The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-22
qe Will To-Day Give All the In
formation He Possesses.
MR., RICHARDSON AGGRESSIVE.
Con.aonwealsh's Attorne. is Using
Z cry Endeayor TO Bring Out All
facts Concerning the Alleged
Corruption in the City
Council-Judge Wits
Ringing Charge.

:, special grand jury of nine men, we'll
known and highly respected in ken
mond. entered upon the inveSusa.ioh ni
or the council! alleged bribery scandal
yesterday. Several witnesses were
hoard and after a session lasting three
hours and half the grand jury ao-
journed at go O'Clock until to-day at
II O'Clock. when the investigation VIII
be continued.
The notable features in the develop
mont of the case yesterday were the
ui0e scope given to the grand jurys ac-
1iIitv bv the, comprehensive and ring
ing charge of Judge Witt. the 1act thal
CAPTAIN Gasser's counsel MI. II. NJ.
Smith, Jr: instructed hln TO lfeeis aiu
frankly tell the grand jury all he may
know in relation to the matter, ana
IN. calling of the former president ana
secretary Of the Traction Company and
Mr. Chris Manning. Jr.. as Witnesses
which was interpreted 10 Indicate com
monwealth Attorney Rlcharoson Pui-
pose to probe other matters tlah 1iie
letting of city contracts
II Is OFFICIALLY intimated that 1t is quite
Ipossible that other witnesses may De can
Ted to-day The Investigation VIII tahe
fanv course that seems good 10 the srdiiu
jury. Its proceedings are, OF course pe-
hind closed doors, but there were many
evidences Yesterday that it had settled
down seriously to the task before 1t ana
would follow out the inquiry TO loSlcal
conclusion, however. long might be the
task set before them.
WIDE SCOPE OF INQUIRY.
While Carafin Charles Gasser and MI
John NJ King in a sense, are stu the
central figures IA the case the announce
rlent that Captain Gasser would To-Day
tell the grand. jury all he knew has,
is generally believed. very greatly WIDEN
-, ,t,f.a s,I ItNsyy
the street last night it was thought that
very proba bly, several names would come
up for consideration by the grand jury
which have had no immediate relation
to the matter thus far on the part OIL
the court and the grand jury. there Is
as little purpose to limit the inquiry to
Nessrs Gasser and King as there as 10
whitewash anyone against whom salts
factory grounds for Indictment may be
found.
The case gives large promise of the
most interesting and sensational develop
ments. The happenings of to-day may
he unexpected as well. The grand jury
may have its attention called to members
Of the Council who were not on the for
1ncr Street Committee. The Common
wealth's Attorney is known to have been
turning over in his mind yesterday after
noon the doings and record OF a member
of the Council who has never been on the
Street Committee.
MANY REPORTS CURRENT.
One of the interesting circumstances in
connection with the situation is the large
amount of information of one character
or another about the -dongs of Council
men that il one way or another has
reached the Commonwealth's Attorney.
He has heard In the most circumstantial
fashion of this man receiving 500 al one
time and $50 at another for his vote. He
has observed that on q salary less than
$1,000 year it is possible to keep car
riage and live in style. He has at his
fingers ends business deals in which
men, who had been unable to meet inter-
est payments had unexpectedly raised
L-ronl somewhere money to pay off obl
Fations amounting to several thousand
dollars. 1hese and other similar reports
which have come to the knowledge of
the Commonwealth's Attorney will pro-
vide Interesting material for sitting by
the grand jury.
Captain Gasser. il is believed, will state
hAat his position has been, not that OF
b pribe offerer. hut of a man held up and
forced to pay out considerable percent
aEc OF his earnings. or else lose contracts
and go out of business. He will claim
tha, he has not endeavored to lead Coun-
ci!men from the path of rectituce, and
n
grafton to secure a contract. His position
VIII be that he has been the victim of
long continued blackmaiI and eNtortion.
which his friends believe to be vastly diff
ferent from that of an offerer5 OF brlbes.
WITNESSES CALLED.
The further course of the inquiry Will
In considerable measure be dependent
urcn the witnesses to be called to-day.
Those called Yesterday were Colonel Cut
bhaH. City Attorney Pollard. Assistant
LitH Engineer Bolton. Captain Stratton
rierh 10 the Street Committee: MIR. Ira
rcrs Daniel. clerk to the City Engineer;
Itmracto-s Gasser, GUIDE and Weinbrunn.
Mr. King. Mr.. Chris. -Ianning. ,Ir.. Mr..
g, I. Beraiss and Mr.. Everett Waddey
OF these witnesses. Messrs. Cutshaw.
Pollard. Bolton and Strafton were heard
yesterday. The ctfers will be heard to-
Say or later. Mr.. John Winston is the Of
fetal stenographer to the grand jury
Every one connected with the Inquiry is
hound over TO secrecy
In the event Of indictment the case
rill be sent down 20 the. Police Court for
trial The penalty is year in jail-no
more and no less-aad fine not exceed
irg $1,000.
when the special grand Jury. consisting
of Messrs. Junius 2. Mosby, W. T. Han
rock. S. Dabney crenshaw. w. H. Cul-
l,rgwor,h. a. r. Yarbrough. Isaac Cohen.
Thomas NJ. -,,herfoord c. E. wingo
ard J. E Phillips. was sworn In at IL
O'Clock yesterday Judge Witt read to
them the following carefully prepared
charge:
Judge Wits Charge.
..c,entlemen ,of ehe grand iury,-You
Aayc. been summoned this morning to in
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