The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1816-07-17
ALExANDRIA, July Is, 1916.

al EA n N DRlA, July 10, 1910.
MeSsrs. Corse and RoMnsaueH,
In your paper, OF the 10th inst. a
paragraph appeared in which my name
IS mentioned, and tending to produce
impression upon the public mind ma
terisliy different from what would be
warranted by full statement of the
facts of the case to which it refers. To
you, gentlemen, impute no improper
intention but presume the paragraph
IN question was written either ipadvert-
emily or from misconcepiion of the
facts. As my name has been introduce
ed to the public, and as find by the
Gazetie oil the 18th inst. that suLse
quent decision by another justice has
been published and which, think, al
so contains some errors as well In
point of fact as, perhaps, Of law--l
beg leave, In justice 10 myself, to make
through your columns more full state
ment Of the facts-so that the public
may have fair opPoi tunity of deter
miuing whether am merely seeking to
recover debt, that is justly and legal.
ly due TO nae, from those WIN are I'M
willing to pay it--or, whether indeed
this is one of those Improbable con-
tests, ".ifying who can do each Other
the most narm
The facts are, that early in the month
of June, some time after the failure OF
the Merchants Bank, finding that no
satisfactory arrangement foriaking up
the notes, that had been issued, had
been made, resolved 10 ascertain il
there were no legal means to enforce
the payment With this view l APP
piled 10 magistrate, who accordingly
issued warrant against one of the
persons, who had been concerned in
the bank--l shortly found that / had
not only TO contend against all the int
rest that could be excited by an institu
ton so extensive in les numbers, but q
circumstance here very unusual, il
not entirely unprecedented before such
tribunal, that most able and expert
enced counsel had been retained, and
tina, in this way Messrs. T. Swami,
Edmund l. Lee and Robt. /. Taylor
had been added to the formidable array
against me. In' self defence ] had also
recourse to professional support, s.
sought in the services s. attendance OF
Mr.. I. L Mason that aid hicb the ma
tureoi my case seemedto require Under
these ciTcum stances, about two weeks
ago, we were summoned TO appear be-
fore justice Hoffman on second
warrant 1.-THE first bsving never as yet
been acted on) issued by him against
several persons who had been directors
of the bank, and were most generally
known to be interested IN its concerns.
Upon meeting, however, the counsel
for the defendants said they we're not
prepared to meet the question, and at
their instance and request the case was
postponed forten days in order that they
tance, supposed to contain case
which would have much weight in set.
ting the point in controversy. In the
mean time too it was agreed, for the
great convenience OF the magistrate,
that the argument OF the counsel, on
both sides, should be reduced to- writ
ing Upon again meeting before jus
tice Hoffman the counsel on both sides
0ttended--the book was produced, and
finally was acknowledged to contain no
thing relevant to the subject, and after
tbe counsel had been asked if there
were any points TO be made, or if they
Could throw any farther light upon the
subject, the case was by this magistrate
with all these aids, upon tho most de.
hberate and mature consideration, de
sided against the defendants.
The morning after this decision bad
several other warrants issued, upon
none OF which have ], as yet, been able
70 obtain decision, except upon the
following, on which justice NeaIe has