Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-19
THE TRIAL OF TERRY
Charge AGAINST Him Of UtterinS Forged
Court Orders Being Heard.
BURNLEY TAYLOR ON THE STAND.
lie Admits Having written All the
Bogus Drafts, Hut Says us Friend
They Divided the Proceeds.

George i. Terry. the alleged accomplice
OF Burnley Taylor in passing upon the
Auditor Of Public Accounts forged court
orders Tor the support Of lunatics kept in
private homes was placed on trial In
the Hastings Court yesterday.
Although the entire day was given up
10 the case. not more than half the testi-
nony for the Commonwealth was gotten
in and 10 Is doubtful whether verdict
will be reached before tomorrow eve
ming.
monwealth's-Attorney II. NJ. Smith
IS conducting the prosecution. and the
prisoner IS being defended by Messrs.
George =. Haw, Of Hanover, and Her
bert l. Lewis, OF King William. Every
uo.nt I'm the case Is being fought with
,iror. Mr.. Smith confidently expects
conviction. and counsel for the prisoner
seem equally sanguine that their client
VIII be acquitted. They are not taking
ANY chances. however. and are preparing
as they proceed for an appeal, II one shall
become necessary.
The case is peculiar one. and has at
tractcd a good deal OF attention Taylor
uul Terry have been close business and
personal friends. The former. who II
highly connected and well educated, mas
held several responsible oihces' ana was
up to the time of his arrest a member o!
the Republican District Committee; the
latter is plain farmer and lumherman'
hos a limited education, and has never
FIGURED I'm public affairs. Taylors arfts-
created a profound sensation, ana was
followed in "a day or two by warrant
being served ON Terry Six indictments
were fouud against the young Commits
siouer OF the Revenue, but when the tnlr
for trial came IL was agreed thdt M
should plead guilty Oh one, be given Two
wears I'm the pcuitentary ana nave an
tire others dismissel IBIS pToErd'",'''
o,ss carried out. and sentence was de-
fcrred in order that Taylor might be
made a witness against his alleged accom-
riice This was what added speclai IN
terost 70 the trial of Terry
DISCUSS LEGAL QUESTIONS.
CoYrt met az II o'clock yesterday morn
40 hut so much time was consumed ih
ne discussion of legal questions that the
tase ala not get well under way uhlH t'e
afternoon. The defence tried TO have the
pdictment ouashel on technical grounds
WI AN motions In this line were promptly
Verruled.
VERY little trouble was experienced III
,ettiug jury. Tha panel embrace
,iessrs. Walker Wilson, L. i. Crensha"'
+ q. Allen. y. +. Thompson. Benjamin
: Itru II T. Jackson. &. ". Rex, Adam
<rouse. John j. Grimes, John H. MonIa-
cue. j.. G.. G. Bridges. L.. *. Murray.
The following witnesses were called ana
about all OF them were present:
For the Commonwealtn-COlO Morton
uaryc. II. Osulivun. Il. l.. Butler Guy
f.. Elicit. s Is. Chapman 4. NJ. Ioinllh-
son. &. Gibson, OF Richmond city; W. l.
Neal. 4. B. Hl Icstus King. j. G. Cooke
L. d. Robinson, j. l.. MiHoy' OF hlhs
William.
FOR the defonce-John II. Haw. T. T.
Iipscomb. Roger Gregory, Jr-, l.. j. Rob
inson. James Robinson. r. g. CumminS
". II. Neal. Robert S. Iyland, Harvey
Terry. ". 4. G.. Gregory. Edgar NJ Day
,nport. r.. G.. Garrett and H. Y Kidd.
me charge ON which the prisoner is
being tried is that of passing an ORDER
drawn i'm favor Of j. H. Wilson for Siv
for the support OF Fannie Wilson and pur-
porting To- be signed boy John n Harris
clerk of the County Court of New Kent
Terry. who is about 80 years old. Of stout
build with norld complexion. dark eyes
black hair, and heavy black muetache, ln
clear voice entered his plea OF not
guilty.
THE PAPER WAS FORGED.
Clerk Harris. Of New Kent. declared IA
wilson paper 10 be forged, said no such
allowance had ever been made. there
were no such people in the county, and me
court was not even ia session at The
time
Auditor Marye said this order, which
was regular IN form, was paid by the au-
thorized clerk in his office 10 Mr. -. @ SUI
livan, a reputable Richmond merchant
through whose hands several such papers
had passed. such orders came in ire
uuently. and II In proper form and TO all
appearances genuine they were paid with
out question. Some nine or more of these
papers which ne was now satisfied were
forgerics, though he was not an expert
had been discovered. no 80 rs had been
taken as yet to recover the money mus
paid out. but the matter was under con-
sideratiOu. and would be attended 20 after
the criminal eases had been disposed OF.
Bclng asked II Mr.. Vivian Kidd did not
present one of these court orders drawn
by Taylor at his Office in tne spring OF
1893. Colonel Marye replied that he did
not know, but the books of his oiiic'
would show This was a genuine warrant,
and the question indicated the purpose OF
the defence TO show that Taylor nad used
good orders and that Terry accepted those
cashed 10y him as genuine.
Mr.. ID. O'Sullivan was the next witness.
lie first met Terry In September last
when he came q his store with this war
rant and ordered lot of goods 10 be
shipped to b. Taylor Lestor Manor. The
order amounted 10 about Sl3 The voucher
was accepted upon conditions, and beng
cashed without trouble the goods were
sent a second lot were ordered day
or two later, and a check for the balance
was drawn in the name of George h.
Certy. lie then thought Terry, who pre-
euted this court order. was Taylor. ard
I'D not learn better until subsequent
transaction OF a similar character.
Mr.. Smith, with a view 10 proving the
lrisouer's knowledge Of the forgery, asked
question as 10 warrants being presented
ln subsequent dates, but counsel for the
lefence objected 10 this line OF inquiry
and court adjourned until T.. NJ. in order
that Mr.. Smith might produce his au-
thorties.
When court reconyened Mr.. Smith had
his books. but said he had q termined,
with the courts consent. 10 withdraw the
question ana prove conspiracy by a more
direct process.
TAYLOR PUT on THE STAND.
lie then stated that he would put Mr..
Burnley Taylor on the stand. Counsel for
tie defence objected to this. and quoted
numerous authorities 10 show that a man
who had been convicted Of an infamous
onence could not be used as a witness.
They further claimed that it was under
stood when Il was agreed that Taylor
a| a /. ..rtTts hot no