The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-11
COUNTY MYSTERY
SOLVED AT LAST
Shubridge Watch Found in Jail
just After Grand Jury Had
Reported.
POLICE SYSTEM BAD AT FAIR
Judge SCOTS Attention Called
to Conditions There in
October.
POLICE SYSTEM BAD AT FAIR


magistrates court, followed by a grand
jury investigation, which terminated
yesterday with report to the Hem
rico county Circuit Court. the case
| oil the missing watch chain and money,
owned by William Shubridge, came
| TO climax. when the lost articles
were found less than an hour after
the grand jury had completed its work
ana submitted its findings TO the cpurt.
Shubridge's property was found in
the vault in the office of the sheriff
by Deputy Sheriff Garnett. who was
, asserting the various articles placed IN
| there for safekeeping
The recovery of the watch and
| chain and cash completely and thor
| oughly exonerates Frank Il. Traylor.
! former deputy sheriff, and Special Of
J hcer C. w. Pemberton from the charge
of Shubridge that they took his prom
erty from him while he was in en- in
! toNicated condition and refused to re-
| turn 1t.
I Report by Grand Jury.
Z But before the recovery of the lost
| articles the grand jury submitted the
! following report in the matter to Judge
/ Il. Carter Scott:
! we. the grand jury, in the matter
/ OF the loss of watch and chain and
money sustained by William shu-
bridge, have gone into the case very
/ carefully and report as follows:
&C w. Femberton. a special officer
/ on duty at the Fair Grounds last Oc-
! tober, stated that he took charge OF
! Mr.. Shubridge who was then In a
drunken condition, and that under the
direction of +. b. Traylor. who was
! in charge of the police force at that
place and time. removed from the Der-
son of Shubridge one gold watch and
7 chain and 50 cents in currency, which
he then and there delivered TO Mr..
/ Traylor in person. Since then he has
! not seen the articles.
Mr.. Traylor stated that he was not
present at that time that he did not
receive the articles nor has he ever
/ seen them
Robert Kidwell stated that he was
present at the time the articles were
removed by Mr.. Pemberton and that
| Mr.. Traylor was not present AZ that
time. The last time the articles were
seen by Mr. kidwell they were in the
! possession of Mr.. Pemberton
(signed) EDWARD j. WILLIS,
Foreman"
| Police system Rousted.
In connection with this matter the
! grand jury also submitted the follow
ing report. sharply criticizing the work
of the county police during the State
! tair last year:
In connection with the matter of
watch and chain and money taken from
William Shubridge. October s. 1910, and
the testimony secured by your grand
jury in this case:
we. Your grand jury. desire to call
the courts attention 10 the exceeding
ly loose condition Of the county police
force at the time OF the last state
fair and to the bad management Of
the entire force. There appears an
utter absence of system. form. orders
hours and records, without which your
jury cannot ascertain facts. nor in
our opinion. can the criminal element
be properly controlled
(signed) edward j. WILLIS.
Foreman"
Concerning the criticism OF the work
OF his men last year. Sheriff l. H
Kemp when seen declared that al the
conclusion of the State Fair the on,
GERS of the Fair Associat ton forwarded
him letter thanking him for the eff
cient work of the police.
Politics. Says Kemp.
Il have never before had any init
nation that the work of the police
at the Fair Grounds was negligent or
otherwise unsatisfactory" he said
The whole thing is a political
t!iSh' sd!d lTdylor Wnen Deputy Gar
nett unearthed Shubridges lost prop
erty and has been done for the pur-
pose of defeating Sheriff Kemp for
reelection. am going to have a
whole lot to say in few days about
this matter"
The watch and chain and cash. SIS
cents, according to a date written in
pencil upon the envelope. were brought
TO the sheriffs Office on October Z.
1910. and delivered to DEPUTY sheriff
w. w Sydnor, who at that time was
in charge of the jail The inscription
! purports 1t to have been left there
by Mr.. Traylor Deputy Sydnor ad
mitted receiving the watch because
MS handwriting is upon the envelope
but said he did not recall the instance
nor did he remember who delivered
II TO him. Mr.. Traylor denies that
ne did So Mr.. Pemberton is still firm
in his contention that he gave the
property to Traylor.
1t is believed. however. that the
watch was taken TO the sheriff's Office
by the late Magistrate Kidwell, who
presided in cases at the Fair Grounds
In view of the fact that Mr. Travlor
was in charge of the police there. IL
is thought that Mr. Kidwell gave the
watch to Deputy Sydnor with instruc.
tons that it had been sent in by Mr..
Traylor
WHITTET SIGNS NEW LAWS
Acting Mayor ADDroyes Apnro,rio,t...