Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-22
THE WOMACK CHECKS
GRAND JURY TO DE ASKED Io
MAKE AN INVESTIGATION.
Mr.. BAUGHNAN TO Be SUMMONED,
lie VIII he Questioned ms to How
the Interesting Pieces OF Pnper
Gam. Into HIS observation-disclosures
HundIey to Argue Before Council.

The celebrated Grand Camp investiga-
tion which led to the censure Of Colonel
James N. Stubs, will now be taken into
the criminal courts. Mr.. j. w. Womack'
the agent Of the American Book COM
many. whose cancelled checks were
brought before the Investigating Com
mittee as evidence against Colonel
Stubs. will go before the January grand
fury OF the Hastings Court Of this city
and make complaint that the checks
were stolen from him. He will ask 10
have a summons issued for Mr.. Greer
Baughman, from whom the checks came
to the committee, and who refused TO
tell where he got them, that he may be
asked to tell where he got the checks.
CAPTAIN wIsEs OPINION.
Hon. George d. Wise. who is counsel
for Mr.. Womack, said TO a Dispatch man
yesterday that the grand jury would
have abundant ground to bring in an
indictment against whomsoever MI
Baughman informed on. and as authority
for this statement, he quoted the follow
ing sections of the Code:
Section 37OS-Larceny Of bank notes,
checks, etc, or any book OF accounts,
how published. If any person steal any
bank note, check or other writing, OF
paper of value, whether the same repre-
SCENTS money, currency, or otherwise, or
any book accounts, for or concerning
money or goods due to be delivered, he
shall be deemed guilty Of larceny there
of. and receive the same punishment, ac-
cording to the value Of the thing stolen,
prescribed for the punishment OF the lar-
ceny of goods and chattels. The provi-
sions of this section shall be construed
TO embrace all bank notes and paper OF
value representing money and passing
as currency. whether the same be the
issue of this State or any other state, or
of the United States, or of any corpora
ton. and shall include other papers of
value. of whatever description.
Section 3709-How value thereof esti-
mated In q prosecution under the pre-
cedine section, the money due on or Sc
cured by the writing paper or book ana
remaining unsatsfed, or which, in any
event, might be collected thereon, or the
value of the property or money affected
thereby. shall be deemed to be the value
Of the article stolen.
Captain Wise contends that the
clause which provides that the value OF
the article shall be the value OF the
money affected thereby gives ample
grounds for felony indictment, II II
be shown that the checks were abstract
ed from the bank. where they were held
as vouchers for the money paid on them
by the bank.
WHAT BISHOP SAYS.
On the other hand he contends that IL
il be shown that they were taken afttr
having been surrendered TO Mr.. Womack
by the bank. an indictment for mlsde-
meanor can be found, and this contention
he bases on a statement found In Blshop
on Criminal Practice, wherein it Is set
forth that if II be proved that a cancelled
note or check has been stolen, jury Is
competent to indict for the value of the
paper on which the instrument is drawn.
OF course no one can at this time say
what the Jury will do, but the simple fact
that the matter Will be laid before II
reviyes interest in the check mystery,
and gives rise to speculation. Mr.. Baugh-
man continues TO decline to discuss the
matter. but it is understood that the
checks were given him by an ex-ConIede-
rate soldier.
GENERAL HUNDLEY TO ARGUE.
Anent this check investigation the fact
that the meeting of the Advisory Councll
in Iynchburg will be attended with more
interest than was at first thought would
be the case, may prove readable. 1t is
understood that General George j. Humid
ley expects to go before the council ana
argue the case, with a view to having
the verdict as given by The Investigating
Committee set aside.