The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-03
EVIDENCE ONLY
CIRCUMSTANTIAL
The buckingham Prisoners Were
Balled in the Sum OF
5000 Each.

Editor Of The Tlncs-Dispatch:
slr,-Your special from this place in
your this mornings paper Is calculated
to produce a wrong impression as to the
trial hero on yesterday of q. G, Wool
bridge and Charlie Forbes, upon the
charge of burning the residence OF j ohm
S. Forbes on the night of March Sd.
Is Tic testimony of Edloe Spencer, who
respondent reports It,. that Woodbridge,
when arrested. said, IT have been expect
Ing this for some time The fact is that
woodbridge having heard that he was
suspected, wrote n letterfsto Peter A
Forbes. clerk of the court (and brother
of John s. Forbes), saying that he had
heard that he was suspected. and would
like to be arrested at once and have the
matter investigated and cleared up
Again, the testimony of Spencer, as
reported In your paper, was that Wool
bridge told him that Charlie Forbes was
within four and a half miles of that
place-namely, Forbess postoffice. The
fact Is that Mr., FOCUS, chief of police OF
Farmville, testified that he was present
when this conversation took place. and
that Spencer first told Woodbridge at
Forbes's postoffice that Charlie Forbes
had been seen by Joel Harvey to pass
| MS mouse OH ohluTudy iHollllIlS. w WI
bridge then gave Spencer the written
memorandum which you publish. direct
Ing him to telephone Winston Mckinney
to zee Joel Harvey and find out all
about the matter OF Forbes being seen
in the neighborhood. FOCUS said there
was no impression made on his mind at
ill tending to iinplicate woodbridge.
Again, your special says the measure
1nent Of the shoe tracks correspondent
with Wooldrldges shoe shown In court.
The fact is the witness stated that the
shoe tracks were made by a shoe with
either a good new heel or by one that
had a flat countersinls Of IRON" where
as the shoe shown In court had the heel
entirely worn off, There was no cor
| respondence.
Again, Spencer testified, according to
your special, that Woodbridge said You
have one Of us now; why don't you get
the other two?" FOCUS said that Spen-
Ger told Forbes there were the shoe
tracks of three men. and that Forbes
then said, In hantering way. well, as
YOU have one why don't you get tho
other two? but that 1t was said in a.
way which made no impression what
ever OF a confession of participation
in tho crime by woodbridge.
The commissioner OF ball to-day
granted ball to Woodbridge and Forbes
In Ethe sum of 1000 each. Ihe lrletlus
OF woodbridge were present In large
numbers ready and able to gives ten
times the amount Of bail required. but
on account Of the bitterness. Of feeling
among the the large Forbes connection
In Wooldridge's neighborhood. which
might seem to threaten violence to Wool
bridge, and also on account Of the
deeply indignant feeling OF Woodbridge
against those who caused his arrest,
which might lead him (being a high
tempered man) to some violence against
them, Wooldridge's counsel and friends
thought it best for him to remain IN jail
for the present, and he yielded to their
advice. But he can be liberated any
moment he desires, as can also Forbes
II he gives the required bond.
write you this hasty communication
TO counterfeit the altogether erroneous
Impression which your to-day's "spe-
ciain Is calculated to make The result
OF the trial on yesterday was q widely
expressed sentiment that nothing moro
than, vague suspicion was elected, and
no specific fact whatever duplicating
woodbridge In the crime. And, Indeed,
there are nothing but suspicious clrcum-
stances to duplicate Charlie Forbes
buckingham e. III, Va, June !. 1904,