The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-08
SENT TO THE GRANDJU JURY
PRELIMINARY ELIMINATION OF Mr.
y. BUFORD GRIMES.

At noon Yesterday n special session OF inc
Police Court was held TO examine the charges
made against T. Buford Grymes for misuslng
and misappropriatlng public moneys. There
were five different warrants issued against Mr..
Grymes for disappointing the following
amounts: s23s5 paid by Thalhimer Brothers;
s6.l5 paid by G.. i. Schaefier' t2l paid by the
Watkins Hardware Company; sl32O psid oy
j. L.. Levy. The fifth warrant was issued lor
the whole amount involved.
Owing 10 some technical error the warrants
had TO be rewritten and served on Mr.. Grymes
while in court. and in the meantime counsel
Tor the accused held a conference III the prl-
waite Office of Judge Crutchheld.
The courtroom was crowded TO IT'S utmost
osnacitv. a large number of Richmonds bust
ness men. city officials, and friends OF the
accused being present.
AZ 1880 o'clock Mr.. Grymes entered the
courtroom with his two brothers, Messrs.
Peyton and Robert p. Grymes. and his
brother-in-law, Mr. +. b. Thaw. He took seat
nj the bar behind his counsel, Hon. George ID;
Wise. Major Charles S. SIingfelow, Colonel
MI. Spotswood and Captain A. b. GWgon.
The first case called WAS the one charging
Mr.. Grymes with incorporating SZ5;So,
the amount paid by Thalbimer Bros. TOT the
use of gas during last month III theH s'ore Oh
east Broad street
FIRST WITNESS.
Mr.. Tbalhimer was the first witness called,
INT he only stated that he had his gas bill paid
on February oath by one Of his employees, ~
Warrener.
The latter testified that he was employed Mt
Thalhimer Brothers. On February, 2.th ne
went 70 the City Hall to pay the gas bill. as he
usually did for the concern. He had three
Gao hins i'm all. one S23.s5 for the store on
east Broad street. one for 1896, for the resi-
dence of Mr.. Moses Ihalhimer, 7O2 east Leigh
street. and one for $3.50, for the residence OF
MFR Isaac Thalhimer, 400 east Clay street,
amounting in all to $3.50 On cross-examlnaI,
tion he stated that he went TO the City Hall
between IL in the morning and IN the after
noon. Mr. Grymes waited on HIM ana re-
ceipted his bills, for which he handed nm me
exact amount. On the back of one OF the Dllis
Mr.. Grymes added up the total amount as
given. There was another clerk in the Office
at the time, but be was kept busy waiting on
another citizen.
TREASURER CHILDBEY.
CITY Treasurer John X Childrey was the next
witness. When he entered the stand 1t ap-
peared that his books were not IN court ana a
recess was taken for ten minutes TO enable
Mr. Childrey TO procure the BOOKS; Aiter
some DELAY the proceedings were taken up,
and Mr.. Childrey gave his testimony as FOL
lows; Am City Treasurer and know Mt.
Grymes who is a clerk in the Treasures
office. employed by the City Council.
Knew that Mr. Grymes had to qualify as a city
official. but could not say very positively
whether he did so or not. When citizen
enters the Office to pay q bill. it is received ley
one of the clerks and entered on tlYe gas book.
II Is then receipted and held until II Is pad,
when il is returned TO the caller. The plan
has been adopted III order that the clerks
might be certain to enter every bill presented
on the book.
COULD NOT FIND IT.
The bill of Mr.. Thalhimer for 1886 was
shown to the witness, who, when asked II the
bill had been entered on the book, stated that
he had looked for II, but failed TO md II.
Another search for II in court did not lead To-
any better result. Witness added that the Dlll
should have been listed the same day, and ne
went on to describe the way in which the bills
are entered. 500,
While looking for the entry Of the bill in
question he noticed that the other two bills,
presented AZ the same time, had been entered,
seemingly by Mr.. Grymes. When asked about
the check marks on the Auditors book, MIR.
Chldrey stated that the blue check-marks were
made by the Auditor or his clerk to note that
they had been entered as paid IN the lreasu,
urer's book The only explanation he could
give if bill had been checked on on the
Auditors book and not entered on the 1reasu-
rers book, was that something was wrong.
FIRST INTIMATIoN.
The first intimatiOn of the discrepancy
caused by the Thalhimer bill he received on
March 4th, when he reached his Office early IN
the morning. If it had been merely an oms-
sion. the amount should have been over that
evening in the cash drawer but this was not
the case; however, he thought that there had
been on that day. February oath, a surplus of
some five dollars. AS soon a. he received the
first information he went TO MIR. Grymes and
asked him to take his books 10 the Auditor 5
Office where he was told TO look up the Thai
htDnar hill hnt could find II the Treas
urer's book, while he could find 1t on the
Auditors book; as to the figures on the latter
behind the Thalhimer bill, he admitted that
they appeared in his own handwriting When
this discovery was made, MIR. Grymes offered
10 give the Auditor an order on his salary toi
the amount involN ed, but the offer was de-
clined. Witness then left the Auditors Office
and while in the hall Mr.. Grymes asked wit
ness what 10 do, as he was in hole, for un.
fortunately for him he had checked III the
Auditors Office before Witness then advised
him TO lay the whole matter before Mayo
Ellyson.
DUTY OF THE CLERKS.
On cross-examination Mr.. Childrey stated
that he had three clerks in his Office employed
by himself, while Mr.. Grymes was employed
by the city. He was unable TO say who was
in the office when the Thalhimer bill was
presented. 1t was the duty of all the clerks
to be there during office hours, but they were
In and out on business all the time. Witness
described again the manner in which bills are
paid and heamount counted upevery evening.
A settlement had been made on the dav in
question at y. NJ. but he could not say
whether he WAS present at that time If Mr..
Grymesdid not make the settlement on that day
he certainly accepted il. As far as witness
knew. the Auditors book should contain all
the bills paid. If the Treasurers and the
Auditors books were kept properly. an entry
omitted on the Treasurer's book should be
immediately discovered in looking over the
Auditors book, but it was the Auditors
place TO find ont such an omis-
sion, for his office was intended
to be a check on the Treasurer's depart
ment. In proper comparison Of the two
books an existing discrepancy should have
been discovered unless there had been col
fusion. There are four persons besides Mr.
Grymes who made entries in the Treasurer
book and on February oath such entries were
made by witness. Mr.. Grymes and Mr.. II. r.
Reynolds. Jr. The person who makes the
entry usually also receives the money. but in
some rare instances the money is received by
another person. There were four per.
sons besides Mr.. Gryiues in the Office who
had access 10 the money drawer IL he
omitted 10 put down a bill on the book. but
put all the money received in the drawer
it might still have been possible that some
one else had taken out money without his
knowledge. Young Mr.. REYNOLDS. who also
worked in the office was not a clerk of the
office, nor was he there as an employe of the
city, but he had access 10 the money drawer
AA ha1 4 l. ~