Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-05
ESCAPED FROM THE SHERIFF..
A Witness I'm the HfIdebrand Case
Gives Mr.. Hughes the Slip.

Just how Willie Gordon who was an
unwilling witness in the suit of Miss Mary
Hildebrand against the Richmond Trac-
tiOn Company, managed to delude and
elude the viglant Sheriff of the city OF
Richmond yesterday morning is mys-
terry which excited the risibles of the
police. and at which none laughed more
heartily than the genial Sheriff himself.
When Deputy-Sheriff j. j. Hughes, Jr.,
drove up to Gordon's house No 1909 east
Marshall street, yesterday morning to
serve a subpoena, Gordon discreetly re-
manned in the background His wife, who
came to the door in answer to the sum
mons OF the Deputy. refused positively to
accept service. Her husband, she said, had
given positive instructions that she should
receive no papers Of any sort, and she
clinched the argument by shutting the
door. Nothing daunted, Deputy Hughes
pinned the summons on the door. Gordon
turned up at the time and place appoint
ed. however. with the paper in his hand.
He had not been properly summoned, he
said, and the whole proceeding was ir-
regular.
CALLED AS A WITNESS.
After he had stated his case to the
Sheriff. that official took steps which con-
WINGED the witness that he had been
caught in the tolls, and as his name was
called from the judges chamber. where
the case was being heard, the matter was
soon settled, and Gordon found himself
upon the witness-stand. Something oc-
Cured during the examination which
made IL necessary to summon the father
OF the witness, and Gordon, whose ex-
animation was not more than half over,
went with the Sheriff TO guide his foot
steps in the right direction.
He was agitated as a result of a con-
versation he had with Sergeants Tomlin-
son and Gibson before leaving the han.
Together the Sheriff and Gordon visited
several places where the latter thought
his father might be, without any salts
factory result, as far as the Sheriff was
concerned. Gordon then suggested that
they might have better luck at his own
house, and they proceeded thither, the
unhappy witness confiding in the Sheriff
on their way that his wife was ILL.,
MEDICINE FOR HIS WIFE.
They stopped at a dispensary, and Cor
don purchased some medicine, and when
they reached the house Gordon said he
must go and give his wife a dose of the
physic. His manner was so agitated that
Mr.. Hughes cautioned him not to give
an overdose. Gordon called a young and
comely woman to the door, and her con-
versation was very agreeable. The min
utes heightened, but Gordon had not re-
turned. and at length another young
woman entered the room and announced
that Mr.. Willie had gone to the court
The Sheriff was much surprised. and
made his way back to the City Hall with
all possible speed, but Willie was not
there. All day long he searched for him.
and paid several visits to the house. His
efforts were altogether. fruiuess, and
neither Willie Gordon nor his father put
in an appearance during the hearing OF
the case.
The witness was not properly consider
ed in the Sheriffs charge, and the sole
object OF his quest was TO find Mr.. Cor
don, Sr., said Sheriff Hughes last night,
and he laughed very heartily at what he
considered a very clever trick.