The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-06-11


Court. hut there was a good deal Of
surprise expressed that DE got on witt
"a bail bond OF only one hundred dol
lars. and that ON his own rccoen|zancc.
Tho proceedings before judge Hughes Tn
the United State Circuit Court yesterday
were very brief
Parker was brought up from ilcnrico
iau hv Deputy Marshal Peasants. and
Jailer RUSSELL. Mr.. Wcndcunurg, and
Sport Emfry wcre as usual. at the goli-
brick mans side. Mr. William fltgtn-
heimer. who was engaged some weeks
aEo to represent The prisoner ln this
court against the charge made by The
government that hc impcrsouatcd
United States assaEer. submitted the ap-
plicatoin 20 Judge Hughes for ball.
IHF counl's DECISION.
Mr. Flcgonhcimcr made a short speech.
in which he informed the court of sat
urday's transaction. and The fact that
the prisoutr was already under bail. Al-
most Immediately after the lawyer was
through. judge lluches drew pen and ink
10 him, alu .umiu the silence OF the
courtroom. wrote out his decision. sam
uel Emory. the noted sporting man. who
las So closely stood boy Parker through
an his imprisonment. watched anXiOusly
the movement OF the judicial pen. and
the prisoner showed more agitation az
the certainty of his being made free
man than at amy time since his arrest
When the courts decision was read there
was quite stir aud Parker and Emory
Claspel hands for Joy. Judge Hughes de-
cislOn is as follows.
Prank l.. smith is under indictment
here for an offence defined bv the act OF
Congress OF the 18th of April. 1854. maxi
ing 10 "a crime 10 falsely personate an
officer OF the United states in any act
committed in his official capacity There
Is no mlniun hinlt 10 tho penalty. The
law allows the court I'm It's discretion 10
make the sentence. after conviction.
merely nominal n the circumstances OF
the case seem 10 Justify such action. II
r. stated at bar that the accused Is
under Indictment in the County Court of
Heurlco County. Virginia. for an offence
against the state of Virginia not capital.
and that ne has been discharged by
judge OF this state until the time OF
trial on bail in the sum OF seven thOus-
ana dollars. do not deem 10 neces-
sary 20 make the amount of bail in this
court more than nominal and the clerk
may lct The accused 20 az large on his
own resosnizaucc in the sum Of 500"
The form OF hailing The prisoner was
speedily gone through with, and the
now free man departed with his friend
bmery They arc stopping az Ruegcr's
Complicated CAsr.
The history OF the legal proceedings I'm
connection with the gold-hrick case Is
one OF the most compncatcd<.Vcr reported
in the lNchmond newspapers. and just
how much the case cost the state OF
Virginia Is a problem FOR solution. A
woli-known lawyer said yesterday ho did
not th!nk the case hAd cost Che State
less than $3.50 already. and 10 Is possi-
bic that this amount will hc increased
before tho AFFAIR has been finally settled.
SO many features were introduced into
the case that 40 assumed a series of I'M
trlcacics almost equal 20 the tangle of
Wilkie Collins "Mooustono." when
Smith alias Parker alias half a dozen
otfcr coguomens. was arrested ana
brought 90 Richmond. the granger de-
lcctivc. John II. Norris of Springfield.
Ohio, appeared ON the scene a day or
swo after the arrest was known. No
body ever knew exactly what he was up
to. lie claimed 10 be here IN the in
tercsf Of a number OF victims whom
Parker had swindlcd. but he made "a few
indiscrcet remarks. and got arrested as a
suspicious character. Some thought he
was in league with the gang. but he was
finally tried and acquitted. Emory. the
New York sport. wrote note 90 Morris.
and appeared TO he 30 deeply Interested In
Iarkcrs behalf that hc. too. was ar
rested as "a suspicious character but they
couldn't prove anything on him, so he
was discharged. Parker Was given a pre-
limnary hearing before Justice cruich-
held. who sent him on 70 the grand
jury.
PLOTTING FOR BAIL.
Then a vigorous policy was adopted 20
eet bail for the prisoner Two mystcrl-
Gus individuals. whose identity has never
been asccriaincd. approached a prominent
politicinn OF this city, ana showed him
A certified check for $1,000 Offering 10
give u for tho prisoners bail. They told
f.e politician that n he would succeed
An securing bail. they would agree for
linn 10 keep for his services an over the
amount OF bail required The politician
refused 20 have anything TO do with The
case and the mysterious fellows disap-
rcarcd.
soon after that Bob plnkcrton came
down 10 Richmond. and ne was closeted
I'M the private 0flce OF The chief-of-p0lice
for half an hour. I'm tho conference, be-
rldes Major Poe. were Judge Witt. OF the
Court. sport Emory, the faithful
friend OF the prisoner. commonwealth
Attorney II. NJ. Smith. Jr.. and l.. o.
vendenburg, counsel for the gold-hrick
r,an After the conference. Detective
pinkerton blackguarded Detective Norris.
!, hon he called a fakir and a shake
down and spoke In good terms OF
l1mory. -. - -.
A day or two later. dozen or more
victims of the gold-brick swindle arrived |
rom various parts OF the country, and |
Identified Parker as the man who swindied |
,,e,, out of amounts aggrcgaung more |
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