Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-03
STATE RESTS ITS CASE
AGAINST VERNON PuCH
DeTcnse Begins To-day. and DE.
PENDANT May Know His Fate
by Tonight.
Alleged to BE Head Of Gang Of
SwindlerS Who Robbed Du Po.t
Powder Company OF More Than
100000 by Padding Pay Rolls.
lSpecia! TO The Times Dis,.,tc

H..
PRINCE GEORGE: COURTHOUSE
49, March after occupying the en-
tirc DAY in presenting it's evidence.
the Commonwealth rested It's case
against Vernon Pugh. alleged head OF
nc gang OF swindlers who robbed the
lu Pont Powder Company of over
Si"o'ooo 10y padding the pay rolls. late
to-day, aud court was adjourned until
tomorrow. with the witnesses for
ne defense s,ll to be heard. /, Ia
PROBABLE that the case will not go TO
TIE jury before late Tomorrow after
noon or saturday morning Several
hours VIII also be taken up by opposing
counsel in presenting their arguments.
Gordon B0hannon. OF Pctersburg
counsel for the Du Pont Company. as
sisted Commemorative Attorney Rives
IN the prosecution. United States Dis
trict Attorney Richard l.. Mann APP
peared as counsel for Pugh
TRIED on INDICTMENT
CHARGING FORGERY
rush was tried on one of the two
indictments returned against him by
rrincc George County grand jury
charging him with forgery in having
taken checks made payable to dun
mics" ana Endorsed them Two checks
which the prosecution claimed were
evidence
Attorney Gordon Buhauuou first in
troduced witnesses who we're employed
IN the timekeeper's office when rugh
was an assistant in tho office. Several
~ them testified that pugh had access
10 the checks which reached the time
keepers Office from the Wilmington
office az the Du Pont Company for dis
tribution among It's employees In tho
lopowcll plant.
Through other witnesses. II was
shown how II was possible to keep
men on the pay roll who had left the
employment OF the COMPANY and also
how II was possible to secure posses
sion of the checks made patablc TO
These dummies"
rany. which showed that men had been
sept on .hc pay roll who had left the
employment OF the company. wore in
troduced. Papers which Pugh had
signed whom he was employed by the
powder company were also produced in
AN effort /" show the similarity be-
tween the handwriting on these pa
pers and OH the checks which the com
pany claims PuIh forged
CAME INTO POSSESSION
or LARGE SUN OF MONEY
The attorneys for the prosecution
also attempted 10 show that Pugh
had suddenly como into the posses
sion OF II large sum Of money. bring
.nE out the fact that the powder COM
he had deposit IN North Caro-
lima bnnh.
Through y chain of "v'icncs. 'h-
prosecution brought ont the alleged
methods used by the gsnG III robhur
tn" lu Font COMPANY, ana the part
each OF those indicted is charged with
having played. Plumb, who was in
dictcd with fuSh, was a foreman. Ac
cord,ur TO the evidence. he kept names
on ms tlmcb books OF men who were
not employed by the pu pont Com
pany. Puvh the alleged head Of the
gang, and Billy Midgettc. another OF
hose indicted, assistants in the time
Keepers Office. are charged with hav-
ing Obtained possession of the checks
made payable TO the dummies" kept
on the pay roll by the foreman.
Murphy, the fourth member Of the
alleged gang, WAY II former member
of the Du Pont police force but late:
opened a grocery store at City Point.
II WAS al his store, /, is charged. that
the forged checks were cashcd. he re-
cci"nS as his share Of the money
commission for cashing them.
The cases against Midselte, Plumb
and Murphy have not yet been set for
trial, as action in their case is await
ing u decision in III. pugh case.
\ large crowd was presen. II, the
lugh trial to-day, as Widespread inter
est has developed in the case.