The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-06-07
ed, while Steele has either lied to you, or
Johnston is a periurcd villain, without q


to character. None OF them were intimate
with him or associated with people who as
sociated with him. Who are Steele's COM
panIons? Where are they? Why are they
not here? Jack Wren is one. They ar
ranged to 20 to the ball together. Steele, a
married man, coating in the vilest snk-hole
in Solitude. When his wife Is calling him
TO his home he is walking arn-in-arm with
Jack Wren on his way to Solitude.
| That is their man Of character. who went
| to his wiie's chamber to ket q key to get
more whi-key to pour into thisman, already
drunk. That is his character. That is the
picture he paints OF himself.
The Commonwcalth's Attorney said that
! it struck him as one Of the most remarkable
things he had ever known in the history Of
criminal trials that testimony should have
been introduced as to Steele and not a word
said on the subject about Wren, whose
! liberty is alone involved here.
Mr.. Cabell called upon the Court to stop
the Commemorative Attorney IN his line OF
argument.
The Judge: I think it is perfectly legiti-
mate.
Mr.. Cabell: We except.
The Judge: Stop, Mr.. Wise, and let them
draw up their bill of exceptions.
Then the Common wcalth's Attorney went
on and made the most out Of the fact that
| defence had not attempted to prove good
| character for John Wren.
| Then he went on TO speak OF Toney Le-
teIe's flight, and TO dwell upon the fact that
though there were seven or eight other per-
sons in that faro bank when Law was there,
not one was brought hcre TO contradict Law.
| That work is left to Steclc-himSef charged
with crime. Any of these seven or eight
might have been brought here to testify and
could not have been prosecuted for gam
| bling. Nobody is brought here but one
whose own liberty depends upon the amount
of swearing he can do.
| But even Steele couldn't explain how it
| was that he and Wren were whispering to-
gcthcr las Johnston saId) in corner Of the
bar the night Law was robbed. and Law
was not to he seen. They could have got
ten clear Of Law il they wanted by turning
! him over to the police, who were right at
hand, but they didn't do it. Jack Wren
got matches from Policeman Brooks, and
| Brooks asked HIM who the stranger was,
and Jack Wren told a lie; he said that it
was "StceIe's friend from the country"
Why lid he tell that licy why didn't he
deliver Law over TO Brooks if they wished
TO be rid Of him? Why WAS Zeelle about?
The commemorative Attorney, referring
to ZcteIlc, said that he had
"Gouc where the woodblnc twlneth,"
and that it was like "ratS leaving sinking
ship.' [Laughter.]
Mr.. Meredith. OF counsel FOR defence, in.
sisted that the Court should stop thcSe de-
m0nstrations; that, he said, was the third.
The Judge and Sergeant Lee said they most
! assurculy would. and the crowd was SOL
! EMMY warned not to make any demonstra-
! tions Soever.
The Commonwcalth's Attorney next dis
cussed the evidence in regard to wren ana
Steele locking Law up. They never did
put him out Of the front door. 'hey put
! him out OF the back way, and themselves
went out OF the front door (Alr. James saw
them, and walked down towards Thirteenth
street to see which way their victim was
going.
Dir. Law swears positively and emphati-
calv to the robbery-to the fact that wren
nut his hand in his breast pocket.
You can account for all this dark dodg-
ing: for all this shuffling out Of back.ways;
ali that lying about the stranger being
:. Stcele's friend from the cnuntry"; all
that about Steele not seeing Johnston-by
the fact that Wren had robbcd Law. That
was the motive. -s.', -"-~.~..''--.-.s .-
The statute provides that larceny from
the person or more than So is punishable
with Imprisonment from five to ten years.
It is enough that Wren took more than So.
1t makes no matter whether it was $50 or
! $40.
e. C. CabclE, Esq.
Mr.. Cabell. in opening, stated that coun-
sci for defence had offered to submit the case
without argument, but that the Common
wealth's Attorney would not consent. awe
know that you want evidence, and not VI
tuperation-fa and not the snickcrs and
sneers of the rabble who are bounding this
man "-said he.
The commemorative Attorney relies
greatly upon the fact that Law promptly
identified Wren; but Mr.. Cabell would call
attention to the way the Commonwealth had
treated this witness. They have kept him
under the guardianship Of Mr.. James ever
since he has been here. We think that he
is an impo>tor, liar, and tramp; but what
does the Commonwealth think OF him that
they have kept him in custody?
lie is doubted by the very people who
brought him here. After James'S two visits
to Washington, and after James's constant
custody Of Law. is it any great wonder that
Law identified Wren? Yes, the evidence Of
Law is contirmed-by whom? BY Steele !:
bv The man who Law says he believes had
nothing TO do aoith The robbery. How can
Cney SNOW WHY d tual lihc icleelc wv uo
stands to-day the peer Of any man in this
community would deny that Johnston was
in his bar and not hesitate to admit-what
was more damaging-that he had been to a
Solitude ball? He either didn't see john
ston or don't remember him.
Mr.. Cabell denied that Wren and Steele
dodged' the police, as tue Common
weath's Attorney said. On the contrary,
Wren went out into the street and asked
Brooks for matches to light up the bar.
And why didn't they put General Law
in the bands Of the police? Would that
have been an act OF kindness? Would any
reasonable man have done it, especially in
a case like this, where the man had spent
money in this very bar?
As to the absence of Mr.. Toney ZeteIc,
said Mr.. Cabell: Toney didn't want 10 be
prosecuted for gambling. But Mr.. Wise
said he wouldn't have been. Toney knows
better. He has been through the mill. He
testified in one case here, aud the conse-
ouence was he was indicted. 1t is true
that lie employed counsel and filed special
plea. and was discharged. But it cost him
trouble and money. Toney doesn't want
to get into trouble again.
| Mr.. Cabell asserted that never before had
counsel been allowed to prejudice prison.
er's cause because he bad not thought pro-
per to summons witnesses as to character
He did not regard it as fair or proper.
"Law is candid man to some extent"
said Nh. Cabell. He admits his great sins,
but denies his small ones. Defence have
proved that he got here drunk.