Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-12
Smith, the GoId-Brick Man.

There is growing regret, not to say In
dignation. at the failure of justice in the
case of Smith alias Parker, 1.-THE gold
brick man"
Smith belongs to a gang Of confidence
men," who operate in all parts OF this
country and who have the reputation
of being able to defy the demands Of
Justice by reason of their cunning and
the money that they are able 10 COM
mand to save from conviction any one
Of their number who may happen to be
sntangled In the meshes OF the law. Tales,
not lacking in probability, are
old of how they have bribe6 jurors.
Judges, sheriffs and other officers of
Justice in other States, and the predic-
ion was freely made in this city in
The early stages OF this case that Smith
would never be convicted here. However
we must say that we do not believe that
any Virginia officer has been influenced
by improper considerations in the Smith
ease.
lie was tried i'm the County Court OF
Henrico, and though every member OF
the Jury was for conviction they could
not agree as to the term Of imprison-
ment. and, after being held together for
an unusual time by Judge Wickham. they
were discharged. When the case came
up for trial at the next term Mr.. With
ers, of Gloucester county whom
Smith and his confederate fieeced out
Of 5000, was reported Ill., Judge Wick
ham, before whom the case was tried,
and who is thoroughly conversant with
the history of the gang, was never APP
piled to to grant Smith bail; but other
judges were appealed to in vain Judge
Mullen of Petersburg. was one or these.
When, at last, Smith was taken before
Judge Isaac III. Christian. judge or the
County courts OF Charles City and New
Kent. the representatives Of the Common
wealth-the Commonwealth attorneys
OF Henrico and Richmond. both-opposed
the granting OF oail upon the ground
that they had always opposed it-viz';
that IL would not secure the presence of
the prisoner for trial-and they also In
sisted that Judge Mullen, having re-
fused to allow Smith bail, bail could only
be allowed hun by appealing to the
Supreme Court OF Appeals OF Virginia.
Judge Christian rejected this view; but
II this is not the law. II is what the law
psght to be.
Popular respect for the law has re-
eeived a great shock in this gold-bric,
case. The spectacle OF the prisoner and
y crowd OF witnesses being hauled around
from judge TO judge at the expense OF
the Commonwealth was most disagree.
able.
Judge Barham. OF GreenesviTle county,
thought that Smith was entitled to ball
but he fixed the sum at $1,000 Judge
Christian fixed II at S7,00o--which Is not
very much more than the State Of vir-
ginia, the city Of Richmond. and the
county OF Henrico have spent. first and
last. In endeavoring to secure Smiths
conviction.
No criminal case that has occurred In
Virginia for a long time has attracted
more public attention than this gold.
orick CASE; none has more Thoroughly con.
WINGED our people OF the painfully press
ing need OF revising our criminal
laws. II the Legislature falls TO taks
action to cure the evil here complained
OF, We may expect that the precedeni
set IN the smith case viii be generally
followed hereafter: and. II so. II win be
very difbcalt TO convict criminals who
have pals able and willing TO put W
.'big money for bail