The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-11-11
JOHN W. woLTz, News and city Editor
LOCAL MATTERS.
PROMINENT RICHMOND DE

LOCAL MATTERS.
tir Co. - l. .fl
A PROMINENT RICHMOND DEMO
Graf ARRESTED FOR PASSING CoUN-
TERFEIT MONEY, PAID HIM BY THB
TREASURER OF TIE DEM0CRATIC
CoMMITTEE-IR Trial Before tie United
States Comaissio,,e,'-Held to Boa.-Ofi-
Ger Pat Woods, of the city police, yester-
day arrested Mr.. Benjamin Scott, who will
be readily recognized as prominent Demo-
cratic politician of this city, on information
that Mr.. Scott had passed a counterfeit ten
dollar bill, of the National Bank of Pough-
keepsie, New York, to young man at Cot
trell's coal yard, in payment for coal. The
money was passed by Mr.. Scott, on Tues
day last, the day of election. Officer
Woods took the prisoner before Police
Justice White, who properly sent him from
there before United States Commissioner
Peasants, before whom, the party upon
whom the note was passed, made COM
plant.
The examination was commenced on
yesterday. The clerk at the coal yard tes-
titled tnat Mr.. Scott passed the note upon
him. eAFa "a
Mr.. Allen, the teller Of the First National
Bank, testified that the note was WELL
known counterfeit, and should have been
known as such by any business man.
Officer Woods testified that Mr.. Scott
confessed to him he k7,eac the note was a
counterfeit at the time he had passed it,
but that he was sorry he had passed it.
.Fey so. aw 38sf sa
Mr.. Scott introduced John Bossieux, an
officer of the Dollar Savings Bank, and
treasurer of the "City Conservative Com
mittee,o who swore he had given Mr..
Scott two ten dollar notes on the morning
of the election, and identified the note in
question as one of them.
The prosecution endeavored to introduce
evidence to prove that Mr.. Scott had passed
a counterfeit upon Wyman, the wizard !;
but the Commissioner ruled it out as ir-
relevant. fsS a
Mr.. George ID. Wise, one of the counsel
for Mr.. Scott, raised the point that passing
national counterfeit bill was an offence
States, and informed the court that if Mr..
Scott was sent on, he would sue out a
habeas corpus, and take the prisoner from
the custody Of the United States officers.
The Commissioner overruled this point.
Colonel John Il. Popham, at the request
of the Commissioner, appeared for the gov
ernment, both the District Attorney and
his assistant being absent, in attendance on
the United States Court at Norfolk.
Messrs. Geo. d. Wise and John Johns,
Jr., appeared for Mr.. Scott, and Mr.. Chas
NJ. Wallace with Geo. d. Wise and Louis
Bossieux became surety for Mr.. Scott's ap.
pearance to-day, in the sum of $1,000.
This morning the case was concluded
and the prisoner sent on for Indictment by
the next grand jury, and the penalty of the
bond fixed at $4,000.
The grand jury, before whom this case
will be brought, will not be empannelled
until next spring, so that unless the friends
of Mr.. Scott furnish bail, he will be impriS.
oned until the sitting of the jury.
AT the conclusion of the examination,
and after the commissioner had sent the
prisoner on for indictment, the young man
upon whom the counterfeit note was passed
wishing to make his account with his EN-
ployer correct, desired to know how he
was to do so, when Ben Scott told him tc
go to Mr.. Bossieux, and he would pay
him. assr stFr-ea.. ~. ltl
The EnquieJe,' regards this case as one O.
persecution, and is agreed with by Mr.
Wise, one of Mr.. Scots counsel. We are
unable to agree with them, because Officer
Woods testimony is positive, that Scot
told him he hte,c the note was counter
felt when he passed it. Either Mr.. Wood,
is mistaken or Scott is guilty of intent tt
defraud by the passing of counterfeit money
1t is unlikely that Mr.. Woods would maxi
mistake in this case, as he himself is al
active Democrat and could have no goot
reason for acting unjustly towards brother
Democrat.
The treasurer of the .sConservativc com.
mitteeo who recognized the note as ont
paid Scott on election day should be more
careful of the kind of money he disburseS
among the workers of his party, else the
secret workings of his party may bt
brought to light, a thing by no means de
sirable. We presume MI. Scott's Demo
cratic friends will come to his rescue, and j
/ possible prevent his imprisonment-tht
/ party, however, that carried the city by sc
large a majority may find in this favora
BILE opportunity to dispense with the hither
to valuable services Of Mr.. Scott, who's,
anticipated fate should be a warning to al
disposed to deal in political matters for thu
number of dollars it brings them.
POLICE CoURT-Jasfice J. J. Whit
prea;,y;,,n Tho fcllovr;,,o aococ x.-ora die