The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-02
JURY IS SELECTED
IN HOQFF TRIAL
Men Chosen From Vcnirc OF
Thirty Summoned From
Lynchburg.
FIRST WITNESSES EXAMINED
Opening Arguments on Behalf of
State and Defense
Made.
FIRST WITNESSES EXAMINED
LSpoelal to Tho Timcs.plsnnich |

| Especial to Tho Times -Dispntch.l
/ Alexandria. Va. February 1.-The
| taking of testimony on behalf OF the
Statc was begun this afternoon in tho
Corporation Court. Judge l.. c. Barley
presiding, In the case of LOWS lIooir,
former secretary and general manager
! of the defunct Mercantile Railway
| Building and Loan Association. Among
tho witnesses examined were several
| former attaches of the collapsed con-
Germ.
Little progress marked the trial to-
day. The morning session was taken
up with the opening arguments and
the selection of u jury.
The jury sitting In the case is from
ILynchburg and was picked from
vcnire OF thirty tnlcsmcn from tho
| lilly City Those selected are as
follows: NJ. a. Saunders. Il. q. Terry.
w. II. Liggan, ~. II. uarwood, r. t.
Noel %. w. Barksdale, l.. c. Burks, Z.
p. Munday. c H. Beasley, Jr.. james
| Barnes. John NJ. Fisher and j. c.
Franklin.
Immediately before the selection Of
| the jury tho Indictment on which Hooff
is being tried was read. and he enter
! ed plea of not guilty. This indict-
mont contains ten counts. Five, how
over. are repeaters. The Indictment
charges a total embczzlemcnt or sl,l50.
| This indictment was returned January
10 last DS special grand jury In the
Corporation Court.
Opening arguments on behalf of the
! Strife were made by Commonwealth
Attorney S q. Brent. who IL conduct
Ing the prosecution. He pointed out
the alleged Juggling Of finances or the
collapsed institution according to the
| counts in the indictment. The defense
OF the accused was outlined by Attor-
noy LOWS II. Machcn, who followed.
W al
luncheon.
The afternoon session begun at 1916
o'clock and adjourned ut a:45 o'clock.
Many of the witnesses Will be heard
Tomorrow, 1t is thought, and 1t Is
expected that the case will occupy
several days.
HooT appeared in court this morn
whcro sat his array OF legal talent
consisting OF the following attorneys;
John L Jeffries. Norfolk: John L. Lee
Lynchburg and Lewis II. Machcn. this
city.
The Institution. of which Hoof was
tho general manager and secretary,
went into the hands OF receivers jan
uary IL. 1911. about two weeks after
the failure of the Virginia Safe De-
post and Trust Corporation. The de-
posters and stockholders OF the con-
Germ have not yet received any par, OF
their money In the institution.
Three bags containing about 100
pairs OF shocs, believed by the police
TO have been stolen from freight cars
ut the Potomac railroad yards, Alexan-
dria county. were recovered yesterday
by the police in an unoccupicd yacht
on tho river shore. north OF Alexandria.
y list of those who Will respond TO
toasts at the banquet of the Chamber
OF Commerce next Tuesday night was
announced to-day. as follows: Senator
Robert l. Taylor, Tennessee; Senator
Thomas S. Martin. Virginia.; Senator
Z James A. Reed. Missouri: Senator
Claude y. Swanson. Virginia; Repre-
sentative John Lawson Burnett. Louis
lana. Representative c. c. Carlin. this
city. will serve O POSTMASTER. Covers
! will be laid for 200 guests. Many
?. other prominent officials Will attend.