The evening times., 1896-10-22
VIRGINIA LADY IN COURT
Mrs. Shields Charged With
Larceny Of 1000 Bricks.
BADLY MIXED CASE TRIED
Acquittal of the Accused After the
Testimony of All COncerned-SRe
Took Nearly 5000 Because of an
Agreement Made With the Con
tractors Foreman.

MrG. Eta Shields, a direct escendant
OF one Of the Oldest families of Virginia
ant Il part owner OF the historic Gunston
hai'-ptoperty h on the Potomac, just below
Mount Vernon, was arraigned in Judge
Miller's police court this forenoon charged
with the larceny of Z 900 bricks. at The
value Of 50 per 900, from George W.
barkman, ST, and George W Barkman jr,
the contractors.
Mrs. Shields, a distinguished loo king
woman, about forty years of age. was
neatly attired in black costume, and
Virginia lady. She appeared to be con
siccrably annoyed at having TO face such
a charge in the police court
Mrs. Shields was defended by Lawyer
Padgett She lives al No. 81. street
northwest, and the bricks size WAS alleged
10 have purloined We're from an old build
ing in rear Of No. 6lS i street, recently
torn down.
Benjamin F Beach, foreman for Con
tractor Barkman, testified that he had
agreed to give Mrs. Beach between 1000
or 5000 salm on, or soft bricks, for allo W
ing him the privilege Of storing in her back
yard some Of the brick and other articles
from the demolished structure. He said
on last Sunday she employed two carts
and mad 900 hard bricks hauled To Rley's
wharf lie valued the bricks at 50 per
thousand. The bricks promised the de
fendant We're soft and worth much less
THE TESTIMONY.
Elijah Gilmore, a colored cart driver,
testified that he was employed by Mrs.
Shields to haul the bricks to Rileys wharf
Oh last Sunday. Two carts were employed.
and together they cartcd to the river FROM
between i 900 and 5000 mixed, second
hand bricks. For this work they received
So. There were fourteen loads altogether.
Mrs. Shields, on tie witness stand. crn-
phatiCally denied that there had been any
larceny. While the workmen were tearing
down the old building in the rear or No
61S F street, she agreed to let the fore
man pile bricks, lumber, etc. in her YARD
To repay her Foreman Beach agreed to
give her about 5000 bricks to build chin
pey on her place, Gunston Hall. below
Mount Vernon.
Mrs Bcach's entire backyard was &C.
cupicd by the bricks ard lumber. She
acknowledged TO having taken 4.6C0 bricks,
as per tie agreement with the foreman.
When asked about the kind of bricks she
took, the defendant replied with toss Of
her head:
Il don't know the difference between
hard bricks. soft bricks. or salmon bricks
I am not a brick expert. i could not tell
one brick from another, unless they Were
painted black. blue, green, or yellow
NO LARCENY SHOWN.
She said the chimney She was going TO
buiIr at Gunston Hall was of OId-fashioned
style, 6 feet in breadth, 40 feet in heiGhth.
with three or four flues. Mrs. Shields had
employed n scow to take the bricks down
the Potomac.
In conclusion, she said her possession of
the bricks was legitimate business trans
action
1--WE claim" said Attorney Padgett,
That these bricks are ours as mattersf
right. If the plaintiffs want them, let
them have issued a writ OF replevin-"
Il gave her also several DOORS" inter-
rup!ed Contractor Barknan.
doors don't cut any figure in this" said
Mr.. Padgett.
This is q badly-mixed case of bricks
remarked Judge Miller. The worst fea-
ture of it was hauling them on Sunday"
Mrs. Shields explained that she could not
get the carts on any other day.
There is no larceny shown here, addec
his honor "Case dismissed"