The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-09-13
HALL IS ACQUITTED
IN SEIZURE CASE

| IN 0[lLUnt UAOt
Prohibition Inspector Is Discharged
BY Order OF the Judge. !.
Especial to The Richmond virtinian. }
Danville, Va, Sept, i2.--After hear
ing the case Of Prohibition Inspector
w, c. Hail. Judge E. W. Brown direct
ed the jury to return verdict of mot
guilty as the evidence clearly showed
that the inspector had carried out the
orders OF his superior officers and had
done nothing rneriting punishment and
the jury forthwith did so.
Mr.. Hall had been fined 800 by
Mayor Wooding on the charge of
breaking into the city storehouse. and
taking away a lot of liquor. which it
had been represented had been H.
legally stored there, The officer had
applied for the liquor by direction OF
officials Of the department Of prohib-
, ton, and had been refused He then
secured search warrant. after con-
sultation with officials, and proceeded
to take the liquor
On this charge he was arrested and
fined 500. An appeal was taken upon
which appeal he was acquitted. and
the following account of the hearing
was printed in the Danville Bee:
Only two witnesses were heard
Chief J. r. Bell was first placed on the
stand and told the jury of CONVEX
sation he had with Hall just prior TO
the occurrence in which Hall told him
he had been sent to Danville to seize
the 23o quarts and 264 pints of whis-
key which the department claimed
was abandoned and the property Of
the state. AT the time he inquired for
John W, Carter commonwealth at.
torney. but was pld by Mr., Bell that
Mr.. Carter was attending court 1T
Chatham
"A day or two later Mr. Hall came
in armed with a search warrant" said
Chief Bell. TT was executed that dav,
although informed il would not be
necessary for him to break in. Mr.
Han replied that he did not care 10
get any one in trouble in the matter
and il I opened the storeroom it might
result in the original, owners suirg
me for the booze in the future The
n ext day. however, Mr.. Hall met me
on the street and stated that ne in
tended to seize the contraband whis-
key that day, and did seize it, drawing
the staple in the door, the other lock
having been purposely unlocked by
me. after had separated the whiskey
being held al evidence from that
which II waA claimed was abandoned
and being Illegally held. The hasp
was priced of the door and Mr.. Hall
made an inventory OF the stock mark
ng the amount seized on the back OF
he warrant. City Sergeant r r.
Boisseau was called in immediately
md the whiskey was turned over to
aim, The whiskey has never been re-
moved from the room and at this time
I is in my possession, and I have the
tev to the door
When questioned by Malcolm K
Harris, representing Hall. Mr.. Bell adj
nitted that no effort was made to seize
my other whiskey in the storeroom
nd that he was aware that 1t was an :
lttemp being made TO determine the .
ownership of the whiskey which had ,
'een left behind by w NJ. Arlington. !
rho were intercepted while making an :
Interstate journey. and were acquitted :
a the corporation court. !
Mayor Harry Wooding was the only :
ther witness placed ON the stand He I
Old the jury that he had issued the
to Mr.. Hall. but at the time it ,
ras issued he asked Mr. Hall to await =,
he return of the commemorative at !
nrney before IL was served He also
aid that he told Mr. Hall that there
'as no whiskey Illegally stored at the !
courthouse, and Hall answered: Il
ill swear that there Is :
The seizure was made a day later Z
fter Hall had returned with note {
-oHa Ceuamon~eafth,s Attorney John /;
z. Carter saying that he had a right i
a.
led any actual knowledge of the raid. /
nd said that he only issued the search
arrant after Hall swore the whiskey s
as illegally held Il
II was brought out in evidence that Il
Re Mapr law provides for hearing il
hen alleged contraband whiskev is o
lied by any officer "A hearing must y
: held in the case In not less than VI
n nor more than thirty days This l.
rs not been done, and as matters
and the whiskey is still in the hands
the local authorities, and SO far as< p
N be ascertained, will remain there Y
Hess the state prohibition Depart a
emit orders it seized again
At the conclusion OF the testi- :
mony OF Chief J r Ball. and n
Mayor Harry Woodins Judge E. :,
w. Brown stated that THERE was u
clearly no malice in the act Of Mr. "
Hall that ne had only done his u
duty acting under A warrant prop
erly iksuNd. And that the defend -
ant ought to be acquitted The a.
jury then without leaving ~their =,
seatst returned the following in Al
Atrueted verdict; We the Jury. r,
and the defendant, VIC Hail, NOT n,
guilty, mr.