The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-04-13
E. D. Lesner Gives Sensa-
tional Testimony in Nor
folk Damage Suit
SENATOR LESNER TELLS
OF CROMWELL TROUBLE
Says Funds He Solicited From
Liquor Men Was for Use
in Fighting Local OPP
ton Election

Especial to The Richmond VirgInian)
NORFOLK, VA, April I3.-Tne
sensational turn in the hearing of
the Cromweil-Lesner $4,000 damage
suit. now III progress IN the Court
OF Law and Chancery, came when l..
ID. Lesner. half brother of State Sem
ator John a. Lesner, the defendant.
testiiied that Is. r. Cartwright. secre-
tary of the Norfolk county school
board, by whom he WAS appointed a
school census enuinerator. demanded
rake on Tor giving him the job.
Mr.. Lesner SAID he ~as to receive
IL cents IA name AS remuneration
FOR his work, and that when Mr.. Cart
wright paid him he drew a warrant
on the county treasurer for s102.ls.
and said he wanted S@4.o6 as his
share.
The witness iestinesi that he would
not give that amount To MIR Cart
wright unless Mr. Cartwright signed
receipt setting forth what s3he
money was Tor, and that as MIR Cart
wright would not sign the receipt ne
did not get the money Air. EesneF
said he decided to withhold the bit, ~
as he said Mir. Cartwright called II
after he mad talked over the matter
with hIs father.
Immediately upon hearing thus tes-
tin1nny. Attorney T.. II. Hicks. coun-
SET fer State Senator I.ssner. asked
that rule be issued tor MIR Cart
wright 10 appear Ina court. and this
rule vas placed IN the hands Of a
deputy sheriff for execution.
While H.. u i.exunr Mrs q
Cromwell and A. &. Cromwell il,
testified that A. (. Cromwell had
nothing ~ de- with the public atlen
i'm tae Neriolk Diapers un the morn
ing Of January 22A. John Crown. John
Crouch, newspaper men. ana others
Identified young Cromwell as the per
son they saw sting in K. A. ssiiisoly' =
outer office on the evening that the
papers aud books were carried Ia MIR.
Bttisoiys office.
Young Cromwell admitted that ne
was there. bDt said he had bean ask e.d
Ivy r.. II. Lesner earlier In the day
TO stop at MIR. Btisaiyts office at s
~ clock on the evening Of January 70
ana get u package TO carry out home
and save him from making the trip.
iae declared that he did not know
what the package contained
State Senator Iesnsr testified that
the money alleged tn have been con-
tributed for paying the poll taxes of
residents of Tanners Creek District
during the meeting In the Conyuu-
eFs Brewing Company rathskeiler
WAS subscribed To fight threatened
local option election. and that ne Of
Tered Sf0o for his company bat II
was tfeseE paid h.ea34~.. 4he matter
=, s311ai = n4A! arai death He said. snHr-
If Cromwell was mad with him aut
had been since 1908. and when nj,
attempted 10 tell the cause of the
split, he was prevented by oh3ec-
lions from counsel for Mir. Cromwell.
which were sustained by the court
Mr.. lsesner was going to tell atnul
conditions that existed at Pine Beaca
during the exposition, but. unable 10
do this. he told OF other incidents that
occurred to.s w.ss~grN sasfs Sy,-a~ n 'sff.tf,
s. W. Lyons and other Norfolk coun-
~ politicians threatened 10 hold a
local option election for the purpose
OF putting Senator Lesners brewery
cut of business.
The hearing attracted 8 large crowd
and much interest was shown In the
proceedings,