Evening star., 1902-08-07
.FORFEITS HIS BOND
John Nelson Fails to Appear
for Trial.
SENSATION IN COURT
ATTORNEYS ANNOUNCE WITH
DRAWAL FROM CASE.
determined Effort to Be Made by
Sheriff to Recapture the
Fugitive.
SENSATION IN COURT

A sensation was oCCasionod i'm the AlcN-
andrla county court on Fort Myer lIririrs
at cock this morning when il Was rn.G,
known that John Nelson. who was Indicted
on ten charges for arson. and o.t ON h.,tF
in the sum Of $4,000 had evaded thr rr,-
cesses Of the court. The defendant was alb
sent when his case was called. Bg.f ,E.
court was not long left in doubt a. L. ms
intentions. Word was received from th,
attorneys who had been retained To defend
MN that they no longer had any connection
with the defense. They alleged that Me-
son had jumped his bond. These ATTORNEYS
We're Messrs. r. Walton Moore of Fairfax
and Charles Bendheim and Joseph Smiling
ton of Washington. Commonwealth At:or-
ney James +. Clements. Attorney Edmund
Burke of Washington and ATTORNEY Samuel
Brent of Alexandria were on hand 10 con-
duct the prosecution.
Judge James NJ. Love Of Fairfax. who
presided expressed extreme Indignation al
the contempt with which the mandate Of
his court had been treated II is said ne
exercised clemeECy in admitting Nelson 10
bail, for which reason his latest offruse
seemed to be particularly aggravated
one. The court. on motion of Common
wealth Attorney Clements AZ once issued a
capiaS for the arrest Of the accused. This
was placed in the hands of sheriff Palmer.
who VIII take immediate steps to md
Nelson and bring him before the bar OF
justice
The court also directed that an order be
entered forteitug the recuguiZaure in each
case against Ne.son. The aggregate of
$4,000 was supplied by William Duncan and
John Harlow of Alexandria county
Today had been appointed by Judge Love
for the preliminary argument in both the
case of Nelson and John TiGhc. a clab
house emplOye who was also indicted for
being implicated i'm the burning Of the
several gambling houses in jackson C.ty
the night Of Ju.y II. II WAS not intended
to go into the hearing of testimony today,
but the object was to allow the counsel on
both sides to make arguments and pleas as
To demurrers and Other preliminary points
of law. No jury was summoned, as il was
supposed the whole days session would
be taken up with the opening proceedings.
The case would probably have been tried
on its merits early next week. but the puT-
poses Of the court, Of course, We're defeat
ed by the non-appearauce Of John Nelson.
The Case of John Tighe.
There was a significant silence En- tho
court room when Judge Love took lis seat
this morning, in contrast TO the demon
strative interest which had been displayed
at the previous proceedings IN the case.
Only few citizens gathered in the room.
The principal defendant and his counsel
being absent, il was at once apnareut that
escape the clutches of the law. After the
truth became assured ana the ptrtunctory
orders of the court had been issued. Judge
Love directed that the case Of John TiEhe
Toe taken up. This was substantially the
same case in regard to the Indictments oX-
cept that Tighe was regarded as being
subordinate TO Nelson in the commission II
the alleged crime. To each of the ludiCt-
msnts his counsel. r. q. l.. MnucUre
entered a demurrer. which was promptly
GYerruled by the court on the ground tEat
no reason was assigned. \ motion L. quash
was also uNerrulrd. ana the case Was st
for trial at the next term Of court. The
prisoner was in court. NOT having obtained
bail. ana pleaded not guilty To "a. l.G.ct-
mentS.
The history Of Nelson's case is one Of :hc
most remarkable occurring in recent wears
in Virginia. He WAS arrested several weeks
ago. charged with causing the Gg, which
wiped out of existence number ~ gam
bling dens in Jackson City. abou, II O'Clock
the night Of July IA. \ unique c-r,Gm-
staQce was that the property destroyed
partly belonged TO the accused Motives Cf
revenge were alleged to be at ne bottom
Of the affair. Most Of The houses were
owned by Frank Foster. Charles L. Saa-
dersOn and George Meyers. Soon after The
fire complaint was made aEafus. N,lson.
but when Sheriff Palmer went e. serve the
warrant the accused had disippSartI
After thorough search in the county the
officials became convinced that 1ae fugitive
was in Washington. and Governor Mon
pers. Armed with these, the sheriff finally
secured Nelson in Washington aul con-
veyed him to the Jail at Fort Myer E,!ga:s.
Substance of the Indictments.
Ten indictments were reported against
Linn by the grand jury, in effect a. foilow,:
First burning the house of Frank Foster
and Charles +. Sanderson; second. burning
the house of George Meyers: third. burn
ing the buildings Of Frank Foster and
Charles L. Sanderson. valued a. Ssap;
fourth. that of the club house of Frank
Foster, valued at $3.50; fifth, the bgiidinE
of George Meyers; sixth. the hodseboat II
Charles Smith. ana finally. the tenth
charged him wtE injuring by fire 10 the
extent of S1Gh the tower house of the
Baltimore and Potomac railroad AT the
south end of Long bridge.
When the application Ia release thu prts-
oner on bond WAS made by his attorneys
Judge Love cocse entod, but fixed the large
sum of S6,V3 which VS. sufficient IL cover
the aggregate amount of the damages by
frs.
In the proceedings for hail Common
wealth Attorney Clements alleged 10 the
court that Nolson had jumped his hail sey-
oral years ago in Alexandria county. The
attorney pleaded against allowing bond in
the present case. stating the belief that
Nelson would escape if allowed his liberty.
This morning The attorney sai id he Mas not
at all surprised when il was found that his
prediction had been verified. From state
ments made today lit is evident that
the officials of the court will leave no stone
unturned to effect the capture OF Nelson.
Sheriff Palmer remarked after receiving
the capias that ii would not do for he fggi-
tive to set foot in Alexandria county again
il he expected to evade arrest. Tn. sheriff
and his deputy, Harry Palmer. VIII scour
the county. and steps will be taken at once
in other directions to ascertain the where
a bouts of the accused. No one at ccurt to-
day seemed to have any idea as 10 where
Nelson had gone.
Judge Love adjourned court abou: noon.
Col G-roeSbeck Replies