The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-12-16


opened. he was not called to the
stand tjll just before the dinner re-
cess was taken.
The FIRST witness produced by the
defense was Mr.. Woodbridge. secretary
treasurer of the company of John l..
Radcliffe, who took charge of the
business during the absence of Rat
cliffe from the city. He showed a
check bearing date of June 18th for
$40 payable to cash The check bore
the endorsement of John Radcliffe on
It's back. Radcliffe on the stand dur
ing the afternoon told that he usually
had his checks cashed at Tarrant's
drug store or at the Jefferson. He
could not say which place cashed
this one for him, but he knew he got
the cash to aid paying his expenses
to White Sulphur. The purpose OF
showing this check was to establish
the fact Radcliffe was in Richmond
on June 12th.
Mr.. Meredith expected TO show that
Radcliffe left on the night of June
18th for White Sulphur. and that he
came back on June 18th. Radcliffe.
when recalled during the afternoon,
testified that he had left Richmond
and returned at the time stated.
The operation Of the cash register
by Mr.. Woodbridge here showed that
the key punched by Mr.. Radcliffe in
registering amounts was punched but
once between June 18th and June
18th, and that It was punched that
time by the witness when ss7 was
placed In the register drawer. He
explained that ne had used that key
then. June 13th. because he dfd not
want to assume responsibility of reg
L. l. l., ~
key ordinarily used by himself.
Wendenbcre Objects.
Mr.. Wendenburg objected to this
testimony on the ground the defense
was introducing negative testimony
and that 1t was encroaching on the
courts time. He pointed out that
the understanding had been that no
further testimony except that bear
ing on the typewriters would be in
troduced. The court finally upheld
Mr.. Weudenberg's contention that
this testimony was irrelevant.
Cross examining Woodbridge. Mr.
Wendenherg introduced check for
s26e5. dated June 14ih, payapie TO
cash. marked regarding payroll"
and signed by John l.. Radcliffe. Wit
ness explained Radcliffe had written
the check In blank before leaving for
White Sulphur.
That John L. Radcliffe was in white
sulphur on June 14th appeared when
F. f. Finks, Chesapeake and Ohio
agent at White Sulphur produced
records of his office showing Rat
cliffe had reserved a. berth for Rich
mond on the evening of that day, and
later Cancelled the reservation. say
ing he would not return to Richmond
till next morning Mr., Finks also recol-
lected seeing Radcliffe at the station
on the morning Of June 18th.
A. NJ Bills, steward mt White Sui
phur. also saw Radcliffe there on the
morning Of June 18th.
Miss Wilbur, managing housekeeper
at that resort, was positive she had
seen John Radcliffe several times on
June 18th and June 14th. during his
stay at White Sulphur.
Dictated Letter.
C. 3. Prichard. the Pittsburg at
torney. next took the stand. He
testified he had been called by Mrs.
Walker to advise her, and had die
tated the letter Of June 18th to
Walker. He said he, knew her as
Betty Radcliffe, having met her at the
Wadsworth home some time pre-
viously. When she had written the
letter he dictated to her on the type
writer of Mrs. Wadsworth. he said she
asked him how she should sign II, and
that he, on being told she had used
the name Betty Radcliffe before her
marriage. and was using 1t since her
going to Pittsburg. told her to sign
1t Betty Radcliffe" The letter re-
eeived by Walker was SO signed.
Counsel for the plaintiff contends
that this letter was written by John
Radcliffe in Richmond and sent Mrs.
Walker at Pittsburg by special de-
livery for her to attach her sigma
ture and return it to Walker.
The Pittsburg typewriter, with Mrs,
Walker operating 1t was next shown.
Mrs. Walker copied the Pittspurg let
ter on the machine. 1t showed de-
fects similar TO those in the letter
received by Walker. She then copied
the letter sent to Union Level on the
other machine. Some Of the defects
appeared. Copies of both letters and
the originals were shown the Jurors.
While the similar defects appeared
in both letters the ones written on
the Pittsburg machine appeared more
marked than those written on the
Richmond typewriter.
1t appeared in the testimony of Mr.
Woodbridge. when recalled in the az
ternoon that he saw Frank, John,
ternoon of June 18th. He has been
connected with the Radcliffe concern
for about year and a half.
Ratciiffe Testiiies.
John Radcliffe testified that he left
Richmond for White Sulphur on the
II o'clock train on the night Of June
] 9Th, after having. cashed check at
either Tarrant's or the Jefferson, and
that he reached the springs on the
morning of June 18th. He said he
rat,,ry,a.J nm luna 1Efh n,.aottnpa1