The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-03-16

was exceedingly anxious to realize upon
this bond as soon as possible, and had made
several attempts to sell it before bringing
it to me for collection. There being q stay
law in the State at that time, staying the
collection of all debts incurred prior to
April, 1865, | could give my client very
little encouragement for aspeedy collection
of his bond. | ascertained that r. ID.
Sanxay had been appointed curator of
Haunstein's estate in 1861, that Haunstein
had no known heirs, and that Sanxay was
quietly enjoying the property, with no im-
mediate prospect Of having to relinquish it.
Under these circumstances, ! told Jones
that was satisfied that he would be kept
out of his money as long as possible, and
| was confident that Sanxay would never
be able to settle his account as curator, be-
lievlng that he had no money with which
to repay the collection he had made and
already spent. Jones was then very anx-
ious to sell his bond, when told him that
there would be no trouble in obtaining a
judgment upon it, which would act as a
lien upon Haunstein's estate until the ex-
piration of the stay-law, after which the
property could be sold and the proceeds
applied to the payment of the debt, and |
thought he could dispose of the judgment
to a better advantage than the bond. Jones
then asked me if his creditors would not
attach his judgment before he could obtain
and dispose of it. told him thought it
most likely they would, but that since his
note was negotiable and endorsed, it was
good in anybody's hands, and that he had
better get some friend, in whom he had
confidence, to bring the suit for him.
He then urged me to bring it in my own
name, which declined to do, stating that
did not like to appear before the court suing
for myself, but presumed that he would
have no difficulty in getting friend to allow
the use of his name in the matter. He then
told me to bring the suit in the name of
William Gleason. then, January 9th,
1867, went to the Henrico County court
House and ordered notice to be served
upon II. ID. Sanxay, curator, informing him
that suit had been brought upon this bond.
filed my declaration with the bond at the
time. Mr.. johnson Ii. Sands was after
wards entered as Sanxay's attorney for the
defence, but no plea was filed, and at the
next court | took judgment by default. |
do not remember having seen Jones after
bringing the suit, until after the Judgment
was entered, when he came into my office
with some remark to the effect that he was
all right, and asked me to file q petition in
the Circuit court for the sale of Haunstien's
property, and he would pay my fee of two
hundred and fifty dollars, that being the
amount agreed upon at the time / took the
bond. drew up the petition and signed
blank receipt drawn up by Mr.. Sands, took
my fee Of two hundred and fifty dollars, and
hn, In1 tho to q, all tI.o1
had to do with the case. lneyer appeared
in the Circuit court or knew anything about
the sale of the property, or in any manner
had anything to do with the case in
any other way whatever. The whole case
was closed in June 1867. In the spring of
1868 was informed that Samuel NJ. Page,
escheator for the city of Richmond,
charged that the bond upon which this suit
was brought was forgery, and felt
little uneasy lest | had not been particular
enough in my action, but at that time l
did not dream that any one would ever at
tribute any intentional wrong to me. Page
soon afterwards called upon me and asked
me to give him all the information | had
on the subject, when | told him what |
have stated above. Jones remained in
Richmond most of the tine until the sum-
mer of 1868, when he went North and has
not been in Richmond since, until arrested
in New York in April 1871, after my
second trial, and taken to Richmond,
charged with forging the Haunstein note.
Page afterwards attempted to escheat this
property to the State, but having no in
terest in the matter, had nothing to do
with it. The property, however, has
never been escheated, and there have been
three judicial decisions, and the verdict of
an escheat jury which sustain the genuine
ness of this note.
A charge was made to General Candy,
then military commander of this State,
against my action in this case, just before
the Governors election, in July, 1869. l
called upon the General and asked him to
order an investigation. He replied that the
civil courts were open and he would not
interfere. 1t is reasonable to suppose that
if he had entertained any idea of my guilt
he would have removed me from the office
of Mayor.
When the Enabling Act' passed the
Legislature in 1870, it was generally
understood that / intended to resist its
enforcement, when was informed that if l
did so the Haunstien matter would be
brought up against me. Ipaid no attention
to this threat, but made as bold resistance
as | could. In the election in May, the
same threat was held out against me if /
ran for Mayor. ] ran for the office and
was elected, as stated above. | was again
told that if made any resistance to the de-
feated Democrats taking their offices by
fraud that | would be tried for my partici-
patton in this case and sent to the peniten-
tiary. paid no attention to this threat,
and the officers elected held meeting, at
which presided, when we determined to
employ the ablest counsel and obtain our
officers ifpossible. In the meantime cloud
of witnesses, included in the number, were
summoned before the grand jury, then sit
ting for the purpose of indicting me, and
the confidential friends of the defeated DEM
ocratic officers were busy at work obtain
ing testimony against me. An offer was
made to Mr.. Thomas r. Rowden, in the
hearing of two witnesses, promising him a
large amount of money if he would go be-
fore the grand jury and falsely charge the
forgery of the Haunstien note upon me.
These witnesses were kept before the grand
jury for eight days. We filed our petition
to contest the fraudulent certificates on the
4th of June, at 10 A. NJ, and at P. M. of
the same day two indictments were brought
in against me--one for conspiracy to de-
fraud the State, in preventing an escheat of
the Haunstien property, and one for torg-
ing and uttering the Haunstien bond. The
o.,opJ ,,,,y thot ipl;otad mo xroc ,n,,, :