The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-15
.D|DN' I INTEND TO
BRIBE SPE|GHTS
But Electrical Fixture
Man Is Sent on to
Grand Jury.
WITNESSES TELL
OF CONFERENCE
] ohnson Says He Offered
speights and Appersor Suit
Of Clothes Each Afteg. He
Considered Differences Ad-
justed - Officials Put
Another View on Case.

tefday afternoon on charge OF at
tempting to bribe ]. Leroy Speights.
City Electrical Inspector. to whom has
fallen the duty of inspecting the cleo
trio fxtures in the American National
Bank Building.
Because of the absence of Mayor
Richardson. who was called away to
attend some ceremony. the hearing cid
not begin until 1880 o'clock, and
through the long, tedious interim the
lawyers waited, unwilling to have the
case continued There We're bur three
witnesses-Mr speights, a. H. .tpper-
son. electrical Inspector for the South
eastern Underwriters Association. and
Mr.. Johnson All admitted that there
had been an offer of suit of clothes
But Mr. Johnson contended tha, the
offer-and he did rot consider 1t
bribe-was made after he had come TO
an agreement with the other two men
as to renedying the defects In the
electric fixtures in the American Ma
tional Bank Building.
Most Damaging Point.
The most damaging point against
him was the testimony of the two
witnesses that he had previously said
that he would make il all right with
them II they helped him.
that there was no agreement among
them. that they iiatly refused to pass
upon the remedies offered by Mr. John-
son until he had mad his ttrnl listed rr-
der the National Board of Fire Under-
writers Association. Mr.. Johnson claim
ed that he agreed also TO this, and in
substantiation produced In evidence
paper in which ne had drawn up the
agreement he had offered to Messrs.
Speights and Apperson IN thei. meet
ing In his room at Murphy's Hotel Mon
day night. On the failure as 10 the AZ
legged agreement the case hung. and it
was the turning point which sent Mr..
Johnson to the grand jury.
II. N. Smith. Jr., represented the de-
fendant, and CommonweaIth's Attorney
Foikes represented the prosecution. oc-
casionally comforting with Mayor
Richardson. who was present through
the hearing.
Mr.. Speights was the first witness
called He said he was elected by .ne
Council Committee on Electricity, ana
that ne reported to W. II. Thompson
City Electrician. 1t is his duty, he
said. TO inspect all electric wiring in
the city and to pass on it He told of
inspecting the fixtures in the Ameri-
can National Bank Building, whicn. he
SAID. did not come up TO requirements
He spoke of the matter to w. II. Jenks,
who had applied for permit to install
the fixtures. but who had been refused
He mentioned the matter also to
Charles X. Bryant, the architect Upon
request he had granted permission to
install some drop cords and few fix
lures in the Business Mems Club, on
the top floor Of the building, with the
understanding, however, that they
were TO come out later. He spoke of
the matter also to Mr.. Goodrich. of
the H. S. Sands Electrical Compa NY
and told him that the fixtures aid not
meet with the requirements; and then
he informed Oliver ]. Sands. president
OF the American National Bank. that
the fixtures would not be accepted un-
less they We're approved by the Ma
tional Board of Fire Underwriters AS
sociation.
Conference With Johnson.
On Monday night. the witness said
he received call from Mr.. Johnson.
whom he had never met. He diverg-
ed to say that the material must also
be approved and that the supplying
company must be listed on the Ma
tional Board of Fire Underwriters
Association, the Morreau Gas Fixture
Company, of Cleveland. Ohio. tolwhom
the contract had been sublet. not be-
ing 50 listed Witness stated also
that the fixtures did not comply with
the specifications for the building. He
said he could have passed the fixtures
by keeping his mouth shut.
Returning to the meeting with John
son, he met the latter in the lobby of
Murphy's Hotel, having Mr.. Appersor,
with whom he had made a previous
appointment. with him. Together
they went to Mr. Johnson's room. He
said that Mr. Johnson asked how
is he interested?" pointing to Mr.. Ap-I
person. Witness had replied that Mr..
Apperson was inspector for the South
eastern Underwriters Association, and
was eqrally Interested.
Mr.. Johnson, the witness went on,
said that he was here representing
the Morreau people, and that he was
handling a "four-handed" proposition.
He informed the witness that he had
been sent to straighten out matters.
He had sold the contract for the dS-
thres. and it was up to HIM to
straighten out the affair He wanted
to know what could be done. He asked
for information, and the inspector told
him. in technical detail, what the tro-
BILE was,
To Pay for Trouble.
Mr. Johnson, according to Mr.
Speights, said he would remedy the
defectA and added, II will make 1t all
right With you boys, ! will pay you
all for any trouble, any assistance
that might arise In connection with
these fixtures.
80 told him." said the witness, that
in this territory, meaning Richmond,
they did not charge any fees. and could
not and would not accept any fees"
Witness stated that Mr.. Apperson said
the same thing. f .
mr. Johnson then satd,'n continued