The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-10
MAKES NO CHANGE
IN |ND|CT MENT
After Again Hearing Miss Che
nault, Grand Jury Leaves
Clements for Trial.
M'MAH0M STATEMENT READ
Entire Day Spent in Examination
of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
and Officers Called.
N'MAHON STATEMENT READ

After rcopcnii.g the Chenault case
and spending practically the entire
day in the examination OF witnesses,
the iicnrico County grand jury made
no change in the true bill OF indict-
mcnt against John Clements. the negro
charged with capital ofrcnsc against
Miss Fannie Il. Chenault, and allowed
the charge Of criminal assault 10 re-
main rs in the original Indictment
SIN witnesses were called. and it was
O'Clock yesterday afternoon when the
grand jury finally adjourned. July 20
is the date set by the court for the
beginning OF Clcmcnts's trial
When the grand jury rcopcned its
hearing Of the case yesterday morn
ing ut 10 o'clock, Deputy Sheriff Webb
L. Sydnor, who was n witness for the
| defense In the magistrates court was
the first person called into the jury
room. MIR. Sydnor remained in the
room for about two hours. Sheriff L.
II. Kemp was then called. but remained
! in the room only few minutes a
! copy OF the "McManon" statement was
/ then carried into the Jury ROOM and
! FOR some time no other witnesses We're
/ summoned. /.
! officer 1. w. Seay, who testified In
/ behalf of the prosecution I'm the nagis-
! tratc's court. WAS called next, and re :
manned in tho jury room for nearly
! WI hour. in the lower court officer
/ Seay testified that he had observed
j scratches on the face of Miss Chcnault
! on the morning following the alleged
| crime.
| MISS CHENAuLT rs AGAIN
! BEI'ORE. GRAND JURY
When Officer Seay came from the
| jury room, Miss Chenault was sum-
moncd. She remained in the room for
half an hour. DR.. G. T.. Collins. who
| with another physician testified In the
/ magistrates court, WAS summoned, and
I III. T. Ncitch, who Identified Clements
! rs being the man he saw near tho
| railroad switch OH the afternoon pre-
! ccding the night OF the alleged crime
| was also called. Captain Thomas I
| McMahon of the Richmond Detective
Department. was summoned. but was
I not called before the grand jurv
! Failing TO make any changes or modi-
iicatsons in the charge as originally
made, the grand jury took final adj
Journmcnt for the term
The action of the grand Jury in re
opening the case, having already found
a true bill of indictment against the
accused. Is regarded as unusual and
II Is said that like action by IA similar
| body has never before been taken In
| lienrico County. IL has been stated
however. by good legal authority that
the grand jury in reopening its in
vestiGation acted fully within its legal
rights. ana that ans grand jury, be-
fore being finally dismissed by the
court, has power To reopen case and
even to revoke or modify any bill of
Indictment which may have been pre-
viousiy passed upon. Such action.
nevertheless. is regarded as unusual.
and when announcement was made
that the Clements case was 10 be re-
opened. much interest was created 1t
was confidently believed by many who
have watched developments in the case
mat II was the purpose OF the grand
jury either to revoke or 10 modify the
original charge against Clements
IL Will lie recalled that when the
grand jury made its FIRST investiEa-
tion of the Chenault case and found a
true bin against Clements, only two
witnesses. the girl and her father, w
W. thenault. were called into the Jury
room, although more than Il dozen wit
nesses had been summoned to appear.
y hard fought legal battle is pre-
dicted when Clements starts his actual
| light for life on the morning of July
| "a. The trial, 1t is believed, will con-
| sumo three or four days, as there are
many witnesses TO testify, and both
sides are we'll represented by counsel