The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-03
SAUNDERS SAYS He
SUFFERED DAMAGE
Plaintiff in Idea Suit Tells
About Effect of Publication
on His Business.
DECLARE MEREDITH
KNEW ALL ABOUT 1T
Chris Manning Says One Of the
Conferences, at Last, Was Held
at Attorney Office, Which Lat
ter Denies-Yoder on Stand.

Wide public interest in the $4,000,
suit OF Clyde w. Saunders. profes.
sional politician and so-called .'poiiti,
cal boss. against II the willard
Printing Co. and Adon A. Yoder
editor of The Idea. was betokened
by the increase in .thecscrowd tina,
Hooked to the Law and Equity CourI
chamber Thursday morning. ssTs'S'f
The connection of Saunders with
!ocal-Pelities and his influence I'm Sc
curing franchises for corporation,
was further rehearsed. Saunders and
ioder were both on the stand DUR
Ing the day. Perhaps the most In
terestiEg witness WAS Chris Mann.
ing. who insited that Mr.. c. V. Mere
dith, formerly City Attorney, and nov
counsel for Toder. knew all about
the arrangements made under which
Saunders and others were 90 be paid
for working in the interest of the
franchise for the Richmond Traction
Company
There are many other witnesses 10
be examined Among them are James
r. Pace, City Treasurer: Q. A. Hawk
Taylor Ellyson, Lieutenant-G Governor
and chairman of the State Demo
cratic Committee; James b. Wood.
Superintendent of the Penitentiary
James n. Boyd, l.. z. Morris, l., Il.
Thomasson. James r. Gordon, H. l..
Denoon. John p. Leary. o. j. Sands.
Meade Addison. John c. Hagan, +.
M. Long, Robert Lecky, Jr.. J. A.
Chandler Mayer Dc Richard
son, Henry r. Pollard. George Aims
lie, NJ. e. Marcuse, w. p. Taylor.
n~In T. yNx -
Brock. Or. G. v. Darlington, Robert
M. Smyth. Jeffrey Montague, Davis
Bottom, the Public Ainter; Health
Chief .. c. Levy and Joseph N. Shell
ton. ys4a-sss 8
Tells About Lobbying.
Mr. LAngbourne Williams. OF the
old Richmond Traction Company
was the first witness of the day.
Questioned by Charles v Meredith,
counsel for the defense, Mr.. Williams
told Of the influence brought TO
bear in obtaining franchise privileges
FIR the street car company.
las l remember It." witness said.
replying to one query you and Mr.
Bemiss were directing the fight for
the franchise. Mr.. Saunders was
employed by the company to CO.
operate with YOU"
House of Delegates. was called. He
gave testimony not bearing directly
on the salient points of the case,
Sold What They Got.
Police Commissioner Chris Manning
was called to the witness chair and
related that on the day that the
lobbyists received final settlement
from the Traction officers. he had
met Mr. Meredith just after leaving
the office of Mr.. Bemiss. He told
Mr. Meredith about the settlement
and how much he had received.
Mr.. Meredith interrupted witness
to say that he could not remember
the incident.
II was with Mr. Saunders" said Mr..
Manning. Either he or / told you
the amount we got Tou remarked
TO me that 1t was not enough"
Mr.. Meredith again insisted that he
could not remember any such con-
====
AT this point Mr. Manning asked
to he shown the stenographic record
OF the investigation held several years
ago when inquiry was made into the
BELL Telephone and the Traction fran
chises.
At Il:3e all the witnesses for the
until tho afternoon session.
MIR. Meredith Knew II.
Examination of Mr.. Manning being
the witness read from the
record of the investiga-
ton. his testimony, showing that Mr..
Meredith knew that he. witness. was
q paid lobbyist for the Traction Com
rany.
One of the excerpts read was: II
had a talk with Mr.. Meredith. and he
told me l would be fool to give up
my time and take no compensation
for 1t. He told me 1t would be legiti-
mate for me to accept remuneration"
Witncss explained that he had pre-
viously for long time declined to
accept compensation offered him by
the street car people.
81 don't know to this day what
you got" protested Mr.. Meredith
We'll, told you. or Mr.. Saunders
told you" Mr.. Manning insisted.
Tells Of Conference.
Writ T.. TAYLOR was the next wit
ness. Tic said that the lobbyists held
at Mr.. Bcmiss' residence
and MI. Merciith's office
Il can remember on one occasion
Mr.. Saunders. Mr.. Manning and my
self had a conference with you. We
talked about one Councilman in par
ticular, Ar. Shea"
II never saw you. as remember
1t. until two or three weeks before
the vote on that matter came off,"
said Mr.. Meredith.
Saunders ON the Stand.
At tho noon, hour Clyde w. Saun-s
ders was In the witness chair. He was
questioned at some length az to the
part he played IN local po1fticAf CAM
pafgns IN recent years. Mr.. Saunders
admitted that he had taken an ac-
tive part In many campaigns. He had
hts favorites In each and used his In
1uence to secure their election
Then were rehearsed some OF The
Incidents of primary elections. whicE
had been followed by contest and
recoupt OF !. the vote, The lawyers
narked back to the strenuous cam
paigns. In which =. G. Smith and Ciai-
borne Epps were the candidates for