The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-01-18
THEGOLD BRICK SWlNDLE
PARKER ALIAS GARDEN. ALIAS
.SyJTH WAVES EXAMINATION.
H.. 4. Sen, on TO the Grand Jury Mr.. win.
.rs' Had Memory saves SIMON SapP''
pe,.cii,e Norris vipdicates Himself

The biggest crowd. possibly, that ever
Witnessed any OF the proceedings IN the
police court OF ;his city gathered there
Yesterday for the purpose OF listening 10
the evidence TO he brough. out during the
examination Of tho parties implicated III
the gold brick swindle. There were Oh
course. the usua! number Of hangers-on
= hut there were also good many we'll
known business men, any number oil mem
bers Of the legal profession and Se'e'"'
wcll-kuown sporting men. The docket u
the day. which was longer than II mas
been for several days. was at mrs. "'5
posed Of and IL was abort NOV - S'O,N
when the case Of the ComnoHW'"'''
Thomas II. Parker. alias T.. " az -
Was called. The accused va" az
led from the pen before inc ID. y, Wv
cot,rt There was some little "ciaE Oh
accoupf Of The absence Of commonwealth
Attorney II. NJ. smith Jr., who was ,heh
engaged i'm a case before the HustinSs
Court. ,, e.
While his arrival was being looked for
DENNY United states Marshal DuesberrE
made his appearance, ara s''Ntl on
Parker warrant issued Dy Hl'eu
states Commissioner Henry Flegcnhimei'
charging Idihti WIN '"'''
United states assayci
FAILED TO mgNrHe HIM.
Finally Mr. Smith appeared. ~ company
with sheriff Russell ot Loudoun county
Who had come here 20 have look at
Parker. who was supposed TO be entangIed
I'm IL tin box swinllc prcpctratcd some
time ago In Loudouu county. However,
sheriff Russell failed TO identity his man.
The case of Parker, alias Garden, was
tlop called He stood charged with I'M
lawfully and fcloniously obtaining by false
prctcnccs from s. ". NttherS me sum
of 5000. with intent 10 defraud him. the
saidoWiihcrs, on the fth day OF Janua-
IS. 1870.
Mr.. Louis .. Wcndcnburg, Parkcrs
counsel at once arose and stated that
thor. had been "A good deal of sensational
writing about this celebrated case, bul
happening 10 be Of a charitable ana kind
disposition. he did not feel like imposing
upou the court the duty of dscharging
his client after listening TO all the test
mouv 10 be offered In the case. and ne
therefore waived examination IN order
that the case might be sent on 20 the
grand mrv. This was done by the Court
aud Parker vas remandcd TO jail. There
was no attempt made Of securing ban
for him.
The following persons were required to
appear as witnesses against Parker be
fore the grand jury on February T.
1886: John r. Norris. John Poe Jr"
Ounce Bennett, 4. W Wthers \. NJ.
'romlinson r.. +. Ragland, c. NJ. John
son. ". -. Schlicf. Andrew Welsh, Rich-
ard HuXter Thomas Fcidner G.. W.
Butlcr. Willie Shopc and --- Coleman
Half dozen OF these witnesses Were
absent at the time. and rules had TO be
issued against them while the others were
recognized for their appearance.
SIMON Caps MKT.
The case of Simon Capps was then call
cd who stood charged with unlawfully
aud feloniously attempting 10 defraud. by
false and fraudulent INTERPRETATIONS,
one \. W. Wlthers out OF $3.50 within
the last thirty days Major John Poe and
A. ". WitheIs were called as witnesses
in the case Caps was also represented
by MIR. l.. .. Wcndeuburg
Major Poe. who took the stand nrst,
when asked by Mr. II. VI. Smith, stated
that he asked Mr.. Withers at the time
OF his calling at the witness office for
what reason he went ID Mr.. Bryan
office In order to secure a loan of NoJ0.
Mr.. Wendenburg objected 30 the question,
and his objection was sustained by the
court Witness then stated that he swore
out the warrant against Simon CIpps
upon information which. as he thought
nj the time, justified him in doing so.
Mr. wlTHrRs HAS A WEAK MEMORY.
Mr. Withers then took the stand He
began by saying that he had made no
accusations against Capps to Major Poe
but had only said that he owed him
money. lie had known Capps for four
or five years. Witness came to Richmond
on January 30 with the fellow Williams
This was on Thursday, and that night
he met Caps at the Davis House. he
thought He had no recollections where
they all went from there, neither could
ne tell where ne lost the 500 Some
ore was with him at the time, but be
could not tell who. lie came 10 Richmond
that day between 10 ana II \. NJ. and
met Caps about 10 o'clock at night,
PROBABLY IN the lobby of the Davis House.
BE was with Williams ard Parker dur
ing that day. This was the day before
the gold-brick deal
At nlght ne was with Capps and Joe
Mclean. Of Norfolk, whom he had also
known for about four or five years lie
had been playing cards with them ON
previous occasions, and ne thought he
played with them that night but had
only a hazy recollection of 10, being drunk
at the time. He borrowed money from
Caps but did not remember the amount.
The next day he went II Mr.. Joseph
Bryans office to borrow money. which
nc iuttHifI 10 pay wv 10 apps
Caps DIaCHAGGrp.
ON The morning after ne lost the money
he met Capps. There was 40 dispute over
the amount which he was told he owed
Caps lie could not tel. whether ne
borrowed the money IN cash or IN chips.
bat be understood that he borrowed the
whole amount in cash.
Mr.. Withers said h.s testimony IN this
ease would naturally be very hazy mas
much as he did not remember anything
about the matter. The money for which
Major Poe sNore out the warrant witness
had borrowed from Caps. and which ne
subsequently lost In game OF faro. lie
did not know where he played the game.
Who dealt the cards, nor who owned
the house In which ne Was. he had no
conversation with Caprs since. he had
not seen him ana did no, know thar
the latter was in town until he saw MIN
in the courtroom.
When questioned 10y Mr.. smith witness
stated repeatedly that he thought he had
told the Court all ne knew in the matter.
and that he had made the same statement
10 Major Poe. He had no suspicion that
he had been sWindled ont of S29n anu
id not think he ever had said SO. This
had been Major Poes suspicion only
This closed the evidence In thc case.
and Caps was at once discharged by
Justice Crutchheld.