Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-09-25
SENT ON TO THE GRAND JURY.

ton of the case of j. T. Beckham
junior, and Ernest Travers, charged
| with stealing gold watch valued a
$40 from Harry Smoot, and that o
Hugh Strider, who was charged witt
receiving and disposing of the time
piece. The examination occupied near
ly three hours. Mr.. John M. johnson
represented Beckham, Mr.. John H
Greene Travers and Commonwealth.
Attorney Marbury conducted the prose
cution.
Mr.. Smoot testified to the losing O.
his watch, but charged no particular
person with the theft. He said he missed
it while in Dan Henry's saloon. Hi:
recollection of what happened during
the night he was robbed was vague.
Dan Henry testified that MIR. Smoot
had his watch when he left his house
and his evidence was corroborated by
two women, Frances Folsom and BERTHE
Stokes, all of whom saw him consult it
III the saloon. Mr.. Henry further aver
red thst Mr.. Smoot later told him Beck
ham had stolen the watch.
BERTHE Stokes testified TO leaving
Henry's saloon with Smoot. The latter
had looked at his watch previously.
Travers, Beckham, Smoot, Frances Fol
som and witness were together. Travers
was near The curb stone. He has but
one arm-the right one-and that was
locked with the arm of the Folsom wo-
man. Smoot had one of the woman's
arms and witness had Shoots other
arm. Beckham pushed witness aside
and took Shoots arm, saying at the
time that he was his particular friend.
When they reached the house
of witness she and Smoot proceeded
to an upper room, where Smoot Invested
himself of his coat and vest. Later he
asked witness to look at his watch and
ascertain the hour. She attempted to
do so and found the chain hanging from
the vest pocket and the watch missing.
The watch had been broken or cut from
the chain. Witness ran down stat g
and told Frances Folsom of the robbery
and later Ernest Travers entered the
room and threatened to hit Smoot with 4
beer bottle, asking him ifhe accused him
of stealing bis watch.
Officer Ferguson told the court how
he got information which led him to su5-
pect Trasers, whom he had arrested.
On his way TO the station-house the
prisoner said that he would get the
watch provided the policeman gave him
so. Later Policeman Ferguson went
10 Hugh Strider's secondhand store,
by order of Chief Webster, but Strider
denied having the watch.
Lieut.. Smith said he was awakened
by Mr.. Smoot Tuesday night, who told
him he had lost his watch. He saw
Trave,s, who told him that Mr.. Strider
bad the watch. They visited Mr..
Strder some time during the next
day and Travers offered him Sc for
the watch, but Mr.. Strider replied that
be had given the watch to Chief Web
ster. The Lieutenant swore Travers
had Informed him that Thomas Beck
ham, jr., had given him the watch 10
pawn at Strder's.
Policeman knight told how he had
got Travers to admit having pawned
the watch.
The father of Trayers gave an account
of his sons action and corroboratei
Lietenant Smiths testimony relative
to Mr.. Strider loaning him Sc on the
watch.
Frances Folsom said that Beckham
had taken Smoot away from BERTHE
Stokes and herself, saying at the time
he was his best friend, and conducted
him to her house, where she found
Beckham, Smoot, and Travers in the
parlor.
Joseph Ewald gave testimony to the
effect that ne met Travers, who asked
him to help him find SO that he lost in
the grass in the yard of the house occu-
pied by the two women. He was after
ward told by Travers that it was
watch which Beckham had thrown
from the house that he was searching
for.
Ernest Travers upon taking the stand
said that on Tuesday night, he, with
Smoot, Reckham, and the two women
were in Dan Henry's drinking together
They left there to go to north Lee
street. A little while after their ar
rival he had a conversation with Beck
ham, who said he had thrown the
watch in the grass. He met Beckham
at the Fleischmann Hotel the next
morning, and it was there where Beck
ham handed him the watch, and told
him TO pawn it for Mr.. Smoot, who
needed the money. He asked Beck
ham if he had stolen the watch, and
declared that il so he would not pawn
it; but if Mr.. Smoot desired to raise the
money, he could get it for him. Travels
claims tina Beckham assured him that
was Mr.. Shoots desire, and that be
went to Strider's where be pawned the
watch for Sc, meeting Beckham on the
corner of Royal and Cameron streets
and giving him the money.
Beckham finally took the stand, and
in his defense, said that on Tuesday ne
was approached by Mr.. Smoot, who
asked him if he would come down
town in an hour and ask for him, as he
did not wish to stay in that portion Of
the city over that length Of time. He
did us Mr.. Smoot requested him, and
when he got to the house beer was or
dered for those who were present. He
then left and went to Rice's saloon,
where he drank with friends. ltw 9
at Dan Henry's saloon where he found
some girls quarreling over Mr.. Smoot.
He approached them and pleaded with
Mr.. Smoot to go home. He then went
TO the station house. where he asked
Sergt. Smith to assist him in getting
Smoot from the house on north Lee
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