The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-22
VAN BERSH0T WON
CHARGE OF LARCENY OF ODD FELL
LOWS PROPERTY wITHDRAwN.
GROVER NOT AT HEARING.
APPEARED BEFORE JUSTICE
AND WITHDREW CHARGE.

Mr.. Van Bershot Indignant and
Wanted Redress-Says He VIII
Press the Charge of Assault and
battery Against Grover-An Effort
TO Have the Matter Dropped-NIr.
Van BershO4's Statement of the
Cnse.
The troubles between two members
of the Savannah Encampment of Odd
Fellows. were revived yesterday and
although one of them, Frank Grover,
waved the olive branch of peace and
withdrew his charge of larceny after
trust, which had been pending before
Justice of the Peace Naughtin, James
Van Bershot, against whom the charge
was made, insisted that hearing be
held and that he be legally exonerated
of the charges, which he considers
might otherwise seriously reflect upon
his character.
At 10 O'Clock in the morning Grover
went to Justice of the Peace Naughtin
and told him that he wanted the
charge of larceny which he had pre-
ferred against Van Bershot withdrawn.
Justice Nahghtin told him to come
around at the time at which the hear
ing had been set in the afternoon.
Ready for the Hearing.
Mr.. Grover did not appear at the
appointed time, but Van Bershot, ac-
companied by his counsel, Robert L.
Colding, was in court with papers
which already established his inno-
cence of any misappropriation of the
Odd Fellows funds.
Mr.. Van Bershot was indignant, that
Grover had not shown up and de-
manded redress. He was told that his
only redress now was to bring a suit
for damages for malicious prosecution.
Mr.. Van Bershot replied that he want
ed none of Growers money, but that he
wanted to be set right before the peo-
pie of Savannah. He produced type
written document, showing the arti-
cles which were left over from the Odd
Fellows fair, which he had sold, and
containing the prices for which they
were sold and the names of the pur-
chasers. Grover was down on the list
of purchasers, having bought two pic
lures at 81 each. Something over 81
had been deducted from the amount of
the proceeds for drayage and other
expenses.
Says Charges Were Malicious.
To reporter for the Morning News,
Mr. Van Bershot said: 1.-The charges
were malicious. He couldn't prove
them and he didn't dare let the case go
to trial. The whole thing is a case of
persecution all the way through. My
charge of assault and battery is a valid
charge and l shall certainly not with
draw it. 1t will probably come up for
trial in the city court, as l do not be-
lieve there will be preliminary hear
ing before Justice of the Peace Wick
ham.
Il appeared here at the appointed
| time with my lawyer ready and anx-
ious to prove that Growers charges
were nothing more nor less than pure
fiction, engendered through spite. The
papers I have here show that every
dollar which passed through my hands
has been accounted for. The goods left
over from the fair were turned over to
Savannah Encampment and were then
turned over to me to dispose of. Most
of thte goods were sold to members of
the Encampment. Last week a party
came to me and stated that the charge
against me for larceny would be with
drawn if / would consent to withdraw
my charge for assault and battery. In
other words, l was asked to consent to
| having the whole matter dropped. OF
| course l refused and l should have
| been better satisfied if this hearing
| had taken place"