The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-17
DEMURRER
SUSTAINED
a Very Remarkable Case in
HenriCO.
CONSTABLES AT WORK
They Have Been Stationed at the vari-
Gus Car Terminas-officers Re-
new Bond-Supervsors Con-
suit About Damage.


In the County Court OF Henrico yes
terday the demurrer to the indictment
against Ryland Martin, the young man
charged with forging the parents con-
sent to the marriage of his youthful
bride, was sustained, and the case was
returned to the grand Jury. which Will
act upon It again at the September term.
The progress of this case has been
quite as peculiar as the case itself. Ac-
cording 10 the Commonwealth's attorney,
the entire affair Is distinctly unique.
1t is without precedent in law, and but
soant light is thrown upon 1t by legal de-
cislons In the past AT two separate
terms Of the grand jury the young man
has been indicted. and upon both occa-
sions the Indictment has been set aside
on technicality. The fact that the
couple were from Hanover and came to
Henrico to get the license brings In the
question of Jurisdiction. At the Septen1-
Der term Of the court the whole matter
will be gone over again, and another In
dictment will probably be ISSUED.
Much sympathy Is felt for the young
man, whose greatest fault has been an
excusable desire to obtain possession Of
the girl he loved The Commonwealth
feels that the method he adopted in do
ing this should not go unpublished, and
therefore the case Is being prosecuted
with all. vjgor. 1t liz probable that II any
conviction is secured there will at once
develop a movement. In which,: all will
Join, to secure pardon for the young
man.
The widespread Belief that a street car
strike has been imminent for some days
is in no way better exemr!fied than by
the very practical preparations Of the
Henrico officials. 1t was ascertained
yesterday for the first time that for
several days, probably, in fact, a, week or
more, there have been stationed at the
various terminals in the county details
of constables with orders 70 protect any
thing or anybody that needed protection.
It was stated by one Of the men yester-
day that while they feared nothing from
the street car employees themselves, the
thizers from becoming obstreperous. It
is understood that there are six consta-
bles at Wasthamptpn, five at Lakeside.
two at Oakwood and one at Seven Pines.
At conference held a day OF two ago.
the supervisors OF Henrco decided to
proceed at once to repair the roads and
bridges injured in the recent floods.
Things will be Strengthened out as well
as possible under the circumstances. The
supervisors pretty well agree that the
damage will amount to six or seven thou
sand dollars or more. Tho roads are
badly washed, and many Of the bridges
have been carried away. The culvert
under the road connecting Barton Heights
and Chestnut Hill was washed away and
the TWO places are now cut off from each
other.
So far as Paramount, which is out OF
the Jurisdiction Of the supervisors. 10
concerned, 1t is stated by the Mayor OF
the town that a portion OF 1t has gone
that the remainder will probably go with
the next hard rain.
under the new Constittion will expire
at the end of this month have appeared
before court and renewed their bond
until the first OF next January. when
they will step down and out, to give way
to those who will be elected this fall.
Among those who appeared were the
supervisors, the commissioners of the
revenue. the sheriff. and the constables.
The. county treasurer will appear later.
Sheriff Simon Solomon was the first on
the list to show up with his bondsman.
Joseph Hoffman, a saloon-keeper OF
the Meadowbridge Road. was tried before
esquire James T. Lewis a day or two
ago. charged with selling whlskey to
minors. The contention of the defense
was that If bought at all in the store.
the LIQUOR was purchased by an adult.
who gave 1t to the minor without the
knowledge and consent OF the saloonist.
While he recognized the perhaps unnec-
essary strlngency of the law, Squire
Lewis declared that according to his In
depreciation of the statute a bar'keeper
was constrained to exert such care in tho
conduct OF his establishment as would
make It impossible for a minor to receive
a drink therein. Fe fined the man fifty
dollars and costs, and reported the case
to the County Court for revocation OF
the license. An appeal was noted by
Mr. Hoffman. who was represented by
Mr. L. O, Wendenburg.
Marriage licenses have been issued to
J. B. Yeamans, of Richmond. and Har-
riet a. Rudd, of Henrico; and William
G Atkinson and sallle Virginia Robins