The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-17
.ACQUH' TED ON
A TECHNICALLY
Jury Instructed to Find 7. A,
Weller Not Guilty.
ANOTHER INDICTMENT DRAWN
The Whole Day Had Been Consumed
in Hearing the Case When it
Unexpectedly Game to
an End.

The trial of S. A. Weller, late president
of the Prudential Bank and trust com
snany. came to a sudden end yesterday
evening at $50 O'Clock.
AR George A. Styll, secretary and
treasurer of the defunct company, was on
tha stand as a. witness for the prosecu-
tion. During the course of his testimony.
counsel for the defense brought out the
fact that while the indictment charged
Mr. Weller with embezzling $500 in
"ITnited States currency" the witness de-
clared that the amount IN quesuon was
represented by a negotiable not Tor saoo-
This could not be controversies, ana the
Commonwealth Attorney agreed with
Judge Witt that the jury should Dc IN
structed to acquit the accused.
..Ir. acouittal is given on this technical
inv said Mr.. Richardson, Il shall carry
the matter to the Grand Jury again.
Judge Witt SO instructed the jury, and
the following verdict was given:
Eve, the jury, find the accused not
guilty upon the ground OF variance
between the allegation ana inc ptool VI
the Indictment.
The hearing Of the case had consumed
the entire day. Some trouble was eX-
perienced in securing jury, the regular
nanel producing only twelve. A venre
If twelve was then summoned. from which
the additional four were CHOSEN.
Mr.. Weller was represented by Messrs.
c. Y. Meredith, Conway f. Sands and
Allen G. Collins.
There was a great mass OF papers ana
hooks upon the desk of the lawyers, and
had If not been for the sudden ending OF
the case. it is probable several days would
have heen consumed, as the defense gave
every evidence of contestlng every inch.
commemorative Attorney Richardson
addressed the jury on behalf of the Com
monmealth. He said he expected to
move that the accused was guilty OF
embezzement, and then gave brlef MS
tory of the aggregate OF the company.
About three years ago a large amount
of running stock was Wlthora"n. anu
the company found Itself conslderapiy
embarrassed In order to turn the tlde'
MIR. Weller was authorized to buy up as
much of the running stock as he could
to the advantage Of the company. 1t was
discovered afterwards that Mr.. Weller
had purchased G55 shares in his own
name, among them sixteen from r. L.
Barnes, for which the paid 500, but winch
was turned in as worth $500, securing the
difference himself. The company under
stood that all transactions were for the
benefit of the company and not for him
self
Mr.. Meredith replied to the Common
vealth's Attorney. He said that the IN
dictment did not make it clear as to
what the nature CT the charge would pc
He had therefore, asked for Dill OF
particulars specifying the charge That
bill stated than ION or about the 18th OF
June, 1901, Weller pretended and repre-
scented to certain directors of the Pru-
Dental Company that he had purchased
from R. L. Barnes sixteen shares OF the
cornnanv for $780, but that he did not CO
SO in fact, for it was learned later that
he had paid but $500 for the sixteen
shares" After reading the bill Mr. Mere
dith staed that he was still IN the DARK
as to the specific charge, as 1t was SAID
that he got both money and notes. he
said that upon no occasion was Weiiel
instructed to purchase stock for any one
but himself, and that all responsibility
was upon him.
The suit of Muller. Steel & Co. against
Ivan Muller was continued to the next
term in the Law and Equity Court.
In the suit of B. F. Shackelford against
the PASSENGER and Power Company for
$50. a verdict for the defendant was
given In the Law and Equity Court yes
terday.
Suit for divorce was instituted by
Frank P Hammell against Mary r.
Hammel.
"The Romancoke Club" was granted a
charter in the City Circuit Court yester-
day morning for hunting and fishing
purposes" This is a pleasure club, with
q. stock of from $1,000 to 5000 with real
estate not to exceed 1000 acres. The
officers are: J. w. Joung. president; r.
II. Johnson, vice-president; William
Todd, secretary and treasurer.
At meeting of the Trgg Company on
June 9th it was resolved by the mold
ers of the majority of the stock thal
| the company should borrow s10o,0V2, or
as much as may be necessary for carry
| ing on it's business, paying its oblisat tons,
| extending its plant etc, and to issue
| and dispose Of its bonds for the amount
| so borrowed. and to mortgage It's cor
| porate property and franchises to Sc
| cure its payments of the indebtedness con-
| tracted for such purposes
| It was decided to execute 900 bonds for
| sl,GG1 and 200 for $500, payable on the
| 14th day OF June, 1912, at the office OF
the Richmond Trust and Safe Deposit
| Company.
| The issue of bonds is secured by a
mortgage for S1000,N30, which was re
| corded in the Chancery Court yesterday.
| The property under the mortgage en-
braces all that now held by the Tr1gg
| Company, including buildings. macnln-
cry, docks. ETC., and the rights and fran
! chises.
The suit of M NJ. Dibrell against the
/ City Of Richmond for $1,000 is on trial in
| the Circuit Court. 1t will conclude to-
! day.
Marriage licenses have been issued to
T. Walter Lanford and Susie p. Foxes
Samuel Mandle and Fannie Sonnenberg,
Horace G. Brown and a. Adelaide Gates.