Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-11
SWEET TESTlFlES
BEFORE GRAND JURY


police force. but that it will also i'm
plicate private citizens of good stand
ing.
There Is much interest and spccula-
OF tho information impaired to the
grand jury by Sweet. ris appearance
before the jury is proof that all alleged
efforts to frame" him have failed.
For IL there were the slightest feeling
that Sweet was in any manner impli-
Gated in charges OF police collision
with the Illicit traffic of whisky he
would not be permitted TO testify. since
II he were guilty he would ut once OBJ
tain immunity by virtue of his tcsti-
mony.
ALL EVIDENCE BEING MADE
INTO STENOGItAPHIC RECORD
II was learned yesterday that MEM
bcrs Of tho grand Jury have secured
the services of confidential stenoE-
rapher and that a detailed and au-
thoritativc record OF all testimony be
fore them Is kept. At the beginning.
no s,enosraphic record was kept, but
more complex and numerous sideliEhts
began to crop up. and AZ the scope
of tho inquiry broadened to include
a probe of all moral conditions of the
city, it has become necessary to keep
a stcnographic record.
That every effort Will be made to
prevent leaks or any of tho testimony
before the jury being made public Is
md al hU inn
taken by the grand jury in asking that
the case Of the Commonwealth against
Mrs. ella Franklin. charged with
tinucd. Judge d. C. Richardson i'm
mediately complied with tho wishes OF
the grand jury and tho case was con-
tinued yesterday until June Is. When
questioned as to the nature of the
testimony likely to develop in the trial
which would prove a deterrent TO any
further probe of the inquisitors. Ben
jamin Lovenstein. attorney for Mrs.
Franklin. refused to discuss the mat
ter. However. it is thought that cspe-
cial clemency will be extended Mrs.
Franklin.
KENNETH SAYS WALLER
DENIED CERTAIN CHARGES
The large number of people who
had gathered i'm the courtroom 20 hear
the trial were severely disappointed
when the case was continued. HRS.
Franklin was willing witness" be-
fore the grand jury last week. and
it Is reported that her testimony was
exceedingly Injurious to certain poo
pie. In some quarters IL has been
said that whether Mrs. Franklin yol-
unteered her information and waived
immunity or not. she becomes immune
TO prosecution by virtue Of her tes-
timony which necessarily involves her
self.
\. w. Bennett. former member
of the Board OF Aldermen. admit
ted yesterday that part OF his in
formation given the grand jury
was in regard to denial made
10 MIN by former Policeman Frank S.
Waller. before the latter suddenly de-
parted from this city. that everything
that he (Waller) had said in his af-
hdarit In regard to former Chief Of
Police j. r. b. Sowell was absolutely
false. According TO Bennett. waller
came into my Office the day he was
gong away. which was May IS, and
he broke down and cried lie said
that ne had told a lot OF untruths about
Sowcll. and had been persuaded to
make the statement by Policeman
FRANK !. Gentry. He said that he did
not want to remain TO face IL out.
and therefore. was leaving town"
GENTRY TELLS or
HIS TALK WITH WALLER
Whcr asked a direct question as u
whether the report that he had in
huenced Waller to make his statement
was true. Policeman Frank l. Gentry.
OF tho signal Office. said that it was
nnqua!i;icdly false. lie asserted that
he had advised Waller to be careful
In making any statements and In i'm
rlicaiing anybody
rms Is how ii all happened" said
Gentry Ben Jacobs made The fiat
statement that Waller had been en-
gagged in the transportation Of liouo-.
Policemcn Cousins and RiddelI heard
the statement and reported il TO Chief
soweil. who took Waller 10 task for IL.