The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-27
The King Trial, the Grand Jury
and the Police Board.
THEY WILL ALL PROBE DEEPLY
Grea. rnteres, is Taken in Inquiries
Into Alleged Municipal Corruption.
The Grand Jury Has Only
Started Its Work.


three separate agencies having now been
enlisted IN the movement 10 clear the
fair name Of the city from reproach and
approbrium
The case OF ex-Aiderman John III
King. indicted by the grand jury for
bribery, Will come up in the Police Court
before Acting Police Justice Graves
The grand jury, refreshed by few
days of rest from its arduous labors and
greatly aided in its work by the bll.
quickly passed by the Legislature and
signed by the Governor, which protects
n witness IN a bribery case and at the
same time compcls him to testify, WI!
reconvene and settle down TO a thorooSh
going sitting of alleged Council corTtp-
tor.
The Board of Police Commissioners
Will take hold of the charge OF Acuhs
Sergeant Wyatt against Captain James
G3 Angle. that gambling was not broken
up in the Second Police District. and
hear from every officer in the district
md probably from other witnesses also
Through the activity OF these three
investigating agencies valuable light VIII
probably be cast upon number OF mat
tiers now somewhat obscure. The work
of no one Of them viii be completed to-
morrow, il is likely. But in the case OF
more than one valuable progress towards
SN--N-
the exoncratlon or conviction of those
against whom these charges are made
may be anticipated.
TIE KING CASE.
OF the three the trial of eX-AlderTran
King is least likely 10 offer interesting
o.. sensational developments tomorrow.
rs II is more than probable that at the
request Of MI Kings counsel. Mr.. L. Q.
WeuGcnburg the case will be continued
Mr. Wendenburs has not had opportu-
nity as YET to prepare his case for pre-
sentaton. MI King was indicted late
Thursday evening, and the usual c1nlr-
tesy extended attorneys in the Police
Court would grant Nh. Wendenhurg a
week or ten days, if ne desires ii, for the
preparation of so important case
None of the gentlemen connected with
the case are talking ut this time. There
are reports and reports rs 10 what Will
happen when the case cnmes to trial
When run 10 The ground they are found
to rest upon little else than the lc1?lark or
opinion Of this or that man. 1t is safe
to say that no man il Richmond. not
excepting the commemorative Attorney,
knows what will come cut or what other
names may be mentioned in a compro-
missing fashion when this case finally
comes to trial before a justice or later
before a jury.
One of the central and most imDortant
features Of the situation unon which the
public has no authoritative light as yet
Is the relation of the contractors to
zach other. and the possible relation of
Mr. King to other councilmen. Was
there no real competition between the
city's contractors but a pooling Of in
forests and c7iy:sio~ of work at figures
nj which the three fixed themselves? Was
The offered bride Of 5000 designed to win
Mr.. King alone over to a silent attitude
nf inaction while the city should be
robbed in this fashion, or did Mr.. King
stand In a representative capacity as
the negotiator for Sroun OF council
men on the Street Committee? THESE
r-e among, the questions which are be-
t,r as1xnd The trial of Mr.. King alone
uiI, proyide full and satisfying. answers
Commemorative Attorney Richardson Is
hard at work uDon his end of the case
n is POSSIBLE that it may NOT come 10
trial for ten days or two weeks, when
Justice Crutchtield will be back on the
THE GRAND JURY.
The grand jury has called a number
,r witnesses--tile majority of those called
last week have not been heard. No man
knows what turn this investigation viii
take. the grand jurymen as little as
anyone else They completed the first
norton OF their labors with the hearing
of the contractors and the indictment
of Mr.. King. a street railway and teie-
phone inquiry is to follow and the grand
turv may be in session for weeks. The
scope of its activities under Judge
Wits charge is as broad as language
can make it There is no corner or Office
in the CITY Hall into which 1t may not
ro ar any time and demand to know
The what. why, and wherefore of any
thing that may come 10 its notice
The most notable feature of the sit
nation in relation to its work is the great
assistance given it by the passage by
the LEGISLATURE as an emergency meas
ure of the following bill in reference to
witnesses in bribery cases:
EMERGENCY ACT.
..Be it enacted by the General AS
.er,bly of Virginia, That no person pros
ecuted for giving, or offering TO give. or
scceptiug a bride. under sections thirty
seven hundred and fortS-foQr and thirty
seven hundred and forty-tlve of the Code.
shall be competent to testify against
witness for the prosecution in such pros
ecution touching the giving or Offering
10 give or the accepting of any bride
committed by him prior to the COM
rnencement of such prosecution, nor shall
any witness called by the court or Com
rnonwealth's Attorney and giving evil
dence for the prosecution, either before
the grand jury or the court in such pros
ecuuon. be ever proceeded against Tor
any offense OF giving. or offering to give,
or accepting bride committed by INN
at the time and place indicated in such
prosecution but such witness shall be
compelled 10 testify, and for refusing
TO answer questions may by the court
be fined a sum not exceeding five hun
dred dollars and be imprisoned for
term not exceeding six months.
This act shall be in force from its pas
sage
THE POLICE BOARD
All the sergeants and officers Of the
Second Police Station have been sum-
moned as witnesses before the Police
Board to-morroT- evening The board
wishes to know whether any others ever
hearo OF me order or understanding
about which Acting Sergeant WYATT res
titled. that no gambling place was TO be
ratoe6 Until the captain was first notified