The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-09-14
Something About the Central
Figure on Richmond Stage.
THERE ARE TWO MEN IN ONE
Mr.. Richardson in Court and mr..
Richardson Out of Court Have
Little Resemblance The
Best of Good Fellows.

the conviction Of John N. King on
4 the charge OF accepting biibe, in
4 the prosecution of the alleged gam
blers. in the investigation by the
special grand jury OF municipal COR
rc3tion. in the vanquishirg of those evils
which have caused a stencil in the nos
trils of the city, no man has been more
consistently in the great white light of
publicity than has Mr.. David G. Rich
ardson. Commemorative Attorney. NO
man has worked harder for ultimate re-
SUITS on man has more thoroughly dended
to the task of cleaning the Angean sta
bles than has this tail, Soft-s,oken. pen
etrative individual. and no man has
achieved greater results with the mate
rails at hand.
When duty is at stake. friend and foe
are the same to Mr.. Richardson. Off
cially. he knows man beyond a bowling
acquaintance: each case comes TO him as
unit in the criminal problem, which he
is paid to solve. Every man in the game
is pawn on the chess board of justice
and Mr.. Richardson always plays to win,
From the chicken thief. with the slanted
back forehead, to the municipal corrup-
ZIONIST. who has stood honored among
his fellows. they are all the same. MI
Richardson has a pronounced idea of
duty, and he is unfiaEginG IN its service.
He knows 10 other creed than blind ODE
dience TO the precepts which have raised
him to the Cat this momenD most feared
man in this State in certain quarters.
Now that 1t chances that he has been
made the figure around which the reform
movement in Richmond centers. he has
gone steadily ahead. asking no favors
and accepting none. doing his duty. AS
a c,.lld ne was the man of to-day in
miniature: as the man of to-day he is
one to whom the city looks for moral
vindication. for a crushing of the octopus
OF immortality which was suddenly re-
vealed TO the astonished gaze of Rich
mond some time ago BE took 1T as
matter of fact. because he is very
matter Of fact man, is Mr.. Richardson.
In his eyes the primrose by the river
brink is merely so much substantial evil
dence of its own existence. He doesn't
happen to be acquainted with the poetic
twist Of it. particularly in court.
TWO MEN in ONE.
There are two Mr.. Richardson's. One Is
the official Mr.. Richardson. a placid
faced man. a thinking machine. solver
OF mathema teal problems, a man with
keen eyes, which look into q witness
soul. and make him wish he wasn't there.
That is the official Mr.. Richardson. The
other Mr.. Richardson is totally dit
ferent sort of person. He always wears
smile, WHICH Is ItSliOilSipiSa Iva o. So
of wrinkles about his mouth, and he can
tell funny story. and he doesn't mind
snaring a little time TO any other man
who can tell a funny story. He has
hearty handshake, and he frequently
shows his gold teeth, the keen eyes twin
kle mer.rily and the deep student is shown
only by the deep set eyes and few
trifing corrugations in his forehead.
That is the NJ. Richardson that every
man likes.
Mr. Richardson is calm, cold reasoner.
He traces every theory to logical con-
cluson. and if he can do it no other
way he will get out and make personal
Investigations: he is quick TO see the
tiny flaw which Will rupture the whole,
and he is perfectly willing to have his
opinion changed. Once convinced Of
ruth he will fight to the bitter end for
is establishment. and he has very Sc
Guctive way of presenting a truth. One
of the most eminent lawyers in this
State, who heard the King case tried.
mas paid Mr.. Richardson the tribute OF
raging that he had never seen such a
clear presentation OF case or a. moro
complete establishment of 1t than re-
suited from Mr.. Richardson's work.
In an argument before a court nr.
Richardson's reasoning powers are shown
at their best. He is not an eloquent