Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-25
BAIL FOR DASHIELL.
THE JUSTICE HEARS EVIDENCE AND
AccEPTSAS5,oo 900 BOND.
The Young Real Estate Agent Arrested on
Warrants Charging Him with Forging
j. L. Ludwig's Name.

S3O0-was great surprise. and created
quite stir in business circles.
1t was about Ia o'clock when Sergeant
Alexander Tomlinson walked into the Of
fee of this firm and informed the senior
member that the Chief of Police desired
to speak with him, and the two walked
over to Major Poe's office together. The
latter gentleman stated to Mr.. Dashiell
that upon the application of Mr.. Ludwig
papers had been issued by Justice w. 7.
Jones for his apprehension, and that he
would have TO consider himself under ar
rest.
Mr. Dashiell asked that he be given a
hearing on motion for bail. and the Po-
lice Justice was sent for. The prisoner
was advised to obtain counsel, and, escort
ed by Sergeant Tomlinson, he visited Cap
tain Sol. Cutchins at his office. Here
conference between Mr.. Dashiell and his
counsel was held and arrangements were
made by which the defence was represent
ed by Captain Cutchins.
1t was asked that q motion for bail be
heard, and at O'Clock yesterday afternoon
the rooms OF the Chief of Police were filed
with persons anxious to hear the testimony
that would be brought out. Among those
present were Messrs. John Price. w. b.
Lightioot, John Lightfoot, j. X. V. Daniel,
DR.. Oppenhimer, j. Preston Carson, DIR.
g. w. Z. Brock. John Fisher, n. w. Nelson.
and Lewis L. Bossieux.
Police-Justice Crutchfield conducted the
examination, which lasted two hours and
was interesting in the extreme.
THE EXAMINATION BEGINS.
The prisoner did not appear very per-
turbed and large circle of friends sur
rounded him.
The first witness placed upon the stand
was the accuser, Mr.. Ludwig. who arrived
in Richmond yesterday morning from
Washington. The papers claimed TO have
been forgeries were produced, also one
draft of the amount of $500. another OF
$3.50. and another note for 81, 500, all bear
ing the name of J. l.. Ludwig.
Mr.. Ludwig testified that the first inti-
nation he had of the existence of the two
notes claimed 10y him TO have been forged
by Dashiell was only short while back.
and that he first saw the papers yesterday
morning after his arrival i'll Richmond.
He said that Mr.. Leroy Brown and himself
had come down together from Washing
ton and that he went TO the bank where
the notes were and went thence in COM
pany with Mr.. Brown to the Office Of the
Chief of Police.
At this point counsel for the defence
asked of the witness what were the rela-
tions between the prisoner and Mr.. Brown,
but the question was ruled out and Mr..
Ludwig was permitted to proceed with his
statement.
had CONFIDENCE IN DAsHIELL.
"Dashiell was appointed by my brother
and myself AS administrator Of the estate
OF Willie Ludwig. He has always had my
implicit confidence" the witness con-
tinued.
In reply TO query from the defendants
counsel the witness said he had received
money from Dashiell to the amount of
about s. 300. some of which he had re-
ceived by checks and the other by drafts
drawn by him upon Dasniell. He did not
know whether the prisoner had ever re-
ceived anything from the estate or not.
Witness was shown the notes and drafts,
and at once stated that three were signed
by him and two were not. These papers
bear the amounts of $500. $3.50, $500,
$500. and 1000.
The notes purported to be forged bear
the dates Of July 3, 1891, and July 10. 1891.
The witness was asked if he had not given
certain signed notes in blank to MIR.
Dashiell to which he replied in the mega
tive.
THAT POWER OF ATTORNEY.
"Do yor remember ever to have given
or sent Mr.. Dasniell u power of attorney,
Mr.. Ludwig :" asked Captain Cutchlns.
Il do not, sir" replied the witness.
Here Mr.. Cutchins produced a letter,
which he handed to the witness and asked
that he read it aloud. Ii read as follows
Dear Willie Enclosed please find pa
per of power of attorney properly signed
! &C., which has been forwarded to me by
Addie. Please notify me as soon as mat
| ters are all right.
(Sipned.) u. l.. LUDWIG"
Counsel for the defendant asked if the
witness now remembered that he had giyer
| Mr. Dashlell a power OF attorney, ana Mr.
| Ludwig replied that he recalled the fac
| that he had done so.
| Mr.. Ludwig testified that at the time the
| notes in question were dated he was not II
| Richmond; that he was in Pittsburg, Pa.
| and that he had not been here since til
| yesterday.
| LOOKING AT THE SIGNATURES.
| Mr.. Bernard Peyton, Jr.. cashier OF tn,
| Merchants and Planters Bank, was PLACED
| upon the stand and handed the five piece
| of paper with the request that no stat
| whether or not he believed they were al
| signed by the same person.
| Alter q careful examination Mr. Peytor
| SAID that he thought the same man signed
| them all.
Mr. J. W. Sinten, after looking over tn
| notes and drafts. said, referring to the tw,
| which were claimed to have been forged
that they were certainly clever limitations
if limitations they were.
"I'll give il up" said Mr. W. IL. Robins
| after he had placed the magnifying glas
over the signature at the bottom of eaci
paper. There Is "A certain stiffness abOu
this" said he, in referring 10 the sigma
lures attached to the two supposed bogu
notes. that does not appear in the othe
writing, though that can be accounted 10
by the difference in pens or the surfac
| upon which one is writing. L would nav
passed those notes had they come 10 N
while in the bank. though had my atten
tion been called to it would have mad
| an investigation"
Mr.. Henry Boudar was shown the drafts
notes, and letter, and after considera
bic scrutiny said: Il think the tw'
drafts. The note for $780, and the lette
were signed by different person than Tn
one who signed the other two notes. Ihe
are not signed in so free manner q
the others. and it is probable were no
written by the same person. though az
not prepared TO assert such."
SUITED THE DEFENCE.
| Mr.. J. ID. Craig, who is recognized as
banking expert, especially as regards tn
detection OF irregularity in signatures, wa
placed on the stand and the papers wer
passed to him for inspection and criticism
He said il was his opinion that the wv
81 800 notes were written by the same IL
dividual and that it was possible that IN
others were signed by another.
The defence claim that the two note
for 81 800 each were signed by Ludwig.
the same time, and that one was lett wit
Dashiell to be filed out by HIM when tn
time should come that he should requir
the paper. The $500 note, the defence al
serts. was to take up the $3.50 draft, an
was forwarded to Pittsburg for MIR. Lut
wig to sign, which he did. and returned
to Mr.. Dashiell.
Mr.. Peyton was recalled to the witness
stand and asked what he rememoere
about the Il, 500 note bearing the date {
July 15, 1891. and the reply was that IT ma
been given as renewal OF the orlSin'
note of the same amount.
ALL LOOKED ALIKE. >,
Mr.. Samuel G.. Wallace was the last VII
ness sworn. He testified that he could az
tect very little difference IN the writing
that all the signatures bore enough SIM
larity to pass his eye.
The Commonwealth Attorney submit
ted the case and Mr.. Cutchins, after col
ference with friends of his client. aske
the Justice if it could not be dismisse
where it was.
His Honor roplod that hs was prepare
| - hail tha lcc ho NV willing 4