Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-07
Two Hundred at Table.
Lewis Hooff Acquitted.

A jury In the corporation court at S:25
o'clock last night. with A. P. Harwood,
Lynchburg, Va, as foreman, gave a YER
dict Of mot guilty as indicted in the
case of the commonwealth against Lewis
Hooff, former secretary and general man.
ager of the Mercantile Railway Build
ing and Loan Association, tried on an
indictment charging him with the en-
beZZlement of funds of that association
amounting to SLIGO.
There were less than 100 people in the
courtroom when the verdict was returned.
Some one outside OF the railing started
demonstration by hand-clapping. but
this was quickly suppressed by Judge
Barley.
Hooff, together with his wife and
daughters and several other relatives,
was in court when the verdict was
brought in. Ladies present shook hands
with some of the jurymen as they march
ed out.
The verdict was reached after DELHI
Grafton Of four and one-haf hours, the
case being given to the jury at 3:55
o'clock. At $50 O'Clock the jury an
nounced its inability to reach a verdict,
and Judge Barley adjourned court until
80 o'clock and the jurymen went to din
ner Returning at 1850 they were a few
minutes less than an hour in reaching
the verdict.
Trial on Other Indictments.
After the verdict had been announced
the question Of the nine other indictments
pending against Hooff was taken up by
the court and attorneys present. 1t was
decided that the court would consider
these indictments April % next, that be-
ing agreeable to the attorneys present.
The nine other indictments also charge
embezzlement. Hooff renewed his bond
In the sum Of $4,000 for his appearance
at that time.
The defense rested its case at 3 o'clock
yesterday afternoon with the examination
of Hooff who was subjected to rigid
Characterization by Commonwealth 8
Attorney Brent.
The attorneys submitted the case with
out argument, and the court instructed
attended held here in recent years.
The Mercantile Railway Building and
Loan Association went into the hands of
receiver January II, 1911, about two
weeks after the collapse of the Virginia
Safe Deposit and Trust Corporation
Since the collapse of the association
neither deposttors nor shareholders have
received any OF their savings.
Republicans Indorse President Taft.
A republican mass meeting was held
last night at Odd Fellows Hall, at which
time delegates were elected to the state
convention in Roanoke March IL and
delegates to the district convention,
which is to meet in this city February II.
H. B. Quinn, city chairman, presided
The meeting was one of the most largely
attended held here in recent years.
Delegates elected to the state conven-
ton were H. B. Quinn. w. H. p. Kelly,
w. A. Jolly and D. e. Robey. Delegates
to the district convention: William Web
ster, william Schoeni, II. E.. Jenkins, e.
J. Fleming. Charles Dean, Joseph L.
Crupper. John Bremen and Joseph
Ewald.
The city republican committee was
elected, with these officers: H.. B. Quinn,
chairman: r. E. Grover and Charles
Dean. first ward; C. M. Hancock and
Spencer A. Forrest, second ward: Joseph
John Bremen and James Callan, fourth
ward. =
Resolutions were adopted indorsing
President Taft. and also similar resolu-
lions regarding Joseph l. Crupper.
Cause He Was 'Toxicated.
81 took it cause was 'toxicated,. said
Edward Tomkins. colored. when arraign-
ed in the, police court this morning to
answer a charge Of the larceny of q box
of bitters valued at &s. the property of
George Finch. six months and $50"
said the court. and Tomkins will spend a
long term In jail.
Harvey Petit, charged with vagrancy.
was sentenced to serve thirty days In
jail. Charles johnson and Teddy Kane
both coloredss charged with trespassing
on the property of the city gas works,
were sentenced to twenty days In Jail.
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