The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-01
GREGORY GIVEN
THREE YEAR TERM
Railroad Cashier Who Robbed
Company Pleads Guilty and
Asks for Mercy.
BRIEF STAY is GRANTED
Prisoner to Remain in Jail Sixty
Days While at Work on Books
He Doctored.

| On his plea of guilty to the indict-
ment. charging him with embezzling
more than $4,000 from the Atlantic
Coast Line Railroad Company. and his
! appeal for mercy because of his youth
and family. Louis L. Gregory was yes
! terday morning sentenced to serve
| three years in the pcnitentiary
FOR an hour or more before the case
! was called Communicating Attorney
! Folkes and Ernest Poindexter, special
attorney for the American Surety Com
| pany. of New York. representing the
| prosecution. and Attorneys Robert IL
! Talley and Harry NJ Smith. Jr.. of the
| defense, We're in consultation as to the
| length Of the sentence which should
| be imposed provided that the plea OF
/ guilty was entered. The punishment
/ for grand larceny, which constituted
| GreEory's crime. Is from one year %
/ ten years In the penltentiary. and.
! judging from the statements made hy
| both sides to the jury. it was agreed
F., that the sentence to be asked for by
+ the one side and to be accepted by the
! other was to he between three and
! five years.
Plea Changed to Guilty.
! In order to bring the case before the
+ jury. Mr.. Smith first entered plea
! of not guilty. waving the read'uC of
| Walter Christian was about TO deliver
| Then. by agreement, the original plea
I was changed to one OF guilty. and the
case was in the hands OF the jury.
| Gregory appeared calm and collect
| ed when he took his seat behind the
! prisoners bar. Beside him sat his
| brother. Allen Gregory. No other
member of the family was present de-
! signedly so. It being said afterwards
/ that the others were kept away to
save then the narrowing experience
1 OF seeing a knsman made = convlC;.
AS the hearing prosressed-it was
/ nothing more-howeVer the prisoners
head dropped. and he seemed To real
ize the condition to which hts pecula
tons had reduced him.
! Mr. PoindeXter took his seat beside
F.! CONFERENCE.-The Attorney Folkes. and
was formally presented to the court
as a practicinG attorney of Washing
ton. p. c.. and was sworn as m"r'-
Der OF the bar OF Richmond.
When the plea OF not guilty WAS
withdrawn and the plea of guilt sub
stituted. Mr Folkes arose to address
the jury as 10 facts. He said that il
I was now ( the Jury only to fix the
term Of punishment, guilt having been
acknowledged. He agreed that II was
usual to show mercy on plea OF
guilty, but warned the surg thit II
.
entire possession of It's feelings. and
that the law should he upheld, not only
to punish the prisoner for his crime.
but also to deter others from com
hitting crime.
FoIEcs Wanted Four or Five Yours.
The accused is a Young man" he
said. and he has pleaded guilty. II
is for the jury to determine what shall
he a reasonable punishment. and |
think that Tour or ave years In the
penitentiary would be reas onahle
punishment" Mr. PoindeNtcr did not
Then. in behalf of his client, Mr..
Smith spoke for the defense.
There is no sadder sight" he be
career checked by sin and crime. But
he is not the only one TO suffer. or
We would not always temper lusUc.
both 10 the railroad COMPANY and the
bonding company and now tho Ger
tainty of punishment is more 20 he
considered than the length OF time
two young children. and perhaps even
his wife is on her knees praYipS
that the law may deal lcn.entiy with
him
court suspend sentence so that Greg
DRY may remain in jail for two months
! auditors with his books. But We will
/ not ask that this time he deducted
Z from his sentence. we offer to 10 ;his
/ in order that the young man ma, :
| have the opportunity to render such,
| reparation as he can this noIr - 7.
| has already given the auditors very
| valua BILE information. and Is now
| willing to do all in his power 20 give
! them further aid.
| I'VE think that two or three wears
! in the penitentiarv would be a reason
| able punishment"
Term Fixed by Jury.
AS his lawVe smoke Gregory sat
with bowed head. and hush fell over
! the crowded courtroom.
The case was submitted. and the
jury filed out The twelve men were
| out for ten minutes, and then returned
with the verdict, which Foreman VIII
liam jenkins. Jr. handed 20 Clerl.
Christian.
I'VE. the jury. hnd the prisoner
guilty. as charged. and fix his punish
tiaryS was the verdict
sentence was pronounced by Judge
Witt, and he granted stay for sixty
days. which time Gregory will spend
in jail. where he Will be able 10 help
with the railway company's books
The punishment was regarded by all
as heins light, for, conditional on his
good behavior Gregory VIII spend in
the penitentiary not more than half
time. or eighteen months
Mr. PoindeXter said last night that
the conviction of Gregory does not
end the case so far as his company is
discovered which Will direct the in
Vestigation hereafter along new lines,
and which may result in the recovery
OF large sum of money.