The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-23
WIN. 4. BERRY SENT
To GRAND JURY
His Preliminary Hearing Was, Held
in the Police Court
Yesterday.

Mr. William A Berry was sent to the
grand jury yesterday afternoon by Squire
Graves, who heard the charge against
him in the Police Court in the absence
OF. justice. Cruichneld. Bail was refused
In the Police Court, but Judge Witt, later
in the day, granted a renewal of the
bond of $3.50 given by Berryhs wife last
week
The hearing consumed several hours,
lasting until $3.50 in the afternoon.
The courtroom was cleared and the
:Sir was placed on the w!tness-stand. She
told the same story that vas given upon
the hearing Of the charge against Mrs.
Herbert last week. and in the relation
of II her voice was cloked several times
with sohs.
Mrs. stader, on behalf of the girl. testi-
fed that she knew her for long time,
and tlat she had a good reputation and
went TO Sunday-school with her when
they lived in Danville
The janitor OF Ford's Law Building was
then introduced, but his testimony was
of. no special Importance.
This closed the prosecution. and Mrs.
Biatson was called for the defense. She
said size had driven the girl from her
house for fear she would contaminate her
daughter she knew the girl a long time,
and had known her in Danviile. where
she said her reputation was bad. She said
5ust two years older than her youngest
child.
On cross-examinatiou. it was shown that
witness had been in the Police Court
twice on the charge of drunkenness. and
that she aad been ordered TO move away
from the 9eishboHood in Which she
lived.
Following Mrs. Bratson. several wit
:lesses from Danviiic were introduced to
show that the reputation Of the girl was
bad and that she WAS over sixteen years
of age.
AR. Samuel Bratson Of Danyille, son
of the witness who had previously testi-
ned, stated that he had betrayed the girl
last July. This testimony created SEN
sation.
Mr. wendenburg. for the prosecution,
cro&s-cxamincd The witness closely, and
made him so into The most minute de-
tails.
The girl at Ninth and Broad Streets one
night in June lie did not know her. but
she accosted him. and together they went
10 his room in Ford's Law Building.
When asked if he We're positive she
was the girl whom he met, he SAID:
She's the one all right.
At that the girl Indignantly cried out
in the COURTROOM that she had never seen
witness before.
Miss May was recalled and positively
denied ever having been to any place with
s. either Bratson or Hoslins. She said she
left Mrs. Bratson's because Mrs. BratSon
got drunk, and she didn't care to stay at
such place.
She further denied having associated
with disreputable people in Danyille eN-
cept so far as working with them in the
factories
on cross-examination she suited that
she did not remember having gone to
p,,I +iT,cr
drunk for she did not know where the
bar-room was locnted. II she did so,
she said, il was after the betrayal
Both sides rested, and Mr.. WendenburS
spoke for the prosecution and made
strong appeal.
he asked that. the case be sent on.
Mr. q NJ. Smith followed for the de-
Tense. He felt sorry that the Common
wealth's Attorney was not present. He
wanted some one on hind FOR the pro
secution who would weigh the law as it
should be weighed. He then dweit upon
his line of defense, and claimed that
the fact of the girls age had been proven
to be over sixteen by reputable citizens.
Mr.. RNendenburg closed the argument
Tor the prosecution. and replied at length
to the summing up of the evidence as
made by Mr.. Smith He explained that
Ale WAS in the case at the request of Jus
sice Crutchfield and Hon. Harry Glenn,
and he took exceptions to what Mr.. Smith
eaid about weighing evidence. He was
not the paid prosecutor. for he made it
Il rule not TO enter n case as a prosecu-
.or His sympathy was always with the
accused. Age makes no difference. he
ea!d: a woman can be betrayed at the
nge of fifty. He closed with a splendid
display of oratory and rhetoric. and the
case was submitted at ; O'Clock.
Squire Graves. in delivering his opin-
sen, said: After hearing The evidence in
mis- cases, / deem it my duty to send the
accused on TO the grand jury