The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-10
BATTLE Of LAWYERS
CAUSES COMMITTEE
TO LOSE PATIENCE
Audience Applauds When
Councilman Seaton Ex-
presses Opinion
Evidence Brought
Out Unimportant
Most of Time of Committee In
vestigating Police Board Is
Spent In Legal Fishts-Pol-
lard About Through

Many witnesses. important test-
mony and continuous wrangling:
That sums up last nights session
of the counciimanic committees in
vesti9ation of the Police Department.
Evidence or irritation on the part
of attorneys there was, Display OF
legal learning was abundant, with
flights or oratory sandwiched between.
Result: The development of moth
ing save impatience, unconcealed. on
the part of some of the members OF
the committee. The audience Ap-
plauded when Mr.. Sea.on expressed
his objection TO continued hair split
ting.
1t was a battle OF la wyers, with rules
of evidence. variously interpreted,
served up as the piece de resistance
Of the Barmedile feast prepared for
the audience, sarcasm. real and in
tended, being the salt. pepper and
sauce. Attorneys bent their minds
and employed their knowledge OF
law to prove a thing was not evidence
when the other side introduced II. and
that IL was evidence when IL suited
them TO introduce II. In the confusion
the commissioners and the Police
Department escaped. Ererybode lost
sight OF them while sitting at the
feet OF the Gamaliefs of law. Black
stone held the center of the stage.
Practically nothing new was
brought out against any of the ac-
cused last night and what Was new
was comparatively nnimportant-
Commissioner Mccarthy received a
little praise from one OF the witnesses;
two or three others testified that Com
missioner Goode had been seen in the
segregated district and that he had
asked that alleged disorderiy men be
not arrested. Commissioner WE'LL re-
vcaled In obscurity.
Objection after objection to uues-
lions put bv MT Pollard was partly
the cause Only three times were OBJ
tections sustained but these appar-
emily were Of ssrious import and shut
or what the City Attorney seemed to
think would have been the opening
wedge to the admission of important
evidence against some of the accused
commissioners.
Fourteen Witnesses.
or witnesses there were fourteen,
one Of them being Commissioner
Thomas. The latter's testimony was
unimportant. City Attorney Pollard
being prevented by the committee.
which sustained objections OF counsel
for the defense. from disclosing the
ficer Gaihraith to the witness regard.
ing interference with him In the dis
charge OF his duties.
Detective Krenget. who was re-
called, was also shut off by objec-
ton by counsel for the commission
ers when Mr.. Pollard asked him
what he meant by saying that he was
afraid Mr.. Anthony, OF the CONNER
cial Hotel. would be against him II
he did certain things.
third witness To be siienced ny
objections on the part of counsel Tor
the commissioners. was otficer Gall
braith. who was not allowed To tes-
tify as to the nature of his CONVEX
cation with Commissioner Thomas, II
having developed after a long wran-
gle that the subject OF the CONVEX
eation was citizen and not COM
missioner. The witness declared
that. IL allowed he could explain
matters, but he was not permitted
to proceed in that manner
Continuous objection on the part
Of counsel for the commissioners led
City Attorney Pollard. just before the
hearing ended. to intimate that coun-
sci for the accused was trying to
keep out evidence. This remark
brought Attorney Scott to his feet
with a fat denial. He said he want
matters that did not constitute evil
dence Of any sort
Meet Again Friday.
The committee decided to meet next
on Friday night. that being tho only
date that could be found satisfactory
10 all. including counsel and MEM
bers % the committee.
Mr.. Pollard announced at the end
Of the hearing that he was practically
.L~z,-n NTH hts Attract teatfrn0uv md
that he would rest his case at the next
meeting. number OF witnesses will
then be brought to the stand to tes-
tify for the accused and later Commits
eioners Goode. We'll and Mccarthy will
testify in their own behalf
All the legal battles last night did
not GO to the counsel for the defense.
objection by City Attorney Pollard
putting a stop to a line of questioning OF
designed apparently to prove other
cases than those already disclosed of
sales on his part OF jewelry and other
articles to men supposed to be operat-
Ing business OF an illegal character.
First, however. Joseph Q. Allen. of the
1cwelry Arm Of J. T. Allen & Company,
was put on the stand. his testimony
being favorable to the police officer.
He related under direct examination
BY Mr.. Pollard. and Indirect examina-
ton by Mr.. Smith, that Sergeant Kren-
gel had willingly given him permission
to disclose to counsel for the commits
sioners when he had purchased a set
Of earrings from him. how much he
paid for them and when he paid for
chem.
He said also that he was unable
absolutely to identify the earrings
shown him by Mr. Smith and exhib-
tied on the first night Of the hear
tng. As thea rticles Mr.. Krengel had
lar, ~ the articles Mr.. Krengel had
testified THAT he bought the jeweiry
elsewhere and had paid for them a
(continusd - Second Pass.,