Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-14

from visit to jacksonville, Fla.
The City Council meets at s o'clock
tonight.
THE CASE DISMISSED.
Thomas johnson Not Guilty or Selling
Liquor ON Sunday.
Thomas E. Johnson, who keeps q
bar-room and grocery.store at 9Ol
Byrd street, was before the Police
Court yesterday morning on the charge
of keeping his bar-room open on San
day last. Charles Rosser, who lives
at 900 Byrd street, was before the
court on Monday last, charged with
assaulting and beating his wife. After
his case was disposed Of Justice Rich
ardson swore Rosser, and asked him
where he got the liquor with which he
got drunk on Sunday. Hereplied that he
sent out by an old German who lived
in the basement of the same house 10
which he lived and got the whiskey.
Justice Richardson placed the case in
the hands Of Policeman q. II. Talley,
with instructions to work it up aud find
out where the liquor was bought. Mr..
Talley went over in the neighborhood
and investigated the matter, the result
of which was his reporting johnson for
keeping his place open on Sunday.
Justice Richardson ISSUED summons
for johnson, returnable on Tuesday
last, which was continued until yester-
day on motion Of the defendant. When
the case came up yesterday the first
witness called was lgnatz Brckherson,
who lives in the basement Of the house
occupied by Mr.. Rosser. He testified
that on Sunday last Mr.. Rosser gave
him ten cents and asked him to get him
(Rosser) q drink /; that he carried Rosser
q half pint Of whiskey out Of bottle
which he had had for six months; that
he did not buy it on Sunday.
Mary Thompson, a colored woman
who lives near where johnson keeps,
said that she wens to his place Sunday
morning between 8 and 0 o'clock and
bought half pint Of gin; that she went
there again in the afternoon, IN company
with Della Gordon, and got ten cents
worth of gin for her husband.
Della Gordon, the next witness, said
that she was in the habit Of dealing at
Johnson's; that she was out Of oil, aud,
having forgotten to get any on Satur-
day, went to Johuson's Sunday after
noon and got two cents worth Of oil
and an apple. Mary Thompson went
with her, out she Della did not see
any liquor sold. The bar was closed,
and she did not see any one 60 in there.
She saw q white man in the store and a
colored one coming in.
The colorcd man Thompson testified
that he did not 60 to Johnson's place
last Sunday, and had never been there
on Sunday that Sunday evening his
wife brought him bottle, in which she
said thero was half-pint of gin, but
that he did not drink any Of it. He did
not know where his wife got the gin
from.
Charles Rosser, who had been
brought up from Jail, said that last SUM-
day he went down into BrickheIso
room that he gave Brickherson ten
cents toget him something to drink, aud
that be waited in Brickherson's room
until Brickherson went out with an
empty bottle and brought it back con.
tanning half-pint of liquor. He did
not know where the liquor came from.
Mr.. Archer, q fagman for the Peters
burg Railroad Company, whose posts of
duty are where the railroad crosses
Eighth and Ninth streets, and between
these points, said that he had tried on q
former occasion-about two months
ago-to get a drink from Johnson on
Sunday and that he had refused, saying
that he would not sell anything on
Sunday for $50. He first said that be
was not in Johnson's place last Sunday,
but finally, upon reflection, stated that
he did 60 in there and get q piece Of
tobacco, but the bar was closed, and he
did not see any liquor sold nor any one
else in the store. He entered at the
side.door and went into the grocery,
not into the bar. lie also said that he
went to Mrs. Gilliam's (905 Byrd
street, and got glass Of ginger-ale or
something Of the kind; that she told
him he could get some liquor by going
to Johnson's. The defence was trying
to prove that Mrs. Gillian was hostile
to johnson and that through her in
fuence this case had been gotten up.l
Mr. Woodward. of Woodward
& Son, and Mr.. Augustine, Of
Augustine l. Howard, testified as to
the good character of the defendant,
and the orderly manner in which his
place is kept. The former said that
Johnson kept q more orderly house
than any ofhis predecessors for num-
Der Of years past had done.
Nellie Mathews said she went to
Johnson's about II o'clock Sunday
and got q pound of sugar and two
lemons. She had tried to get whiskey
there on Sunday, but had never been
able to do so. Mrs. Gillian had Of
fered to pay for the liquor If she would
20 to Johnson's and get it.
James Lyon said he was in Johnson's
grocery.stors last Sunday. but did not
see any liquor sold. The bar was
closed. He was feeling unwell aud
tried to get a drink, but Mr.. johnson
wonld not either sell or give it to him.
Aleck Thompson was in the store
Sunday afternoon about 6 o'clock, and
saw the two colored women in there,
but did not see anything sold to them.
The bar was closed.
Mrs. Gillian was sent for, and in a
short while came down. She did no.
know whether the bar-room was open
or not. She saw the shutters to the
back blinds turned, but did not see any
one in the bar-room.
johnson was discharged.