The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-30
JAIL SENTENCE
LATER SET ASIDE
Charles w. Shields Convicted in
Henrico for Racing in
Ginter Park.

| dealt heavy blow to speed manlacs
yesterday morning when he SEN
fenced chrles w Shields. Of 1906
West franklin Street. and virginius
Johnson, a co.ored chauffeur to serve
ten days in jail and pay fines of $50
and costs for racing along Chamber
layne Avenue. Ginter Park. on Wed
nesday night. The jail sentence was
RENTED By the ma gistrate upon the
special request OF Commemorative At
torney Sutton. and upon condition
no appeal taken. Both fines were
paid
The case tried by Magistrate Pur-
year yesterday was called by Com
monwealth's Attorney Sutton the mos
hagrant sand wilful violation of the
sp ed laws. and the most wanton reck-
lessness that has been brought into
court According ~ the testimony OF
County Officer Tiller, VINO made me
arrests. and Of a half-dozen witnesse.
the two cars were racing down Cham
periaYne Avenue side by side at speed
or between forty and sixty miles an
hour.
Shields on the Stand.
Iak'ng the stand OF his own Volt
tion, Snielcs admitted that ne knew
ne was exceeding the speed limit at
me tune he was arrested, but den ed
the charge that he was driving reck-
!essiy He had put on little speed
IN order TO pass the negro Johnson.
ne said. and when the latter speeded
up he mad been forced to continue
ms squirt to take the lead OCCUPANTS
OF tha two cars also testified tnat The
machines were going faster than
thirty miles an hour
In urging the imposition of heavy
penalty. Communicating Attorney SUIT.
ton called the magistrates attention
To severa! particularly tIagrant fea
lures Of the case. The two drivers
raced along the Nest ponuious
thoroughfare Of Ginter Park a, an
houF When people were returning
i-om prayer meeting ct rate OF speed
that both knew was contrary 10 law
and likely TO result Ia serious acct
dent at any minute.
another feature that worked against
the two prisoners in the eyes OF the
iAigiS tFate was their behavior when
cNertaEen by the officer. Tnler testi-
fed that the two refused point blank
at a!st 10 give their names. then when
informed that they would be taken to
the county jail anyhow. acknowledged
their identity. For & time. neither
would surrender to the officer. both
contendins that the other should give
himself up first. Both surrendered.
however, when Tiller summoned as
sistance, although Shields refused to
assist the officer by allowing the use
Of his car 10 take the negro 10 Jail.
Urged Maximum Penalty.
This testimony given by the officer
OF the behavior of the two men went
long way toward blackening their
case in the magistrate mind. and
Commemorative Attorney Sutton laid
sreeial stress on this feature in sum-
ming up mis- argument. Mr.. Sutton, de-
caring that experience has shown that
the small fines imposed by county mag
istrates for speeding in the past have
been ineffective. urged upon Mag!state
Puryear the imposition OF the maxi
mum penalty.
In announcing his opinion. the mag
istrate took occasion TO law down the
law for automobile owners disposed &c
use the Henrico turnpikes for race
tracks. ana issued a distinct ultimatum
BY their reckless speeding. said the
magistrate. the fine county roads are
being torn UP faster than the county
can repair them. No sooner is a new
road laid out at great expense to the
county taxpayers than Richmond auto
lists rip great holes In 1t by hendish
driving.
The roads have become unsafe for
pedestrians and people in carriages.
so that the highways have been per-
verted from their intended use.
The county police officers. aroused
by their superiors. have TO give 80
much of their time to trapping speed
srs that the regular business OF the
cousta bulary is suffering from lack of
attention. The lenient trcatmen; of
such cases In the past has proved
/ inadequate said the ma gistrate, and
from this time on fragrant attractions
of the speed laws Will be handled
with the greatest severity.
Sutton Then Asked for Mercy.
At the conclusion of this case. Mag
istrate Puryear tried Shields on a
second warrant Cor speeding on the
night OF June 6 and fined him SIS and
costs. Shields also aipeareu before
Magistrate Sunday Friday morning
for speeding, and had his case con-
tinued until July S, The Times-Dis-
patch printed on Friday that Shields
rants. There were only three out
against him.
The action of Commonwealth's At
torney Sutton is asking clemency for
the two Offenders after urging go
vigorously the imposition OF the
maximum penalty provoked mucn
speculation in the courtroom. While
Mr., Sutton himself offered no AK
planatione the ma gistrate announced
from the bench that the jail sentence
was RENTED at the express demand
OF the Commemorative attorney. and
solely on condition that the fines be
paid without appeal .Johnson's fine
was paid by his employer, c. C.
Plnckney, of Ginter Park.