Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-01
ASKS INVESTIGATION
AND GETS INDICTMENT
Attorney John p. Goodman, Of Hope
we'll, Is Charged With Tam
pering With Juror.
AN ECHO OF BRIBERY CASE
Lawyer Demands That Court Inquire
Into His Conduct That Stain Cast
on His Record BE Removed, and
Judge West Quickly Complies.

Especial to The Times Dispatch.
PRINCE GEORGE COURTHOUSE,
VA, August 3l.-John r. Goodman. an
attorney of Hopewell, in the Circuit
court or Prince George. to-day, de-
manded an Investigation of his conduct
IN connection with the case Of +,
Lucas. as1uror who was sent to Jail on
saturday for contempt Of court. Judge
Nest d'rected the grand jury TO look
mo the matter and this afternoon
/ Goodman was indicted for "attemptinx
20 impede and obstruct the administfa.
,ioh OF 1ustice' by tampernC With a
Juror while case was on tril
Former Chief of Police w. y Hender-
son. II. w. Pollard. former. police-
man at Hopewell, and y. ri. (Tony) Be
.Gese,saA Italian cabaret proprietor, were
'ndieted on the same charge. Good
man was n witness before the grand
jury. as was also A. B. Martin, a Bald
win-Felts detective. Martin on last
Thursday night unearthed the alleged
plant to influence the action OF Lucas.
who was n member of the jury sitting
In the case of former Police Lieutenant
John Porter. charged with bribery
GOODMAN DENIED ANY
IMPROPER CONDUCT
In statement made in court thi.
morning, Goodman asserted that asper-
sions had been cast on him because he
was member OF the party with Lucas
He denied that there was anything i'm
proper in his conduct or that of any
other member Of the party, and assert
ed that lie did not hear the Porter case
mentioned. Lucas was picked up by
chance. he said. and there was no de-
liberate attempt to influence the Juror
In behalf Of Porter. The attorney added
that he had come to Hopewell from
Portsmouth with a clean record, and he
desired the court to assist him in re-
moving the stain cast upon it by reason
OF his connection with the Lucas case.
Judge West asked Goodman several
questions and then told him that ne
would have the grand jury investi-
gate. In the rule which the court Is
sued against Lucas on Saturday, Good
mans name was not mentioned, al
though 1t was known that he was n
member Of the party. Henderson. Be
cese. Pollard and Samuel Safer also
a former policeman, were named as
being with the juror. All four are
under indictment In connection with
the bribery and graft revelations at
Hopewell. and il was set forth in the
rule that they were much interested
in seeing Porter acquitted No indict
ment was returned against Safer for
tampering with the juror.
ATTORNEY WAS WITNESS
FOR PORTER AT TRIAL
| Goodman had been 81 witness for
Porter on the day of the night on
which Lucas was taken on n drinking
bout 10 Hopewell and Petersburg by
! Beccse and others. He testified re-
sarding the division o. Il $500 fec in
an Italian murder case. which the
prosecution alleges was framed up
by Porter for the purpose OF cxtort-
ing money from the accused man, who
had killed his brother accidentally. On
the witness stand Goodman stated
that he split the fee -four ways" In
order 10 stand In with the police.
| The trial of a number OF indct
mcnts for operating gambling ma
I chimes were set for to-day, but were
/ continued until Thursday. On n
technical objection raised by Senator
L. o. Wendenburg. Of Richmond at
| torney for one Of the defendants,
Judge West discharged the special
! grand jury which had been sitting
| since August Q. and Immediately re-
! impaneled the same men, with one
addition. making nine who will con-
! duct the probe into lawlessness at
! HoDewel in the future
| Snator Wendenburg moved that the
| indictment against one Of his clients
( be dismissed, but the court met the
motion with the announcement that
he would remedy any possible error
! by impaneling new grand Jury.