The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-11-07
PREACHER In COURT
FOR TRESPASSING
RICHMONp. va sne.;a,

n
before Magistrate Cosrnn I'm SWAMI
sore today, the ease ON trial being
that OF the Rev. GoorKe w. NC
Daniel, Of the First Baptist church.
who was Jointly charged with others
OF &c. k Victor. sRe local ss P GeP%ss
coneuts owning farm near Granite.
ma D,is or SO sseve Forest HlL
attorney and ably and humor-
ouSax sonduesed bis defense.
wills rnslsam had been retained
Those charged with DR.. McDanIel
ESisos baptist cSa r. 1o %;s,, OF the he
FOSTER OF the CheatwoOd Lumber
XompanyI G. G MliIiner and VIII
liam Flynn, member OF the Che~-
tertield constabuIary.
The alleged trespass was COM
mittsd on October 10th, while the
accused were ON a fox hunt. TheS
claimed that the fox took refuge on
the victor farm and that they en-
the dogs
AmooE those appearing against
n. Newton. one OF his neiEhbors;
-: ~. Woodail, manager OF the
= S er farm, and Henry Faulkner.
1t otd not appear In any of the tes-
umony OF the witnesses for the de-
tense which of the hunting party
had been guilty of the alleged tres
pass. or. indeed, whether any OF the
party had been on the place OF Mr..
Victor at all II was testified by wit
nesses for the defense that the dogs
oelonging to the hunting party had
been placed over the fence enclosing
the Victor place by negro who was
evidently employed by the hunting
party. and that the dogs had been
"hollered on" by the hunters. 1t was
also testified that the dogs were af-
forwards called off by the hunting
party.
Al bis e~,,,,.,,, 1870. =.
10 try Dr. Mcdaniel first Several
witnesses appeared against him and
tesSined to the effect that the dogs
had been on the property of Mr.. Vie
tor None OF them said that DR.. Nc
Daniel himself had been on the prop
erty OF Mr.. Victor.
DIR. Mcdaniel took the witnesses in
hand and proved himself to be a
nrSt-rate attorney. as well as a min
ister. He managed to tangle up the
testimony OF more than one witness.
and wound up an Able defense of him
self. and his fellow hunters. ably dis
GUESSING the law.
Willis G. Pulliam represented Mr..
Victor and conducted the prosecu-
ton. In closing his argument, he
read the section OF the Code which
dealt with the law as to trespassinR
and hunting on posted lano, and
evoked some laughter by showing that
II was left to the discretion OF the
court whether a Jail sentence or a
me would be imposed In case guilt
was proven.
DR.. Mcdaniel said that il seemed 10
him thct the whole case was making a
mountain out of a mole hill. and that
IL MS Interpretation of the law was
correct. the criminal intent must be
behind the act in ordcrfto convict
AS understand it. he said. IL
am charged with criminal trespass
row, all the evidence has gone TO
snow that IL We were on the land of
Mr. Victor. we did not know it. We
went there merely 10 get our dogs.
and IL the intention be argued. IL was
the intention to prevent the dogs from
perhaps doing greater harm than
they are alleged TO have done.
Why. II 1 know the law Alright,
you may with perfect. immunity break
one law In order not TO break a s,1 eat
er law.
'Assuredly we would not have gone
on the land of Mr.. Victor IL we had
thought he objected in the least. /
was utterly surprised when was ar
rested. We have found the people of
Chesterfield county so agreeable that
we did not for one minute think any
one would object TO us getting our
dogs Why. oTs Virginia woman.
when she saw US coming, opened the
gates of her place and told us to ride
right through and that she herself
would close the gates after us"
Mr.. Pulliam asked for convic-
ton. exhibiting large placard which
he said was posted at various points
all about the place of Mr.. Victor, and
which contained in large lettering
warning against trespassing on the
property. and announced that the land
was posted.
Squire Cowan said that ne doubted
whether a conviction would be sus-
tanned If appealed TO the upper court,
and announced that before rendering
hts decision he would prefer to con-
suit with the Commonwealth Attor-
ney.
He accordingly reserved his deci-
sion. He said. however. that he did
not think that there had been any
intentional wrongdoing on the part of
the hunting party.