Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-14
LAMKIN NOT GUILTY.
The Police Board Decides That the Charges
arc Not Sustained.
WAS A UNANIMOUS VERDICT.
The omcer Has Many Character Wit
nesses - Evidence Substantially
whnt Has Already Been Printed
Letters Not the inspectors writing.

The Board OF Police Commissioners
spent four hours yesterday evening near
ing further testimony In the case OF
Sanitary officer Zephaniah g. Lamkin'
against whom charges had been preferred
that he wrote anonymous letters TO MISS
Leila Layne and attempted to entice her
to an improper house. and that body In
fifteen minutes after the conclusion OF
the evidence reached the conclusion mat
the allegations had not been sustained
and dismissed them.
Mr.. Lamkin, who was suspended shortly
after the charges had been made, VIII
be relnstated at once. and will n all
probability enter upon his duties this
morning. -.
The board convened in the private office
of the Chief OF Police at o'clock yes
terday afternoon. and heard only such
evidence as had mot been previously
gone into. Mayor Taylor flied the chair,
and all the members-Messrs. Bosher,
Jacob, Laube. Figg, Welsh, and Wein-
brunn--were present. Witnesses Tor the
prosecution were first called, and the
was substantially what the Dispatch has
already printed regarding II.
LEFT THE LETTER THERE.
Mr.. Robert Curtis. the letter-carrier.
stated that he had left a letter at the
drugstore OF Mr.. T. y. Williams, adj
dressed 10 "a Goodfellow." the name
Miss Layne wrote upon the envelope in
which her epistle was enclosed. Further
than this. MIR. Curtis knew nothing OF
the affair.
MIR. j. c. Joplan, one of the tellers
at the First National Bank. was called
as an expert on handwriting. lie made
a close examination Of the chirography
Of the letters sent to Miss Layne and
some writing of Mr.. Lamkin, and gave
It as his opinion that they were not the
same handwriting.
The board, in hearing testimony, al
lowed both sides a very broad latitude.
Many witnesses were put on the STAND
for and against the defence, most or
those for officer Lamkin testifying only
as to his character and general reputa-
ton in the community.
NAMES OF THE WITNESSES.
Some of those who gave evidence in
behalf Of Miss Layne were her father,
MIR. f. d. Layne; her sister, Miss Alice
Layne. and herself; Messrs. James ID.
Thacker. Ike overly, John McGruder
James Booker. Robert Curtis, and Ma
rion Barnett.
These who went upon the stand for the
defence were Messrs. Philip Kelly. James
Rankin. w. A Clark, DIR. w. IL. Scott,
Henry Hecker. ]. c. Jopian, s. II. Halves,
l.. H. Morris. Il. ID. Price, j. X. Sheppard,
John f.. Mayer. John Mann, Jr.. John NJ.
Higgins. James l.. Botto. James Nc
Donough. N. j. Smith. John Lehman, A.
ID. LanderkIn Edward Sydnor, Samuel
Cohen, c. ]. Fowlkes. V. Donati, j. w.
Blake, W. II. Baker. Louis Topp. 5. w
Uuldcroft, Albert Volmer, Carter Via,
Samuel Lawrence. and Edward Overley.
Mr.. Lamkin made strong statement
in his own defence. and Mr.. +. ID. Layne,
father of the young lady. addressed the
board relative TO the matter.
At the conclusion Of the investigation
the board held a brief secret session for
the purpose Of arriving at their conclu-
sion, which was the charges against
Officer Lamkin were not sustained ana
were dismissed by a unanimous vote.
The result was announced with open
doors. and was the occasion OF shower
Of congratulations upon Mr.. Lamkin
from the assemblage OF friends OF the
Sanitary Inspectors who were present.
Officer Lamkin returned his thanks and
gratitude to all those who stood by him
throughout the investigation.