The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-17
WIFE CAUSES STIR
IN POLICE COURT
BREAKS DOWN WHEN JUSTICE
ASKS HUSBAND OF RELATION
WITH OTHER WOMAN.
BENCH WARRANT ISSUED

Mrs. Belle Hughes. OF TOO East Mar
shall street, was In police court Wed
nesday on two charges: That Of sell
Ing liquor on her premises and OF
stealing diamond ring valued al
$3.50 from g. A. Covert, lodger. The
ring. 1t appears, IL the actual property
of the wife OF the chief witness agains,
Mrs. Hughes.
Mr.. Covert, who In no longer young.
told how when he lay III in his room
Mrs. Hughes came in. picked UP the
ring. admired 1t and took 1t away
with her. He thought it was q Joke,
at the time. but when he could not get
the ring back he concluded that she
meant to keep it. Later on she in
formed him she had lost It.
Under the lead OF Mr. William JUS
tbs. who acted for the Common
wealth. Mr.. Covert told how he had
set up Mrs. Hughes in the boarding
house business at TIA East Franklin
street and how later they had quar-.
relied. Mr.. Covert had even bought
furniture for Mrs. Hughes. but he
lost even that. he testified In fact
he not only had lost the furniture and
the ring but the lady's regard al
well.
Justice Crutchfield asked the wit
ness what were the relations betwer
him and Mrs. Hughes.
I'll let her tell that, replied the
witness and his reply caused a stir
In the court room. middle-aged
woman dressed in black who sal
among the spectators. began to weep
1t was Mrs. Covert. the wife Of the
witness.
Justice Crutchfield stopped the pro-
escorted to his private Office Mrs
covert moved with difficulty she
walked with the aid of cane
And then. under cross exa minatior
of Attorney Hiram Smith, Mr.. Cover
testified that he might have repre-
sented TO Mrs. Hughes that he was a
widower, He did not tell her that he
had Wife to whom he had been mar
ried twenty-three years, anyway His
home before coming to Richmond. he
said, had been in Washington. but
during the time he had lived at tht
home of Airs. Hughes his wife was in
Mt. clemtns. Mich.
In ansEer to question by Justice
Crntchaekd, Mr.. Covert declared that
he knew the nature of the house kept
by Mrs. Hughes and on his reply JUS
tice Crutchfieid ordered that bench
W 63 dlii p.- lSShtO Against s. EiQEhts
for maintaining a disorderly place.
Then MIR Covert testified that he
was not willing prosecutor but he
had been forced 10 act against MI s
Hughes by his wife.
Policeman Johnson aud Special Of
tlcer krengei told about the arrest
Of Mrs Hughes
She cut up terraOui. said John.
son
krengel said that Mrs Hughes said
at the time of her arrest.
He gave me that ring ! WAS very
kind to that man. He never made
any kick about 1T
a Mr.. Lowell tesctifed that Mr.
Covert told him that he allowed Mrs
Hughes to take the ring w ereupor
Justice Crutchfield dismissed the case
AZ far as the diamond ring was COT
cerned.
Mr.. Covert was called To testify ir
regard to buying liquor from Mrs
Hughes. He said that h. had pur-
chased beer at the house In Decem-
Der, 1919. The defense showed that
Mrs. Hughes had sent outside and OBJ.
tanned the beer for Covert Aftei
hearing several witnesses this charge
was dismissed.
The court. later on, took UP the
charge OF maintaining disorderly
house.