Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-11


i Justice Crutchfie1d said he preferred to
hear the counsel. He said that no one in
/! the room was suffering more from the
| work than he, but he wanted to give the
ease all the consideration necessary &
Justice Asks auestIons.:5 3s5.
While the attorneys were debating the
lsquestion Justice Crutchf1 cid announced
that he had few questions that he
would like to ask OF Messrs. GUIDE and
Weinbrun, and directed that all three OF
the contractors retire from the court
room,
He then called Mr. weinbrun to the
stand. and asked him this pointed ques-
| ton: 49, - &
Did you say before the Street Commit
tee thatsyou had not paid out money for.
procuring contracts with the city?
"A. I did.
Q. Have you ever made oath that you
have never paid money to secure con-
tracts from the city?
"A. did before the grand jury
Justice Crutchfield: To-day you swore
l;that you, GUIDE, and Gasser5 did pay for
contracts, and now you admit that you
swore before the grand jury that you
didn't Why did you swear to one thing
then and to another to-day?
A. I tried to save Mr.. King.
O.. Then you swore to a lie
A. That is what did.
Mr.. Guide was called and questioned by
| Mr.. Crutchfeld
O.. Did you deny before the Street
Committee that you had paid for city
contra acts?
| "A. Yes, sir.
@. Have you made an oath or affidavit
that you did not pay money for these;
contracts
1Ir. GUIDE Baked.
Mr.. GUIDES face was blank, and it.
was evident that he was not prepared
for such questioning, and he looked ap-
pealingly to the Commonwealth's Attor-
ney and to his attorney, Mr.. II. NJ. Smith,
Jr., who stood in the bar
Mr.. Richardson, recognizing that he was
being appealed to, said to Mr.. Guide that
he was not compelled to answer the ques-
| ton if it eliminated himself. Mr.. Smith
said that it was against public policy to
disclose in a trial court something that
mad transpired in the secret chambers of
the grand jury.
Justice Crutchfield pushed his question:
Did you at any time or at any place
ever swear that you had never paid
| money to get a city contract?"
| Here Mr.. Richardson said that a mem
Der of the grand jury could not be called
to testify to i1npeach the witness.
+: Inc Justice repeated the question:
| Mr.. Richardson said that he objected
| to disclosing in the trial court the secrets
| that transpired before the grand jury.
Mr.. Crutchfield: 81 didn't say anything
about the grand jury, but do want to
get at the facts. That is all want "
| Mr.. GUIDE, in answer to question by
Mr. Richardson stated that he had never
| made sworn statement about the mat
| ter except before the grand jury.
l Mr. INIT off Cd ha as
contractors had been assured that they
| would not be punished for bribe-giyine
! they made a: clean breast of the whole
affair. isst5.
| Hsg. Proceeded to Say Things.
| Mr. Guide stated that he had told ..ie
| grand jury that Gasser owed him, and
he was made to produce his check-book.
| but his checks were not examined. He
said they asked him if he owed Gasser
! S166 and he replied: Eyes, and more, too.
He said he did not recollect telling the
grand jury that he had not paid money,
but was sure that he did tell the Street
Committee that he did not have any
thing to do with the transactions.
z.'Ildid tell the grand jury" Mr.. GUIDE
i continued, ...at I had not paid Mr..
King $3.50. I did tell the grand jury that
| I had not paid for contracts, but did SO
because was informed that was in the
same box with Mr.. King; and when I was
told that no harm would come to me by
telling the truth, I told the whole truth.
Mr. Richardson: Where did you get
that advice not to talk on the case?
A. 1 hate to tell, but it was law
| yer.
Mr.. Richardson: Well, who was the
| lawyer?
A. It was the former attorney Of Mr..
| King He said we were in the same box
| r., Nv. Z T q fra II
| tell.
Mr.. Weinbrunn was recalled by Justice
| Crutchfield, and when asked why he had
refused to tell the story Of the contracts
| to the grand jury, repeated that he was
| acting under advice of a lawyer, who said
| he had better not talk, because it would
| be better for us. I'VE were afraid that
we were as bad off as Mr.. King was"
he said.
49,, Argument of Counsel.
/ When this incident Zone of the most
i sensational of the case) was closed, Mr..
/ Richardson opened the argument in ac-
cord with the request of Justice Crutch-
| field. He made short argument, but it
| was to the point, and elected excellent
| attention from the large crowd in the
| courtroom. He said that the case was
| painful one to him, because of two
| reasons. The first, he said. was that he
had known and liked Mr.. King for many
years, and that he was grieved to prose-
cute him on the charge of a serious crime,
and, second, because he was grieved to
-find that city that he believed to be
| pure, is, if the charge be true, corrupt
| in some particulars
| Mr.. Meredith followed in a strong
| speech on behalf of his client, in which
he bitterly attacked the evidence Of
Messrs. GUIDE and Weinbrunn, whom he
accused of perjury, and said they could
! not be believed on OATH. lie argued that
| the charge had not been proven, and
| asked that the accused be dismissed.
! Mr.. Carter said he endorsed everything
said by Mr.. Meredith, but that he did not
| see the necessity of going into lengthy
| argument
| Mr. Richardson closed for the Common
| wealth in another brief and concise state
/ ment.
Sentence Pronounced.
| When he had taken his seat, Justice
/ Crutchfield said, in clear voice:
| IT have given this case patient and
! careful hearing, and while I am sorry
that I must say it, I believe Mr.. King
guilty, and must therefore. send him to
/ Jail for twelve months and assess a fine
| against him of $780,
When the judgment of the court came,
/ Nv