAM
uel. The Judge came. to the door in his
slippers, and listened with surprise to the
reading Of the warrant. Being satisfied
that Mr.pGunn was an officer, herequested
to be taken before Mayor Chahoon, to which
the Sergeant agreed, against Allan's pro-
test.
= Governor Wells was arrested at the gu
bernatorial mansion an hour or more later
latter 10 o'clock), and Mr.: Dudley, who is
secretary Of the Republican Executive
Committee, was found by, the officers at the
Ballard House. The two first were bailed
by Mr.. Chahoon, and the latter by Justice
Murphy, for their appearance at police
court the next morning. -
:a The parties all appeared at the Mayors
court punctually at O'clock, Governor
Wells wore belligerent air, and seemed
quite talkative. Mr. Bonds temper was
entirely unruffied, and he could not have
smiled more sweetly if he had just been
notified of his election to the United States
Senate. Mr.. Dudley was pale, nervous, and
rather fdgetty, but had very little to say.
The distinguished accused were not re-
quired to occupy the place usually set apart
for prisoners, but were seated together
within the bar and under the eye Of q
policeman. L. II. Chandler, Esq., as
amicus curir, during the transaction
of the routine business Of the court, oscil-
lated between the Mayor and his clients,
and seemed to think this was no light
matter, after all.
In the rear of the prisoners, where spec
tators are generally accommodated, was
seated quite o number of local politicians
of the Radical stripe, friends Of the plain
tiffs and defendants, who manifested no
little interest in the proceedings in which
the greater lights of the party were so in
expIicsbly involved. Dr.. Sharpe, our late
postmaster and now United States Marshal
for the District of Columbia, and General
Williams C. Wickham were admitted to
privileged seats by the side Of the accused.
Messrs. Samuel and Allan, the parties
claiming to be aggrieved by the prying
eyes of the Governor and his party, were
surrounded by o little knot of adherents,
who made themselves quite merry at the
expense Of the prisoners over the cups and
downs" of political life in New Virginia.
After disposing Of all the petty larcenies
and assaults and batteries on the docket,
the, Mayor announced himself ready for the
case of Wells ct al. a.* s-t ~. g'2f -.
Mr.. Chandler, addressing his Honor, said
the first step to be taken was to see whether
the Mayor had Jurisdiction in the case just
called. He claimed that he had not. "A
magistrate may issue warrant for the ar
rest of party charged. with violation OF
Federal laws, and may commit or enlarge
him upon bail, but he could not investigate
the matter by the examination Of witnesses.
That is the duty of United States Com
missioner. The charge was that these par
ties had violated the law of the United
States, and not the law of Virginia, and the
warrant therefore was defective in that it
was brought in the name of the State in
stead of in the name of the President, or Of
the magistrate issuing it. Conkling's Trea-
tise was quoted to support this proposition
MIR. Chandler therefore asked that this
warrant should be dismissed. If the pri-
soners we're guilty, there would be no dan
ger in pursuing this course, as his Honor,
in the capacity of United. States Commis-
sioner, could Immediately cause their re-
arrest and 90 on with the examination, or,
if thought proper, continue the case. !.
Governor Wells here remarked that it
gave him pleasure at all times to submit
to the lew. He assured his Honor that il
the warrant was dismissed ne and has
friends would Immediately place them
selves in the custody OF the Commissioner
He hoped, however, that the case would be
disposed Of without delay. ,...z .o
The Mayor said that if the case were
sent to the United States Commissioner
(himself) he would prefer a postponement Of
the examination until Tomorrow (Wednes-
dayl morning, as the District Attorney
would then be present. -,.
Mr.. Allan said there were several wit
nesses out of town whose attendance was
important.
Mr. Samuel said that if postponed until
tomorrow he hoped it would be until after
noon, as he could not be present early IL
the day. ),
Governor Wells urged that the case be
heard at 10 o'clock this morning to which
Messrs. Samuel and Allan again objected
Governor Wells said they were IN very
great hurry when they arrested him at Il
o'clock at night, regardless Of severe
storm. ., -
Mr.. Allan rejoined with spirit that they
mere in hurry then because they had rea
son to believe that the persons accused IN
tended to fee from justice. The seque
proved their supposition correct, as one Q
the parties had left town. .-g. -.
The Mayor then fixed j o'clock to-day TO
the hearing, and took the personal recogni
zance of the accused in the cum OF S3u
! for their appearance.