The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-11-20
CHESTERFIELD JURY
REFUSES TO |NO|CT
HOME At BON AIR
Case of Citizens of Suburb Re-
ceives Another S e tb a c k
When Voluminous lndict-
ment Not Returned.
Members of Executive Com
mittee Elated When Inform
ed of Action---End of Case
Soon Now Expected by
Counsel for the Home.

mot q true bill" Is what the Ches-
terfield county grand jury returned
late yesterday afternoon. after 1t had
spent the greater portion Of two days
hearing the testimony OF witnesses In
the case OF the Virginia Home ane
Industrial School for Girls,
An indictment covering thirteen
typewriter pages and making nine
charges against the home, alleging II
20 be a common nuisance, was Wha'
the prosecution expected.
Mem bers of the executive com
tee Of the home, who recently were
Indicted of charge of maintaining q
common nuisance at Bon AIT. were
slated last night when they heard the
news Their counsel Joined them In
declaring II was no more than they
had expected. and declared they dc
not see that the prosecution has any
thing now, on which to proceed tc
trial with the case at a special term
of the court which Judge Southal
agreed 10 grant.
May BE Dropped Now.
Whether effort Will be made h
Commemorative Attorney Haskins
Hobson, Of Chesterfield county. and
counsel assisting him William Nj
.Justla. Jr.. attorney Of the Bon All
Citizens association, and Flchare
Evelyn Byrd. special counsel. 70 con-
tinue the prosecution on the two re-
manning counts of the old Indictment
or whether the Com monweafh' at
torney will ask thai the old tndlctmenl
be "noified' VIII be determined after
a conference which will probably of
held today by counsel and citizens oil
30 nAir.
The grand Jury In making It's re-
turn of the voluminous paper pre- par
ed by the commemorative attorney
making nine specific allegations
against the home and the executive
committee to support the charges o.
being and maintaining common
nuisance, returned To the court re-
port suggesting that certain changes
and improvements IN the management
of the home pc directed. Most Of these
changes have airefiay been made.
The improvements suggested. among
other things. are that inmates of tht
home be not allowed to go outside
sthe grounds except when under proper
and sufficient escort or guard and tina
a higher and more formidable fence
or wall he erected around the grounds
Many Witnesses Heard.
The second Investigation by th'
grand jury. which began Tuesday
heard more than twenty witnesses
among them prominent residents q
Bon Air. members OF the Citizens
association. on whose complaint tnt
original Indictment was returned
about six weeks ago. Squire Cowan
County Officer George farrell, Beverly
Banks, the negro who was formerly
overseer of the farm ut the girls home
ard w II. Turpin. the aged white
farmer. who was engaged by tins
executive committee az the home Il
succeed Banks after the State Boarc
of Charities and Corrections had in
yestigated the home at the instance
OF Governor Mann,
The hearing was begun TUESDAY
afternoon. during which about dozef
witnesses We're examined. The re
mainaer were heard yesterday, and
.on conclusion of the testimony thu
grand jury failed 10 see where M
charges made In the draft OF indict
ment were sustained They accord
ingly returned it to the court not
true bill.
When the news reached Richmond
last night Rev. II. u. G Maciaehian
d. D., a member of the executive com
nittee, smiled. He declared tersely
1.-THE Jig is up
Nothing Is Left.
saw nothing for the prosecution to d.
now except To nolle prosequei the TIVE
standing counts OF the old Indictment
That the grand jury had not indicted
after hearing the testimony OF I'M
twenty or more witnesses summoned
ne took to indicate that no jury woult
, convict.
Robert Lecky. Jr. another membe
of the executive committee, looked up
10 fat nf This grand lnrN to IN
dict. as a practical acquittai OF tn
COMMITTEES, OF the charges made Whei
The former indictment, was secured.
The fact that the newly prepared In
lictment contained the two counts sus
tanned by Judge Southall last week an'
ON which the prosecution must depeh'
II II continues it's case--and That IN
present grand jury failed 70 see ehous'
In the evidence 20 justify finding tru
pill. Mr.. Lecky thinks, justities the be
lief that the case has ended.
And there were thirteen typewriter
pages" concluded MIR. Becky, as he re
serred TO the nine charges the prosecu
Ion had drawn
DR.. George w. Mcdaniel and Samue
! P. Waddill other members OF the boar
were not in the city last night.
Ended, Thinks Smith.
Harry NJ. Smith Jr.. of counsel TO
The defense, declared the refusal o
The grand jury to indiet means IN
.ase is ended.
.aThey have nothing on which to pro
.eed now" he said. When the tw
counts of the four to which we de
INJURED last week were thrown out o
the Indictment by the court, the pros
scution did not want to take the cas-
% trial on the remaining counts 10
ear 1t could not e-dFe conviction"
Speaking of the recommendations
the grand jury relative to changes
sthe home Mr.. Smith said that prac
tically all the improvements suggested
Rave been made.
@ c. w. Throckmorton. personal coun
sci for Or. Maclachlan. who was as
ISOLATED with Hin Carter and Harry N
Smith II. In the defense. EXPRESSED n