The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-04
Man Who Lost Park Ho-
tel Bar License Invited
and Helped Him.
THEN WORKED TO
GET LICENSE BACK
Admits in Saunders Libel Suit
That Manning's Name Was
Stricken Out on Promise to
Aid Atkinson's Petition.
Based CRATER" Charge
on Hearsay.

on Hearsay.
Under skilful cross examination.
Adon a. Yoder, publisher OF a weekly
pamphlet In Richmond since last .Jnlv
now being sued jointly with tho wi.
iihns Printing Company for s20.t0o Inv
Slyae w. Saunders for alleged libel,
az aallittea under oath in the Law ana
EIuity court yesterday that many or
ms charges against Saunders and the
City Democratic Committee wore hs sa,,
on hearsay, and that he had no evf.
dence to support them. He admitted
having corresponded with j. Marsball
Atklnson, former proprietor OF tne
Park Hotel, before coming to Ricn-
mond; that Atkinson had loaned h,m
money with which to issue his pamph-
let; that he had lived for time NJ
5Atkinsons hotel, and had his of,ce
there. and that he had appeared as !
witness in the Hastings Court w6en
.he Park Hotel sought to have fts
Incense restored after It had been re.
soRed Tor selling liquor to minors.
me court barred from the fury A
lurther lino of questioning designed to
snow mat foder had erased from tho
printed copies of one issue az hia
pamphlet the name OF Police con,n,is.
sioner Chris. Manning. Jr. which had
been coupled with those OF Saunders.
Morgan II. Mills. Gilbert X. Pollock
ana others as Marked for Slaughter.
on the understanding that Manning
would withdraw his objection as a
Police Commissioner to the renewal of
the Park Hotel bar license.
What Did He Mean.
In many instances Yoder on tho
stand was disposed to bubble over tho
meaning Of words, and to avoid direct
answers to questions. III one case
Where he had used the term "rraftsr,si
as srefcrrings tn Saunders, he said tI,at3
Wiile 1t was his own understantifny
mat !a the term means corrupt or dis.
honest politician. yet there were 9th
ers who did not consider a "rrafter,,
as necessarily dishonest or corrupt.
attorney Robert z. Scott. who repre-.
sented Mr.. Saunders, had hard work to
p.css for direct answer to number
OF questions, which were rcpeated
again and again
Much OF the morning session was
Laken UP with discussions of franchise
ha. ters. and the Investigations which
lolioWed in the summer OF 1908 with
many references to the grand jury IN
.es,isatlon and to la minority report
'.aue by three members or the grand
ury, making sweeping charges OF cor
upton, and which 1t was surrested
ad been suppressed.
nu.us c: Williams. Of the Williams
rintiiiS Company, one Of the defend.
MS. on the stand. testified that he was
.erely the printer, not the publisher
tne pamphiet:: that he had freouent-
not seen the copy to bc used hern,,
was printed. and that he had NO ner'
onal malice against Saunders who
as however. rival In the printing.
usiness He admitted that no had
ever made any retraction or apology
no mad continued to print the pamnh.
= Tor time after the suit wac In.
.ttuted.
Interest in the case has grown an
lch hearing. Tho courtroom has bcen
acKed to Its standing-room capacity.
Street Car Franchises.
=. NJ. Williams. formerly with ths
lchmond Traction Company. was the
st witness. He said that Charles v.
ercalth had been employed as an at
rney because OF his ability as an at
rney, and his reputation for probity.
C admitted that the employment oe
Manning and others as Iob-a#
lists met with Mr.. Mercdith's an
oval.
Police Commissioner Manning told
ore In detail of the Traction fran
lisc extension, and OF conversations
ith Mr.. Meredith. Mr. Waddey anl
r. Williams at the residence OF e. II.
emiss. and at Mr. AIeredith's Office.
g said he had helped the Traction
ompany to get its Broad and Main
rect extension. and had at first re-
lsed to accept compensation, as he
anted the line on Main Street.
lie testified that Mr.. Meredith told
nj that he should receive compensa-
on for his time. Mr.. Meredith said
did not know what Mr.. Manning got
r his work. The witness repeated
at Mr. Meredith had advised him that
would be legimatc for him to ac.
pt compensation.
Writ u. Taylor told of conferences
Mr.. Bemss's residence on street car
alters, and said he and Jofln j.
nch had conferred with AIr. Mere.
n at the Iatter's house The conrt
cluded much of the evidence as II.
evant. as it merely tended to show
at had already been practically ads
tied, that Saunders on certain oc-
ions and while member of the
y Committee, had accepted fees from
porations for his Influence in sccur-
votes for franchises pendln. be.
c the City Council,
Saunders Recalled.
IT, Saunders was recalled TO ths
nd for few moments TO tell Of
tain elections In which the charge
been made that there was fraud
II charge, he said, had in ons
cific Instance been brought before
City Committee. There was a con-
and recount OF the votes cast. with
lc change in the result. Saunders
aitted taking active part In many
/, and state elections, having had
friends for whose election he had
'ked. the lawyers threshing over
eral of the most hotly contested
y lights OF tho past ten yesrs,