Evening star., 1902-08-25
Effort to Determine Value.

Mr.. White then asked, How do you ar
rive a. its value if you have never seen the
entries In it?"
Beach answered that if it had any entries
of his business affairs it was worth at least
$50 to him. Mr.. White asked witness
whether Hardesty did not on a certain oc-
casion demand $40 for protecting Bea CHI
and that he (Beach) had stated that it was
too much, as $40 was all he could afford in
the present state of business? Beach de-
ciared ne did not remember the occasion,
and Mr.. White inquired
"WiH you swear you did not direct that
such payment Of $40 be entered In the
book?"
Beach replied that he had already stated
that he did not remember anything about
The name of Justice A D. Bailey of Hy-
attsville was mentioned having received
$40 from Beach on one occasion. Mr..
White stated that he regretted the neces-
sity of involving any one in a public accu-
satiOn of this kind but called attention to
the fact that if innocent persons were i'm
plicated they would gladly embrace this op-
portunity to clear their skirts of wrong
doing, as these alleged payments had been
made the subject of gossip all over the
county for some time.
Justice Bailey was present at the hearing
He arose and stated that he would take
occasion to prove his innocence Of the
charge and stated to a representative of
The Star that he intended to go before the
grand jury and demand that the matter
be probed to the bottom, stating that no
stain should attach to his name in this con-
nection.
Charles A Wegner, the defendant next
took the stand and Swore that Beach gave
him the book on April 23 1902 stating it
was to be used solely for the purpose Of
entering payments made to officials to Sc
cure immunity from arrest in violation of
the law, stating that only that class Of
matter should be entered in the book Wit
ness also stated that the same entries were
made in two other books In the possession
of Beach. Beach stated, he said, that this
book was to be used as a weapon Of defense
in case the officers were to attempt to raid
his place of business or otherwise disturb
him, at the same time saying, eff they
bother us we will give them h"
The witness was often interrupted by
Beach, who demanded to know what this
had to do with the case. Mr.. White stated
1t was necessary only to fix the value of the
| book.
The Case Dismissed.
After the taking of testimony had been
closed and Mr.. White had made his argu-
ment to show that the value Of the book
had not been made out, and it had been
shown that the book had been handed to
Wegner by another person employed by
Beach. then was, to all intents and pur-
poses. handed to Wegner by Beach him.
self, the charge of grand larceny or any
other larceny could not lay against the de-
fendant Mr. White also called attention
to the fact that Beach claimed that he had
not seen the book, that he did not know Of
any entries that had been made in it. and
of course, therefore, the book could not be
of any value to Beach.
After consultation with Justice Bailey,
Justice Morrison dismissed the case
Judge Merrick has been urgently request
ed to appoint special officer of his own
selection at Chesapeake Junction to assist
in the breaking up of the alleged gambling
and violations of the law at the Junction,
The citizens have expressed their willing
ness to pay the salary of such officer, it
necessary. out Of their private funds.