Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-08-16

1t. A day or W after, While rldlng Out
prisoner talked to him in a religious wa.
and said that while a member of the Meth
odist church he was not opposed to dane
ing and innocent areusementS, and his lib
erality in this regard had caused some o.
his fellow members to rebuke him. How
ever, Notwithstanding, he was still liberia
and liked TO see people light-hearted. There
was great laughter among the spectator'
in the magistrates room at this part Of
the evidence, and the keen enjoyment Of
the evidence by the prisoner made his face
a study Witness liked such a cordial and
genial gentleman as the prisoner appeared
to be-one who took such a genial and lib
eral view of humanity. Witness coming
to Staunton, prisoner asked him to see il
his horse had come and If it had, then Miss
Walton, witnesses sister, who was going
with him could ride it back. Enquired at
the freight Office in Staunton but found NO
horse. Telling the Doctor this on his
return, he said that his agent on his farm
was very careful and probably didn't want
to incur the cost OF sending the horse.
Witness did not doubt his statement, he
seemed so very religious. Some Episcopal
lians at the Springs had private prayers
an the Doctor said he would like to
join them; he missed his own religious
privileges so much. He was invited and
| did join in them. Shortly after witnesses
| little brother said, "Do you know DR..
| Thomas swore to day ?" II witness said,
sOh, no! he is a religious man; you must
be wrOng.' Noticed about this time that
the Doctor was rather vague in locating
his farm; also that While he claimed to be
an East Virginian his pronunciation was
that OF a Pennsylvania, but he thought
that might have been from his having
studied medicine at the Medical College
in Philadelphia. Also he begun to lose his
religious character, saying that since his
wife had died he was a lost man. One
morning the Doctor told him he had four
or five thousand dollars idle and he was
thinkingof taking the Variety Springs. He
fancied Il coat 1.-THE gray of witness and wit
ness offered it to HIM. The doctor declined
IL . q SllU3 OuU oGlo AO WILMA Ouy 4Ve
and in the meantime kept the coat which
he had put on and which cost $35. At an
other time the Doctor borrowed s. in sill
yer, saying that he lost his pocket-book
containing two $40 bills, and at the same
time requested that MI. Walton would not
tell the landlord of the loss. Told witness
a day or two after, that he had spent a dol
lar and a half telegraphing for money, but
had not received it. Found this false.
The doctor" being often asked why his
daughter and son-inlaw didn't come up,
said he supposed they were having a good
time in Waynesboro. Showed witness the
draft or receipt he had showed Mr.. Bur-
russ. The doctor decamped with three
coats n including that belonging to wit
ness.
ONLY ONE SIMPSON.
Mr.. Bush, of Waynesboro vicinity, testl-
fed there was no such man in the town.
Never heard of any Simpson in the world
but the one at the shoe store in Staunton.
DR.. M. Call, a fine looking old gentle;
man, from Richmond, a guest at the
springs, confirmed the general evidence Of
the other witnesses.
WILLOW SPOUT.
Capt. Z. j. CroWder, Chief Of Police.
testified to the fact that Mr.. Burruss had
gotten out a warrant for sThomas,n and
on Monday witness rode down to Willow
Spout, having heard the accused was
there. Saw him in the yard and arrested
him. Asked for the lady of the house, not
liking to take a boarder away without ex-
planning to her. She came and, being
told, said, doctor, l hope you won't
leave without paying my BILL" In the
cell. prisoner told witness that he was not
a Virginian, but was born and raised in
Ohio.
W. T. Llghtner, Deputy Sheriff, tes-
titled that he had seen prisoner at Variety
Springs. Prisoner, in Jail, told witness
that he had told Crowder he was from
Ohio, because he didn It want his relations
to know of his arrest.
SENT TO II GRAND JURY.
The magistrate said the distinctions be-
tween false pretence, larceny, and breach
of trust, were of a delicate nature, and he
would prefer the judge of the court de-
Gliding them, and committed the prisoner
for the action of the Grand Jury.
HE WAS CAUGHT.
The paragraph in last Fridays VINDI-
GATOR, describing the appearance and ex-
ploits of the Doctor, was read by Mr.. S.
M. Wilkes, who the next day visited his
father-in.law near Willow Spout. Some one
described a new guest at Willow Spout, and
it answering to the paragraph Mr.. w. had
read, he Informed the Chief of Police
of his suspicious. When arrested the doc
tor had a quack medicine memoranda
book, about s'Damasama Invigorating
Cordial" and "Dr. Pierce's Smart, made
| of pepper WATER" A letter, taken from
the post office at Ferroll. directed to "Dr.
Frank Thomas, - and mailed from Staun-
ton, was produced in court. but not
opened.