The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-29
VERDICT OF JURY
ACQUITS DAVIS
Former Bank President Freed
After One Hours
Consideration.
CASE TAKEN AT MIDNIGHT
Final Days Proceedings Taken
Up With Instructions and
Argument.
Especial to The Times-Dispa,ch.l

Especial to The Times-Dispatch.l
PetersburS, tn., March 2J.-;uurIcs
iinl' Davis. former president or the
appomuttoN Trust Compupy, of this
city, who has been on trial An The
huSfinEs Court since last wctucsuuy
on nm Indictment alleging the nrnr Ing
OF fnlsc report OF the condition or
TINT bHnk In August, 1aas. was ne
Tuittch Mt o'clock this morning. th..
jury III Tint hour huyiuE returned n
verdict of not guilty.
Arguments In the cusc were begun
at noon yesterday mud were continued
through the AFTERNOON session OF the
court hnd concluded nj nm evening SEES
sion, which did not adjourn until nbnut
midnight. The Jury then took the cnsc
under cOnsidc rntion, ind In something
less sfhnn an hour rendered It's verdict.
Mr. DRfin wns Jointly Indicted with
Snrtcr u. bishop. former cnshicr in
this case, hut cnch OF the defendant.
elected to he tried a-pnrutcIy. Thc
trini OF Mr. Bishop probably VIII NOT
he long delayed.
The verdict brings 10 nm end nil the
CHARGES agpinnt Mr. Davis. The Jur.
which snt In the cnsc WIS composed Of
The following mcnt John J. CoIcI IInn.
j. L." CampbciI, J. \. IinXter, j. shed
don Dryunt, Il. 4. johnson, Joseph W.
Smith, Walker !. scott, ID. Il. Alley, J.
Harry Hniicy, ID. VI. IInI, John -.
iiubhnrd mud iinrr. n. Jnmcs.
Verdict OF Jury.
The Davis case has been before the
court for more than u year. He WAS
ihdicind thirty-thrcc times on more
than 30 counts In July. 1911. since tina,
time thirtytwo indictments had been
disposed of. Larceny OF more than
SlS6,0o0 was alleged. The trial of th,s
last Indictment continued seven days.
Argument In Eusc.
The court after the conclusion Of
the evidence yesterday in the case OF
Charles Hall Davis. indicted for the
alleged making of false statement
to the state Corporation Commission
of the financial condition of the APP
pomuttoS Trust Company, as OF July
Is, 1905. spent the afternoon session
ana the night session until after u
o'clock, In hearing argument on in
struct!ons asked for by the Common
wealth and the defense. As has been
stated. iiftytwo instructions In all
We're asked for--fiftcen by the Com
monwcaiths attorney. and thirty
seven by the defense.
The court. which met al Ia o'clock
day. gave It's own Instructions
twenty in number. but claboratc-eHl-
bracing some or those asked for by
both tho commonwealth and defense;
reading them carefully TO the jury.
The instructions cover eight or nino
typcwritten pages. TO sonic of tho In
structions counsel for the defense eX.
ceptcd.
Counsel could not agree as to the
time to be consumed In the argument
OF the case. and til. court obliginRly
consented TO place no Emit on cooin-
sci.
The defense offered to submit the
case TO the jury without argument,
but to this the Commemorative attoc-
ncy declined to consent.
At IL o'clock COMMUNICATIVE At
torney Mann began his opening argu-
ment and had not concluded when the
court at . o'clock took recess until
o'clock, when Mr.. Mann reyun cd .
speak ns about an hour. Colonel James
Mann. OF counsel for defense, follow
ed Mr.. Mann. and John l. Lee and
Charles T. Lassiter Will close for the
defense.