Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-07-27
STUHGlS On TRIAL.
Hearing OF the Charge OF Forgery Ag:.lns
Him Began Yesterday.

Him Began Yesterday.
The ;riai OF l.. ii. Sturgis the lawyer
ANA politician. who is held under five
separate indictments. began in the
''"rP"ratioh Court yesterday MOI ming
before Judge Il. j. liarhau
SturgiS came into court from his cell
looking ~ spruce and spry as ever y
stranger would not have Suspec ted
mat he WAS the man charged With for
;;"ry and cmhcZzlcment. HIS toilet was
perfect. and he was us cuurtly ns 4,
French dancing master He bowed and
Saut"a lhnSc in the coulNlJpln Willis
his eyes Gli$tcncu ana his plNsioyonumy
was wrcathci III SMILES. SturSis was
accompanied by his wife and father
The father and wife took seats back Of
the counsel for the defense. but S.ur-
Ts took Il caiair at the bar between his
attorneys Mr.. y. {. Garrett. of this
city. and Judge Burroughs. OF Norfolk
and ii BOXED as ii all three of the law
Ners We're in court to represent some
nt,c else. AuruSS from the atturney VS.
for the defense sat commemorative
Attorney j. *. Nj. Newton who is con-
Quoting the prosecution.
There Was very little delay in sccur-
Ing II jury To try Sturgis. y venire wa.
summoned from Hampton and tho. iu-
t"rss selected are McSsrs L. c. Marion
w. w. Wallace. Fred Cunningham. j
w. Saunders. C'has Hcncnffger, r. Il.
Wilson. y. y. Holt. Nj. Z. Ransone. J.
w. Eoyenton. David Johnson and p t.
Davis. The jury is composed of intel
| li.eul looking men.
| 1t Will be remembered that Sturis
| was charged With forging; the name OF
| his partner. Mr.. G. c. Berkeley. III two
! checks. the checks being drawn ON
! Schnlvlz Bros. Bank. Tho funds in
bank had been placed to the credit of
C. =, Berkeley trustee. The first Wit
hess called by Abe prosecution was Mr.
| George SchnieIk. one Of the pEnprietore
OF the bank, lie stated THAI Sturgis
| presented Il certified check to tho First
National Bank puris :'ttd to - signed
ny 8. I. Berkeley. trustee: that the.
! check was drawn on his bank and was
PAD when presented 10y the First Ma
ti"nai t'ank authorities: that when he
learned the check wastforpory he sent
for SturgIs. who acinn wletlgru the 70. :
gerry. giving as n reason for the act
lH;.i his father, mother and wife were
serving and II. had to hsve ths mon y.
THAT Siurgis said that he would make
The money good; that he (witncss) told
HIM If he did not do so he would pros
ecutc him. and that Sturgis did make
the amount good with negotiable paper
IN" next witness was Mr. John Il.
Stone. teller of Schmr@ Bros Bank,
Who corrobor;lted his employer At,or-
neS x. NJ. Lett was the next witness
lie told of a conversation that he had
with Sturgs in the bank in which Stur-
giS acknowledged the forgery, but said
he had rich relative and would mako
it good. Other witnesses were eXamin-
ed. but no new facts We're brought out.
St,rSis took the stand in his own be-
half when the commonwealth rested
its case in chief and was undergoing Il
rigid cross-eNamination when court all
| l"urnad for the day. He will take the
| stand when court convcTes this morn
ing. Among other things SturgIs said
| that he had on different occa sions sign
| cd his partners name TO checks when
the latter was out OF the Office and he
! claimed that he had 4 right to draw til G
money in this Instance, as Mrs. But
Ter FOR whose husband Mr. berkeley
waS trustee under Il deed OF assign.
ment. owed him $3.50 in fees for legal
services rendered, and had agreed that
he should be paid out Of the funds held
by Mr.. Ie.llley Sturgis said he ne cd, d
the sEoncy. but Mr.. Berkeley was not.1n
the city and he exercised the privilege.
OF signing his parne"s nalne t,r the
check. lic also stated that Mr. iserk-
Icy was ROT in the city when he signed
the other check, nearly 4 month later
one al the questions asked Sturgis by
Mr. Newton. when he began th.. cross
examination, was why he did not tell
Mr. SchmelZ what nc had just stated To
the jury instead OF saying his family
WaL starving, and the prosecuting at
turney was pressing the question when
TIN. hour tor adjournment arrived.
Court will convene this mOrnins, at 10
O'Clock.