The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-16
Plaintiff Practically Closes His
Case, Though He May Have
One Mere Witness.
MANY AFFlDAvlTs ARE READ
Counsel for Defendants 10 Begin
I. Taking Their estimony
This Morning.

the plaintiff In the damage suit OF j.
Ill. Busby against Luther Dawson, SOL
l.. Bloomberg and Harry Marks an-
uounced that they had closed their case,
80 far as tho taking of testimony Is
concerned, unless they shnll decide to In
troiucc one moro witness.
There were a great many dispositions
OF Northern creditors of Busoy read to
The Jury by counsel for both sides during
: tho day. All these have been heretofore
printed III this paper during the former
trial
Mr. A. L.. Lucas, confidential clerk and
liend bookkeepcr for Busby, was on the
stand for several hours yesterday morn
ling, and he was further cross- examined
in most rigid manner by MAssrs.
Smith, Meredith and Hunton, counsel for
the defendants. Messrs. Royal and
James introduced a large number OF other
4 witnesses and several OF them were put
on In an effort to establish that the
letter bearing date June Goth, sent out TO
Busbys debtors here by Dawson. was
written prior to that time. and that 1t
bore no date when first offered In evil
dencc ut the former trial of the case.
1t looks as il the case may be dis
POSED of by the end Of the present week.
The Morning Session.
Judge Ingram ascended the bench promptly
fdential clerk and bookkeeper OF Busby. re-
aumed the stand. and Mr.. Smith further
inventories. letters. dates. etc. and he was
again asked by Mr.. Smith concerning the
aag uH Which L was neEsd
had been forged. Tho lawyer drew from the
4 witness strong admission that tho latter was vas
( mistaken and that he now recalled that the
date was on the paper when 1t was first
4 handed him on the stand at tho first trial.
stooh ssap 70 hs "
witness said the last time he knew OF the
matter being talked Of between pawsSn tr and
Smith dwelt upon this matter. endeayorlng
ness with reference to the proposed reorgani-
4, cation scheme. This part of the examination
y th nra over Of old straw. nothing
new or startling having been brought OUT
Mr.. Smith Kept the testimony Of the wit
ness at the former trial almost constantly
before him, and now ana again ne en m req
witness. often reading from the record OF
N Mr., Meredith now took charge Of the Wit
H,lnton took hin, and asked for the data
.s sa as me- snass
+ asSed many questions as 10 the details Of tho
Il snlsin,;r'a affairs from time to time.
Z NE Meredith, that outside Of what was
Es9n, as the Marks letter Of June 18th; he
hse ever had anything to do with Busby' )
affairs, 50 far the pending controversy
was concerned.
s Admits Mistake.
In the cash statements made by Lucas of
Rusby's Affairs OF June 1G. 1903 which
Il was In controversy Tuesday. there was a
memorandum in the handwriting OF Dawson
include the $4,000 due L. d. Lucas had pre-
vfously testified that Bushy did not owe Daw-
son $4,000 on June 18th. He now admitted.
under severe cross examlnation by Mr. Smith.
that he was mistaken, and that on June 18th
BashS did We Daws9n ov .his am9nn sal,
when Dawson referred to the question of or
ganizing stock company out of Rusby's
soeates," but he did not call names
He testified that some one had taken from
ss e f Euses the N by
them after their receipt until they we're pro-
1t was 1a o'clock when Mr., Lucas left the
stand and Mr. A. A !, Petnt!sreww. of Man
collector for Busby. He took the Dawson n
s June and io h s s a Of ss Is in
copies OF the letter Written by Lucas, and
sent out to persons against whom, tho wit
remembered distinctly that this was as early
as March, 1908 L. y Reid was next put
He said he was friends OF Mrs FRS j. c.
McLaughln, and she had shown him letter
sssS MI and ha suit on
amount for Mrs, Mclaughlin. Receipts wero
produced. dated March 49,. 1909, and witness
was sure he had seen tho letter prior to
this date. Mr.. Royal war again trying to
establish that this letter was written by Daw-
3 son without date as early rs March. 1908:
d / bc at n
y WAS put In during the former trial,
Mr.. Brown on the Stand.
Mr.. Leroy Brown. collector for Bushy,
testified that the letter shown him on, the
Busby.
ne was positive this letter had been used
Us carly as March I. 1908.
The Last Resort.
On cross examination, witness said tbes.
.etters were used as a last resort on bad
ray customers. and he had known OF ono
wrote the letters and.esigned Dawson's name
TO them.
Witness said tho letter was generally
\ known at the store as the Dawson letter.
and when one Of them was sent 10 a GUS
to-, toner the bill o. tho party was marked ID"
with that Of Mr.. Lucas as 10 tho number
Of these letters sent out Mr. Smith put the
and he was kept on the stand for a long time.
Mt Royal sent for Mrs j. G. Mclaughlin.
but the witness was TOO III TO attend court.
Mr. r. T.. Owen. the stenographer in the
case, was put on and questioned by Mir
Royal. lie was asked what the records
Ebowed on tho subject OF when the famous
Dawson letter was first offered In evidence al
the former trial. HIS answer WAS that II
was first offered in the afternoon of March
4 fs03. and that Mr., Lucas heran his ties.
tlrnony on the morning Of March nh, Mr.
toYall was attempting to show that the let
ter was among the papers on the table I'm the
court room a long enough time to have been
,annered With, after 1t was offered in owl
ooionol r. o James, Of counsel for tho
plslrtm read fr1rn the former record a
nnn,hfr ~ ,atfldnvi,s Of Busby's northern
prrtea N'-''''''
At O'CLOCK tho court took a reces. until
1sgs ss'9'slesss| W