Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-17
GOES TO THE GRAND JoRY.
WHAT JUDGE cxunp CLAIMS.

Exnninasen IN the Case sr W. u. smith
Waived-Jndge Atkins Overruies = Nissssn
for spetdy rriai.
Yesterday morning the case Of Mr.. VII.
liam X. Smith, continued on a charge OF
emoezzling money, the property OF the
State, was called In the Police Court. Mr..
Smith had two charges against him, one Of
which had been continued. in which be
had been baiIed for bis appearance yes
terday, and In which he was charged
with embezzling an amount Of money
paid him by Mr.. Valentine, clerk
OF the Circuit Court Of Oaroline
county, and another charging him with en-
bezzllng sll1.53, the property Of the State,
in money paid TO him by Mr.. Alex. M.
Brownell, weigbmaster Of the States cat
tle-scales In this city. Upon this last
charge Mr.. Smith had been arrested and
taken TO Jail, there TO await examination.
Yesterday morning when the case was
called, Judge Crump, OF counsel for Mr..
smith, arose. and holding in one lland .
piece OF manuscript, repeated what had
been written, rs follows:
- The accused has determined to wuiye
examination in this court In both casel.
He desires TO go at once 10 4 Jury which
has the power to pass finally upon the case,
against him. To that end be will apply 10
the Hastings Court to-day TO empanel
grand jury Immediately and give the nc
cused trial In few days upon the charges
pending here. The power OF this court
Is so restricted by law that no such full and
0nal trial IL possible in comparison with the
tI1al by Jury. We do not ask for BAIL because
II II was granted the accused might be ar
rested upon some other charge growing
out OF the confusion OF the papers In his
Office. which he has been laboriously en-.
gagged in arranging since the last calling
OF the case here. He has found already
among those papers eighty-nine checks.
amounting I'm gross to fifteen or twenty
thousand dollars, uncolected. which are
now In the hands Of the Auditor, and he
Is satisfied there are still many more
among the papers. He has not had
time TO investigate the allowances and
other claims to which the clerks and
others are liable as credits upon the ap-
parent Indebtedness 10 the Common.
wealth. because he has been chiefly em-
ployed In getting together the checks. so
that they may be collected. In a short time
counts which have accumulated in his office
in consequence Of the multiarious charac-
ter OF his duties and OF his frequent and
severe physical suffering. So far as the
Valentine case Is concerned, we are ready
now TO account for every dollar except
four dollars, aud these the accused II now
proceeding to trace ont. As TO the Brownell
case, we are ready for final trial, and shall
take the speediest method to obtain il. and
TO explain satisfactorily TO jury the seem
ing deficiency upon which the charges here
made rest"
Justice ID. c. Richardson certified the
cases 10 the Hastings Court, and Mr.. smith,
without having asked bail, was remanded
10 the custody OF the law TO await the action
OF Judge Atkins, Of the Hastings Court.
Judge Crump appeared before Judge
Atkins and urged the necessity OF speedy
trial, and moved TO empaneI 4 special grand
jury TO hear the case.
Judge Atkins stated that IL was impOssi-
ble TO 90 into the ease at this term, a. his
docket was oyerrun with business. which
would occupy the whole term, and over.
ruled the motion.
Mr. Smith has been busilv engaged for
the past several days in looking over his
papers, and has turned over to the
Auditor about $4,000 in checks, also a
small amount In post-oflice money-orders
and about 81 in currency. Some OF the
checks date back to 1878. The Auditor
has tabulaled statement OF these checks,
when drawn. upon whom. and everything
necessary to explain their nature; but he.
for prudential motives, declines TO make
the list public.