The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-09
sa4tEigI
Saunders Gets Verdict
in Suit Against Yoder
and w illiams.
JURY SIMPLY
NAMED AMOUNT
Awarded Damages in Sum Of
$1,000, Judge Ingram Refusing
to Set 1t Asidc-Scott's Dc
nunciation of Yodcr Most
Severe Ever Heard in
Richmond Courtroom.

a verdict for damages In the sum oi
$1,000 was rendered by tile Jury In the
Law nnl Equity Court Into ycstcrtIay
afternoon in the suit OF Clyde w. saun-
dcrs against <idon a. Sodcr and the
Williams PrintinE Company. Under
the instructions of the court. the de-
fcndnnts nrc Jointly liable. should tho
verdict he Sustained In the appellate
court, either purity nny he held for
the cntirc amount Should the other
fail ON payment.
The verdict came after n long day os
forccful argument. I'm the course OF
which Attorney Robert r. scott, for
saunders, delivered one OF the most
bitter eScorintions OF Yoder ever heard
In Richmond court OF justIcc. the
nttorncy dcpouncfnS him ms n "sncak-
inS hypocritc from Lynchburg," who
cnmc to Richmond at the Instigntion|
of and witt, financial assistance OF j.
mnrshall Atkinson. proprietor OF the|
Park Hotel. for the purpose of making
Ncnomous nftnck on those 0HlciaIxI
who hnd been instrumental In securing
'"c revocation of the hotels bar i'll
cense. The notion followed conviction|
In the Hustings Court for sellinEssybis-
Key to boys and girls, described by the|
attorney as the "most hcIlish net, bnr.I
rttE the hyDocrisy of Todcr. that thfs|
community has ever ritnesscd.''
Damages on Instructions.
Charles V. Meredith. who appeared
for the defense. admitted in opening his
argument that under the Instructions
plaintiff. but that it might find only
N .lS.- l,n1i fn Isat .
tiT had been damaged. the basis of his
argument being that the damage lat
been but nominal. At no time in thu
conduct of the case did Mr.. Meredith
undertake to prove the truth of this
articles published by Yodcr abou,
Saunders. the basis OF his argumen,
being that Yoder had believed them to
be true and that Saunders had showed
a sudden animosity toward his client
in resenting his attacks. when he had
passed by in silence those of William
L. Royal and others in the senatorial
campaign of 1905, when the printed
reports of public speeches showed that
the political leader was under severe
fire.
Mr.. Meredith's argument lasted less
than an hour, and a part of the time
was taken in explaining his own con-
tho Traction Company franchise. argu-
ing that there was wide difference
between that fight, done under specific
contract that no money was to be I'M
properly used, and the work or Saun-
ders, Manning and others In securing
the franchise of the Bell Telephone
Mr.. Scott, who closed the argument.
said that there could be no higher ar
for his side than that Mr.. Mer-
edith. recognized as the leader of tho
Richmond bar and ms, the most skiifu1
lawyer in the city, with all his learning
and ability. and after days of study.
had been unable to offer to the jury
one word of proof of the accusations
made In tho ibelous publications or
any excuse for their circulation.
Try Yodcr Again To-aIorrow.
Mr.. Meredith at several points asked
that the case be hurried along with O
view of reaching a verdict last night.
He informed the court that he is to
appear as counsel for Yodcr IN the
Hastings Court Tomorrow, In pso-
;cedings brought by Police Comn1is-
sioner W. Douglas Gordon, In which
Manningeanda Police JUS
lice Crutchficld arc party compartments,
Tor criminal libel against the PAM
phleteer. In the Police Court Yoderl
was convicted and given fifteen days|
In jail. and the case comes up to-mor-|
row ON appeal, With Judge Harrison,|
Of Winchester. sitting for Judge Witt.
The,verdict was brought in by the
Jury Just before o'clock. after havipgI
been out one hour. 1t was, received in
silence, Foreman r, c. Wherry handing
the written verdict to, Deputy Clerk
Libby as the jurymen fled to
their seats. No movement was
made by counsel for either side for|
some moments, and it was not until
after the Judge had thanked and dis
the Jury that Mr.. Meredith
rose and made the usual motion to set
aside the verdict and grant new trial
on the grounds of errors IN the adj
mission and exclusion of evidence, mis-.
direction OF the jury. and that the ver-
dict was contrary to the law and evl-
dence.
Judge Ingram overruled the motion.
and after conference of counsel the de-
tense was given ninety DAYS in which
TO ile bills Of exception and prepare
The record in the avent that il is de-
sided to carry tho case TO the Court of
Appeals The defendants were given
fifteen days In whicl, to file suspen-
'ion bond OF $4,000,
Money In 1t, Says WillIains.
The first victory for the Saunders
'orces was in tho instructions given
~ the court shortly after tho Jury as
'embled. Mr., Scott asked leave to pitt
N an additional witness to complete his
ase. and #. r, A. burke. q hookkeeper
or A. IIoen & Company, WAS sworn.
lie told OF a conversation with n. III.
Williams. Of the Williams Printing
lust after ,tlSc suit was insti-
uted. In which the witness expressed
nrprise that any member OF the print
ng trade ot the city would Issue such
dirty sheet" upon which Williams
lad answered. There is money IN itn
John r, Leary was offered as Wit
less. and asked the question: Was
OF the publication such
$ would be likely to cause a breach
Il the pcace?" but on objection thA
mo III ,n, , ~