Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-25
PROSECUTION WINS FIRST
POINT IN BRIBERY TRIAL
Judge West Admits Damaging Evil
dence Against Deposed Hope
well Officer.
PORTER FIRST TO BE TRIED
Former Police Lieutenant Charged
With Giving Supervisor Reeves, OF
Du Point Force, S25 to Prevent In
reference With Gambling.

PRINCE GEORGE COURTHOUSE.
august 24-By rulings of Judge Jesse
+. West in the Circuit Court of Prince
! George. to-day, during the preliminary
stages Of the trial of John A. Porter
toimer police lieutenant OF Hopewell
charged with bribery. the prosecution
Sained several important points. To-
DAY marked the beginning of the trials
OF the six men indicted during the pres
tnt special grand jury investigation
INT" lawlessness at Hopewell y jury
wa" secured without difficulty.
Porter is being tried on an indict-
mcn' which alleges he gave s25 to O. NJ
Reeves supervisor Of the Du Pont po-
lice force, to prevent Reeves from in
terferinE with certain" gambling op-
crations. The money was said to be
part OF the ''rake-off' The Du Pont
oificer who has been actively assisting
IN" state and county authorities in
cleaning up the powder plant town.
marked the. money in the presence Of
D. NJ Dallas and John Green, two of
ms detectives, and sent it to Governor
stuart There are three other indict-
mcnts pending against Porter. who was
deposed by Judge West three weeks
ago. along with Chief of Police Hender-
sor and five other officers
ADMITS EVIDENCE TO SHOW
OTHER ALLEGED BRIDE OFFERS
me most important victory for the
prosecution came when Judge West
permitted the Com monwealth to intro
"Ice evidence for the purpose Of show
Ing that Porter was involved in bribery
uha!SeS other than that presented in
the indictment on which be was ar
raiened to-day. r. II. Mann United
states District Attorney, and Richard
wilson OF Petersburg, counsel for Por-
Ter moNed TO exclude evidence which
had no direct bearing on the bribery
n h.
visor Reeves.
commemorative ATTORNEY Timothy
K!"es and Special Prosecutor George e
Wise, OF Richmond. opposed the motion
lheN commended that the prosecution
should be permitted to show what thew
ns rs I" ne other efforts on the part
OF Porter 10 corrupt officers OF the law.
ana the court held to that view.
DENIES RIGHT OF DEFENSE
TO PARTICULARS IN ADVANCE
Judge West has previously over
ruled a demurrer Of attorneys for the
ueichse to the indictment on the ground
mat the bill was faulty in thai il did
not sufficiently specify particulars ~
'nc crime for which Porter had been
presented. This motion was in line
win previous demand Of the defense
mat the commonwealth he compelled TO
NE biIl OF particulars in writing set
tlnE forth the nature of the charo.
prosecution TO show its hand before the
CIa! general demurrer TO the in
"iCtment was also overruled
ne commonwealth had not complet-
rd It's case when court adjourned for
me ga 10 rcconrcne tomorrow morn
ing AT 10 o'clock
"i-E| rs TELLS OF PORTER
GIVING HIM TWO DRIBES
supervisor Reeves was the principal
witness for the prosecution. He tes-
tihea to Porter giving him s25 on the
hlgnt OF July IL, and told OF Porter's
fAPlahton that IL was hush money"
from gambling house. The witness
said he had marked the money and mi
II IN an envelope in the presence of
detectives Dallas and Green Three
"aES !ater Porter gave him $50, with
q similar explanation OF its purpose.
ms money was marked and placed
in an envelope. while Green, Dallas
and E. /. Miraslia. another detective
were present.
Reeves said that he had taken the
money ia get evidence against Porter,
and thar he had taken his detectives
mt" his confidence So that he would
have corrohorativc proof. MIR Mann
subjected Reeves to n grilling cross
examination, bu, was unable to shake
the officers story.
Detective Dallas was the only other
witness to-day. lie corroborated the
ponce supervisors evidence regarding
the marking OF the money and in other
details.
GRAND JURY INDICTS
WHOLESALE LiQUOR DEALERS
Th" grand jury was in session all day
an" took NJ violations OF the liquor
laws at iiopcwell by wholesale beer
ami whisky dealers. who do not come
under the blanket arrangement for
thos" engaged in the retail business.
Whereby the defendants are permitted
10 plead guilty and ancs OF SIS each are
imposed. Nineteen true bills were
found several Richmond liquor houses
being involved. but the names were
not made public. pending the prepara-
ton OF the indictments by the attor-
neys for the Common wealth
" to Tonight, sixty defendants
named in indictments charging them
with retailing beer and whisky. had
paI' fines Of $50 each and given bonds
Of $500 not 10 violate the law for twelve
months. The total amount so far coll
!ettcd in fines by Clerk Temple Is 81 500
Others have entered pleas of guilty but
have not paid their fines