Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-06
ADMITS HIM TO BAIL.
JUDGE WITT RELEASES MR. CRAw-
FORD on $4,000 bond.
THE JUSTICE HEARS EVIDENCE.
Several witnesses Examined to See
whether or Not His Honor Could
Grant Bail, and He DecItnes-De-
tails as to Peyronnct Transaction.

warrant charging him with the theft OF
$500 from Mrs. Catharine Peyronnet
was released from custody at $50 o'clock
last evening by Judge S. b. Witt OF the
Hastings Court, who admitted him TO
bail in the sum of 5000, with his mother
in-law, Mrs Mary II. Slower, of Hanover,
| as surety.
Justice Crutchheld had previously re-
fused him bail, but investigated the case
thoroughly with a view TO ascertaining
| II II was such an one as would permit
him to grant bail.
The investigation was gone into at con-
siderable length, but = as the prosecution
was not willing to go fully into the case
at this time, it was postponed until Satur-
| dav the 18th. Mr.. ID. c. Richardson was
on hand to conduct the prosecution, with
| Mr.. George T.. Wise as assistant, and Mr..
Iouis Wendenburg looked after the In
terests of the defence. The courtroom
was crowded. and all eyes centered upon
| Mr.. Crawford when he was led into the
| room. intense interest being manifested
| I'm the case.
| AS soon as the case was called Com
monwealth' 's-Attorney Richardson asked
| for a postponement, In order that VIII
nesses might be brought here. Mr.. Wen
| denburg offered no objection TO a con-
| tinuance asking however that an ex-
animation for bail be had. This request
was complied with.
| THE TESTIMONY.
| Mrs. Peyronnet was the first witness
to take the stand. and she though natu-
rally excited, told straightforward
| story. setting forth the facts in the
| case as they appeared TO her IN a clear
| and sufficient manner. She first told now
| she had become acquainted with MT.
| Crawford. explaining that he was the
| administrator of the estate OF her motner-
| in-law. Mrs. NJ. A. Peyronnet AFTER
This estate was wound up. witness said
she retained Crawford as her agent. In
1890 she was living at No. 200 south Bel
videre street. and In the fall of that year
| Crawford called on her and advised her
to turn over TO him her money-S2,oOo
| that was I'm the Citizens Bank, and SSO0
! that she had in his hands-and he would
| invest il with a party VINO was Will
ing to furnish gilt-edge security ana
| nav her per cent. interest. she then
| turned over to him her certificate of de-
post. and he got the money out OF the
| Citizens Bank. Crawford went OIL put
| before leaving represented, Witness saiu'
that the farm on which the money was was
to be loaned was worth between so,OoO
and 5000. The interest was TO be paid
every three months. and this part of tho
contract was complied with until last
January. when the money ceased to come
IN her. She had begun TO hear stories
about Mr.. Crawford previous TO this, ana
| susnected that she had not done wisely
in trusting her affairs entirely TO him.
| Three weeks ago she sent for CraW-
| ford. and when he came TO her mousse
she told him she wanted her money. he
told her he could not give 1t to her In
full She then asked him for $780, and ne
replied that be did not have thst amount.
subsequently Crawford gave ner 'ie
worthless securities on the farm In
| Charles City.
WAS THE DEFENDANTS CLERK.
Mrs. Peyronnet left the stand after this,
statement. and was succeeded by Mr..
| Fleming Meredith. who was taken IN
hand by Mr. Richardson. His testimony
was substantially as follows:
"I was employed in the office OF George
f. Crawford in 1890 At trustees sale
| became the purchaser of the farm in
Charles City county. A gentleman named
Weisiger was a beneficiary. 1t was knock
| ed down to me at sl,10, there being a
preyious encumbrance of a thousand dol
| lars or so on the property. Later on
| decided the farm back to Mr.. Crawford,
! the consideration named being $500. My
part in this transaction was performed
AT the request of my employer. Mr..
crawford. | was never interested, even
70 the extent of 81. l acted on his order,
and knew very little about the affair.
| Afterwards the farm was transferred to
| two negroes living in Henrico county.
had seen the colored men in the office,
but know nothing of them to this day.
| At that time Mr.. Gilbert X. Pollock was
bookkeeping for Crawford.
There was a good deal Of cord-wood
on the farm when the negroes got pos
session of 1t. but l don't know whether
II has since been cut and sold. The 4,c0O
| cords of wood on the farm would be
worth probably 800. and was the prin-
| cipae value of the farm. There was an
incumbrance Of SLIGO on the property
when 1t was sold
MIR. GAYLE'S STATEMENT.
John g. Gayle young lawyer. was
NEXT placed on the stand He testified
that Mrs Peyronnet, when she suspected
| Crawford of wrong-doing, placed her
| case I'm his hands, and he called on Craw-
ford. "I asked him about the loan" said
| Mr.. Gayle. 'and he told me that the loan
was all right; that the farm was worth
| $1,000 He reiterated a number OF times
that the mortgage he held on 1t for my
| client was a first mortgage. / then told
him that / had looked up the records
and that his statements. differed from
the recorded facts. He had nothing to
saw after that He made a number Of
false statements. He said the Bankses
were still living there when, as matter
| of fact. they had skipped out"
| Mr.. Wendenburg at this juncture tried
| TO show anImus in Mr.. Gayles testimony
asking him If there wasn't bad blood be-
tween himself and Crawford's family: but
witness denied that such was the case.
THE ACCUSED TESTIFIED.
Mr.. II. f. Richardson. a son-in-law OF
| Mrs. Peyronnet. was called TO the stand.
but he could throw no new light on the
| case. further than TO testify to the con-
fidence Mrs. Peyronnet placed In Craw-
ford. He was thereupon told TO stand
aside, and the accused was allowed TO
testify.
Mr.. Crawford was nervous during the
| time he was on the stand. especially
when under cross-examination. He spoke,
though, directly to the point and an
swered all the questions propounded to
| him concsely categorically. and with
great promptness. He admitted having
! received the 1880 from Mrs. Peyronnet.
| but denied having solicited II, saving that
she brought II to his office and requested
| him TO invest It for her. He stated that
she paid 4. over to him in the form OF a
| check on the Citizens Bank. but when
Mrs. Peyronnet said that II was bank
certificate. he admitted that this might
| have been the case. With reference to
the allegations OF fraud. he said:
my connection with the Charles City
farm began when II was sold at auction
10 Captain John Lamb. 10 satisfy claim
held by him. Captain Lamb met with
| ro..nrsas of fortt,ne shortly Afterwards