The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-08

upOn Mr. Grymes remarked that ne was cnn-
pioyed by the City Council and that his
bondsmen were responsible for MS acl'
Mr.. SKELETONS DISCOVERY.
Mr.. Joseph NJ Shelton was next called 70
the stand. He stated that he was OIL cisrk III
tbo Auditor,s office and described his duties
in regard 10 the making out OF the bills. me
regular bills are entered on the gas oooK Oh
the Auditors office and the bills are thsh
turned over in bulk 20 the Gas Inspector VINO
hands them 10 the consumers Inc DIS ar
divided into three districts, Fourteenth ana
Fourth streets forming the dividing lines.
The paid bills are daily checked on IN me
Auditors Office from the Ireasurers Do0k Dy
the Auditor. while one OF the latter CleIhS
enters the amount paid on the book. bll NO;
| o4G for Thalhimer Brothers. for the amount OF
| @2s IS. snould not have been checked on on
| The Auditors book if IT had not been en-
tered on the Treasures book. ana II
that had been observed 1t would zen
DAYS later have gone IN the lst OF ue-
| linouents and on reaching Mr.. 1halhmer
a second time the facts would have come ont.
In claucinr over the bills checked on Tor
| Februarv 9th. he discovered that the figures
| opposite Mr. ThalhmeT's bill had been maze
| In different handwriting from the rest ana
| he thought that they had been written by Mt.
! (irvmes AT the time of his discovery witness
| made a memorandum of it. and later in the
day looked over the Treasurers book Dut
| failed TO find the entry. He then sent Tor
! Gas Inspector Knowles and asked him 20 get
| the original receipts from Mr.. 1hahlmer;
/ which he did. A day or two later he noticed
that Mr.. Grymes had assisted the AUDITOR on
! February 25th in checking of his books.
Auditor Turpn stated that the matter mad
| been brought 10 his attention by Mr. shelton,
/ who told him that he had discovered "a DIS
crepancy on the Treasurers book. Dir; WI
lans. clerk in his Office, had assisted nm
| in checking of the book on February am
| and the figures opposite the Thalhimer blll
entered that day. looked 20 him rs If written
/ by Mr. Grymes, who. however, dld not ASSIST
in the checking of that day.
! Mr. H. A. Williams, clerk IN the Auditors
! office, stated that he checked on the Oook on
! February oath. and that the figures opposite
| Mr. Thalhimcr's bill looked TO HIM as maze
| bv Mr. Grvmes, but no one besides himself
was allowed 10 make any entry on that DOCK
| without the consent of the Auditor. go
/ Mr. W. f. Knowles, gas inspector, testlned
! in regard 10 the taking out Of the gas bills and
| the course pursued when they are not paid IN
| the time allowed by the city ordinance.
MAYOR ELLYsoN's TESTIMONY.
MAYOR Fllyson was the last witness intro.
! duced bv the Commonwealth. He reiterated
! the conversation which he had on March Attn
with Mr. Grymes in his Office, and which was
| published IN detail in the columns OF IHE
| inns the next morning. Mr.. Ellyson stated
| how he had endeavOred at the time 70 lhduce
| Mr.. Grymes TO make some sort Of an excuse
| for it. Had he done so he would have been
only too glad to be spared of his sad duty to
use his authority in the case.
Witness stated that when lie asked Mr..
! Grvmcs about the amount involved, the latter
| handed him paper containing the amounts
covered 10y the five bills. and admitted that
| the receipts were made out in his handwriting.
also the figures but if had made them, he
! must have done SO in his sleep. for he had no
| recollection of il. Witness had then asked
Mr. Grymes if he had had any money over on
that day but he received no answer TO TINS
question lie then told him that the matter
seemed to be very serious. and he sent Tor inc
| CITY Attorney 10 consult with him on the sub
| iect. After "a short talk with Mr.. Cmldrey.
he asked Judge Cutchfeld over the telephone
to come 20 his office without telling nm tho
object Of his call. He again asked Mt dTymes
10 give some explanation. but receiving no re-
PLY he deemed 1t his duty TO suspend hlm ana
place him under arrest
Under cross examination Mayor Ellyson
stated that when the City Attorney mt III an
appearance he cautioned Mr.. ca, mes that
any statement made by him might be used
against him on trial.
AT the end of Mayor Ellyson's testimony
Commonwealth Attorney Smith stated that
he had sent for Mr.. II. II. Reynolds, Jr. but
that the latter was sick in bed. which was
testified to by a certificate from his physician.
MR. cHILDEEY AGAIN.
Mr.. Childrey was then recalled to make
some statemants in regard 10 the settlement
book which i'm the meantime had been pro
duced in court. When questioned, who made
the settlement on February oath. Mr.. Chill
drey remarked that 1t first looked to him az If
Mr.. Grymes had made the entry, but he
| thought now that II was the handwriting OF
Mr.. Reynolds, Jr. There was a surplus on
that day of S5.44. On discrimination NJ.
| Childrey stated that only two entries in the
! ont h,ol oufo f L -flnr had been
made 10y Mr.. Grymes. While Mr.. Reynolds
might have made the entries on the book,
the final settlements g. him (witnessl. later IN
the evening. were made to him. II some one
else counted Mr. Grymes money the latter
ALWAYS counted II over afterwards. witness
had often asked Mr.. Reynolds TO count up the
money taken in or add up the amounts en-
tered He was employed by Mr.. Grymes,
and both had the fullest confidence ln.the
young man.
When witness made this statement and at
| several other times during the examination,
counsel for the defense earnestly disclamed
any intention OF rejecting upon anyone IN the
| office, and merely desired TO show that from
the large number of persons handling the
cash and making entries upon the books the
chances of mistake were greatly increased.
When witness read ont the settlements for
och day as entered in the book. it az.
peaIed that they contained shortages 10 "A
large extent. which, however every dav had
| been accepted by Mr. GrNmes who never
complained about Mr.. Reynolds. Mr. Childrey
stated that Reynolds had been employed by
| MIR. Grymes but could not tell If he ever paid
| him any money. He admitted that Mr.
Grymes needed help in the office. and that the
| Auditor had two clerks, while the city gave
the Treasurer only one. He explained that
the daily shortages We're carried over to the
end of the month. when witness gave his
check for the amount involved. He stated
that he had never had a surplus az the end Of
the month and added that on account of the
heavy work numerous mistakes did happen.
Everybody made mistakes. and he did so him.
self, in fact he would not have man in his
Office who said that he never made a mistake.
The Commonwealth then rested their case.
THE MOVE OF THE Defense.
Major Stringfellow then arose on behalf of
counsel for the defense and made the follow
ing statement
II your Honor please. your duty in this pre-
limnary stage is that simply Of an examining
court and of course YOU look at the matter in
q different light from what "a jury would IN
coming to final conclusion. rs II Is your posi-
ton merely TO examine and say whether there
is a slight suspicion Of guilt to cause that the
party should be sent on and not 10 pass upon
his guilt. We do not care to take up the time
of the court in an examination. not even so
far as to introduce our own testimony.
So far as We are concerned we are
entirely willing 10 rest the case after it
has been proven that these settlements
aft hoe 10.