Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-02
PORTER is ACQUITTED
ON BRIBERY CHARGE
Admits II Illus Not
Made Out Cnse. mud Asks for
Verdict of Not Guilty.
Especial to The Times dispatch.

Especial to The Times Dispatch
PRINCE GEORGE COURTHOUSE.
VA, December 1.-The trial OF John \.
Porter came 10 Il close to-day with !:
verdict Of not guilty. This trial had
lasted FOR six days and had been one
Of the hardest fought legal battles ever
seen 1t Prince George Courthouse. 1t
had attracted attention throughout the
state.
Porter was formerly LIEUTENANT, OF
police a, iIopewcn. and was arrested
on three charges Of bribery. L. IL.
Mann and 4. +. Wilson. OF the firm
OF Mann, SEnc, Wilson ~ Mann rep
resented Porter. while William r.
Cooke. the special appolntcc Of Cover
nor Stuart in the iiopeweli prosccu
ti"ns, and commemorative Attorney
! Timothy iHveS represented the state.
Porter had been tried previously
twice ON on" of the charges against
him, the first trial resulting in Il mis-
| trial, and the second resulting in u
hung jury, eight Tor acQuittal and four
for conviction.
Vixen this particular case was called
on THANKSGIVING Day the prosecution
selected another Indictment ON which
to try Porter. the one charging him
with Offering Il briha OF $50 To O. NJ
Reeves. Every legal point was ho,ly
contested.
This morning the attorneys for For
ter sprung Il surprise on the Com
monwral,h when they presented Ger
tain instructions which. If given. would
result in Portcr's acuuittal. After sew
eral hours Of argument and dclibcrn-
ton the attorneys for the state be-
came convinced that the stand taken
by the defense was correct. As a
result, Special Prosecutor Cooke asked
the jury To bring in a verdict OF not
guilty. stating the following to the
jury and the court rs his reason FOR
so doing
1T has been our rule in tn" pa Il
never To ask a jury TO convict any man
unless we believe from the. evidence in
the case that tn" Commonwealth has
proved the case, as charged in the I'm
dictmcnt beyond reasonable doubt
The Indictment in this case charges
in effect. that John Porter gave q. NJ
Reeves $40, with intent to influence tn,
said 9. NJ. Reeves to conceal and not tc
make amy arrests or give evidence of
a wrongful arrest of an Italian, and
that the said John Porter had un-
lawfully and wrongfully cXtortcd u,
caused 10 be eXtortcd. from said per.
son or persons 50 arrested Il large sun
of money, to-wit, tho sum OF $500, and
paid the said Reeves $50 OF said sun
no, TO MAX" any arrest or arrests there.
for or give cViicnc" thereof, that is on
the matter Of said unlawful arrest and
cXtortion.
while the evidence. AS viewed by tn.
!, commemorative shows that the pris.
oner, John Porter gaze to o. NJ. Reeves
improperly the $50 referred to in tn,
indictment. yet. on account of the fac,
that one of the witnesses for the Com.
! lnonwcalth failed to testify us he hat
testified heretofore, and as the Com,
inonwcalth had every reason to believe
he would testify In this trial the Com,
moHwcalth has been unable TO prove
beyond a reasonable doubt, the ofrcns,
as charged III the indictment.
THE conclusion reached by the at.
torneys for the Commonwealth in thu.
case Is not intended to affect in any
way tho attitude Of the Commonwealth
as to any indictment in the cou,
against John Porter, or other partfe.
now under indictment for bribery n
I lIopcwcll.
and for the foregoing reasons ",
J submit the case, and ask that the jury
return verdict of not guilty on thi.
, Indictment"