Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-08
THE TRICE-MAURY AFFAIR.
what Conductor Trice Has to Say in
His Own Defense.

what Conductor Trice Has to Say in
His Own Defense.
Having printed the letter of Gen. Maury,
1t is proper that Conductor Trice should
also be heard through these columns. The
following is the statement of Mr.. Trice, in
a report to Maj. Wicks, President of the
Memphis and Charleston Railroad:
MEMPHIS, Tenn, Feb. l, 1672.-Maj. NJ.
]. Wicks, President Memphis and Charles
ton Railroad: According to your order,
you will please find below a statement Of
the difficulty that occurred in the sleeping
car under my charge at Chattanooga, with
a man whose name l have since learned
was Dabney II. Maury, who came
aboard the sleeper and inquired
for a berth for Huntsville, which 1
readily assigned him, and he at once began
to inteTogate me as follows: "What line is
this?" replied that it was the Pullman.
He said, ga Northern institution" l re-
marked, perhaps, that it was owned by
Northern capitalists, but that it was called
the Pullman Southern Car line. He then
asked me where was from. l replied,
Louisa county, Virginia. He then said, 81
am from Spottsylvania county myself"
fsThen," replied, "we are from the adjoin-
ing counties" He said, "No, sir, We are
not" To which replied, "Yes, Spottsyl-
Vapia county joins louisa, Hanover and
Orange" His next question was, "What
Is your name?" l answered, "Trice is my
name, SIR" he, without saying one word,
gathered his satchel and left the car. In
short time afterward 1 passed through the
ladies' car and noticed the same man in
conversation with one of the brakesmen.
heard him say, as l passed by, 81 want
you to tell him So" The brakesman
said, ''That is him now; he has heard YOU"
and came Immediately to the platform and
said, 'The reason that man left the sleep
ing car was because be said you are the
man that circulated those infamous reports
about JEFF. Davis and the South" To
which l replied, eyes, | thought something
was the matter. l will see the man after the
train STARTS" but as soon as returned to the
sleeper the same gentleman returned. l
met him at the furnace, just between the
drawing room and where the berths are To-
Gated. / said, 'You left the car very un-
tremendously. VIII you not take a berth,
or do you not like the car-has ANYTHING
displeased you?" eyes," he replied, ''you
are the man that circulated those infamous
lies relative TO JEFF. Davis" l informed
him that | had told no lies on Mr..
Davis; If had l would not hold the posi-
ton l now hold. To which he quickly
said: "Yes; you are the very man,yOu lying
son of D." at the same time he step
ped back few steps, and placed his hand
behind him as though he intended to draw
q pistol. ], at one bound, before be could re-
move his hand, thrust him against the
drawing room, with his haI.d still behind
bin, and seized the iron poker at the furn-
ace and dealt him several blows, until /
was satisfied he was not able to use his
pistol on me. At the same time he man
aged TO get to the platform OF the car, and
before any one came up he said: " You
have almost killed me-" EYES," / said,
Hyou blind son of a b.; don't you see
1 am not the man to take your insults; you
ought TO see first" He again
caught me around the neck, and l
released myself as soon as l could and dealt
him sound blow with my hand-lamp. At
that time the brakeman came up and asked
me 10 desist, and they took the man inside
the ladies' car. Fifteen or twenty minutes
afeerward he was led into the sleeping-car
by train-conductOr Ramsey, who remarked
to me that "Mr. Maury wishes to see you.
/ said, "for what puTpOse?" He replied,
$50 as to identify YOU" 1 stepped forward,
held my lamp up--and so did conductor
Ramsey-in order that the man might see
me. He asked, care you the man that struck
me?" l replied that / was. He said, 81
only want to identify you" This is all that
/ can remember Ofany purport on the sub
ject. Respectfully, G. w. TRICE,
Sleeping-car Conductor.