The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-30
A. ]. WARD GIVEN A HEARING
On the Charge of Stealing Fur
niture
To the Amount of S2so-Be Said That tho
Goods We're Left In His Possession and
Shipped by His Father Without His
acknowledgement to the Grand Jury
$500,

$500.
TO appreciate a mans feelings who is
in trouble, torn from tho bosom of his
family and brought before the bar CT
criminal justice in distant city, one
must look in that mans face.
A. j. Ward sat in Judge Williams
court yesterday evening undergoing q
preliminary examination on the charge
of stealing" and carrying away $3.50
worth OF furniture not his own property.
Ward is not a bad looking man. lie
is tall, slightly bald, with dark whiskers
and mustache. His face was tanned by
exposure to sun and storm. His hands
were hard from years Of toll. He looked
like man who thought much of his
family and his mind was with them con-
stantly.
Ward came to Roanoke last Novem Der
and lived with his family in the South
eastern part Of the city. Some time in
January he rented the up stairs of his
house to G. l.. Mays, fireman on the
Norfolk and Western.
Mays was to pay S11.50 month. He
paid two months rent, and meeting with
an accident got behind and was owing
WV hiOHCbo iCli1 4hbJ IL MuS tuCil
that Mrs. Mays went to Lynchburg and
temporarily suspended housekeeping.
The furniture was packed in q room
rented from Ward for Sl.50 month and
possession of the other rooms given up.
The next day Ward went to Norfolk,
leaving his family and aged father be-
hind.
A few days later Ward secured en-
ployment in Norfolk, and wrote back to
his family to move the household goods
to that place, and to join him there.
Old man Mays shipped all the furniture
and few days later May was in Roam
Norfolk and went there and had him
arrested lie was tried before police
justice and dismissed Chief Morris
in the meantime had secured warrant
which was originally sworn out in this
city by Ward and as soon as he was re-
leased, at once arrested him and brought
him to Roanoke.
Ward had secured the services of Mr..
Bayard, bright young lawyer of Nor
folk, who stuck to his client all the way
to this place. Roy Il. Smith acted in
his capacity as commemorative at
torney, and prosecuted his case with his
usual energy.
Mrs. Mays was the first witness. Her
a
articles OF furniture named in the war
rant. They had been using them four
years, butwere still good as new. Every
thing was estimated at just what it cost.
Mr.. Mays corroboratod ali his wife had
said.
Mr.. Ward was examined last He
told straightforward story, saying that
his father had shipped all the goods to
Norfolk without his knowledge. 1t was
not his intention to hold, carry the
goods away or to commit any breach of
the law.
AT the conclusion of the testimony,
Mr.. Smith summed up the evidence and
asked that Ward be sent on to the grand
jury.
Mr.. Bayard replied and made good
defense for his client. He maintained
that the goods were placed in the Gus
tody of Ward; that giving up his resi-
dence here he had right to maintain
possession Of them, or run the risk of
having to pay for them should they be
destroyed.
Judge Williams in rendering his de-
cision said he fully appreciated Wards
position. lie had no right to carry the
goods out of the jurisdiction of this
court. lie left his father as his agent,
he being absent from the country, his
son was OF course responsible.
and he was bound to send him on to tho
grand jury. Bail was fixed at $500, which
was finally given and Ward released.
The goods have been ordered to be
shipped back to this city, and are ex-
pected i'll day or two. Public sympathy
was with Ward, and much surprise was
manifested that he was sent on at all.