The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-01-23
The Ammons' Case.
To The FREE LANCE:

To The FREE LANCE:
Stafford County, Va. Jan. 20, 1902.
There having appeared in print several
statements in regard to the case OF the
Commonwealth vs. c. T. Ammons. a
statement of the facts az they occurred
would not be a miss.
Mr.. C. 7. Ammons, of Richmond, Va,
president OF the Ammons Picking Co.,
has been dealing in pickles for a number
of years, purchasing. pickles from our
local dealers. In Sept, 1901, he pur-
chased OF Messrs. Wallace and Moncure
a car load of pickles for s4O9, to be de-
liyered in Fredericksburg !. o. b. cash.
The pickles were delivered by Messrs
Wallace and Moncure as contracted,
were taken to Richmond and delivered
to the Ammons Pickling Co. He failing
to pay for same in reasonable time,
Mr.. r. IL Moncure. one of the members
of the firm of Wallace and Moncure. went
TO see about the matter. Mr.. Ammons
gave Mr.. Moncure note in full settle
ment OF all accounts, payable on Dec. Ia,
1901. Mr.. Moncure stated he could not
accent the note unless Mr. Wallace agreed
To the same. He came back to bis home
and the note was never returned to Mr..
Ammons but was retained by Messrs.
Wallace and Moncure and produced by
them at the trial
Some time early in Novemberapetition
was filed in the U. S. District Court for the
Eastern District OF Va, by the creditors
ofthe Ammons Picking Co., which threw
the company into involuntary bank
ruptcy.
Just before the regular grand jury term
OF Stafford County court in Nov. 1901,
Mr.. G. B. Wallace, one. of the firm OF
Wallace and Moncure and also Common
wealth's Attorney for the county oil
Stafford, wrote Ammons letter stating
that unless he paid said amount he, (Mr.
Wallace) as Common wealth's Attorney,
would have him (Mr. lannon's, indicted for
getting money under false pretenses. 10
which letter Mr.. Ammons replied that he
had been guilty of no criminal act. but
that he (Wallace) had rendered himself
liable to criminal prosecution for wri-
ting such letter.
When the grand jury was impanelled
and sworn in November, 1901, MIR.
Wallace went before it with the indict-
ment and had Ammons indicted. At the
December term, 1901, owing to some de-
fects, this indictment.was nolle prosecuted
by the Attorney for the Commonwealth,
but a special grand jury was impanelled
and a new indictment wasfoun against
Ammons. before the first one was dis
missed. 1t was upon this indictment that
Ammons was tried and convicted at the
January term, 1902, and the verdict set
aside and new trial granted by Judge
Lipscomb on account OF an error in this
indictment.
1t was proven during the trial that c.
T. Ammons and the Ammons' Picking
Company had been buying on time from
local picking houses for the last two
years. Mr.. Ammons stands well with the
citizens OF Richmond, as evidenced by the
character of those who appeared to tes-
tify in his defence on day Of trial-Judge
s. B.Witt, Judge of Hastings court; Com
monwealth's Attorney ID. c. Richardson,
Sergt. Hall, Detective Phillips, and
two other citizens Of standing and
credit in Richmond, all OF whom testified
to his honesty, integrity and Christian
character, who never knew him to be