Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-03-15
For the Chronicle.
A CARD.

Ny attention has been called to
card, published in the Dover Record,
over the signature of B. F. Riggs, a
brother of the notorious James Riggs,
who was tried upon charge of OBJ
structing the track of the L. & N. r.
Il. To those who know the character
of B. +. Riggs, especially the charac-
ter he attained for noble and exalted
courage displayed last summer at Do
yer, in beating and maltreating his
wife--a gentle and delicate woman
it will not be necessary to make any
reply to assertions made by him. But
he undertakes to state the facts con-
corning my testimony upon the trial of
his brother, and in doing so, he will
fully and maliciously lied. My testi-
mony in that case has been written
out BY Gen. w. A. Quarles, the lead
ing counsel for the defence, and as
written out by Gen. Quarles, is concur
red in by Mr.. III. HI. Lurton, who was
engaged for the prosecution. This
testimony was as follows:
TO HORACE H. LURTON.
Foster stated that he, together with Phil
lips, made the arrest at Johnson's-that on
returning they met Carkuff and Ferrill-
the prisoner had three drinks-that he
had heard that Riggs was at Jobnson's,
and started about O'Clock in the night,
and got there about light. That he was a
police officer, and sometimes went out
Of the city into the country to make ar
rest. That in this case Mr.. Meek, Superin-
tendent OF the l.. q n. Railroad Company,
had called to see him, and asked MIN TO
work up the case, and told him, Foster,
that he suspected Riggs. and his reasons for
suspecting him, that Meek paid him no
money, but told him he should be well
paid for his trouble. Witness stated that
he had no right to expect and did not ex-
pect any reward, except such as would be
paid him under Meeks employment as de-
pay him well for his trouble. Witness, on
cross examination, adhered to his state
ment in chief, that he expected no reward
other than that he would get from Meek,
who had promised to pay him for his
trouble. He stated that he had received
no money from Meek, and had not told
ESQ. James Rogers, near the old Planters
Hotel, on Saturday night of the trial. that
Meek had been and was furnishing him
money in the case; that he had never told
George Harris that he expected any re-
ward except what Meek had promised TO
pay him Tor his trouble-that the sheriff of
the cOunty had told him that he would
get but q collar for the arrest, and this and
1.-THE money Meek was TO pay him for his
trouble WAS ali tDc TtWaTu he tXDtCteu.
On being recalle !, the witness again stated
that he expected no other reward than
what Meek would pay him for his trouble,
under the promise made him when he first
asked him to work up the case.
Yours Truly; or,
fully agree with Gen. Quarles in his
statement of Capt. Fosters evidence.
H. H. LURroN.
Now, B. F. Riggs says that when |
was recalled, l admitted that | had
expected a reward, and thus convicted
of purjery, because upon the original
examination, / had stated that / had
not expected any reward, other than
compensation for my services as de-
tective. An examination of my testi-
mony will disclose that / adhered to
my first statement, that | did not ex-
| pect reward.
I was asked upon my original exam
ination, if l had not told Mr.. George
Harris, that l did expect reward. l
answered no. Harris was called, and
stated that 1 had proposed to him to
go with me to arrest Riggs, and that [
told him that it was reported about
town that a reward was offered for his
arrest and conviction, but Mr.. Harris
did not pretend to say that | told him
that expected a REGARD. When /
was recalled, / adhered to my former
statements, that | did not expect re-
ward. | was not asked, either upon
my original examination or upon re-
calling me, whether [ had heard of a
reported reward, or whether / had re-
ported such report to Mr.. Harris.
A rumor of reward was current, but
never believed it to be true, and up
on the day after Riggs arrest by my
self and Phillips, Phillips asked Mr..
Meek, the Superintendent of the road,
if reward had been offered, and was
informed by Mr.. Meek that no such
reward had been offered. This Phil
lips communicated to me more than
ten days before my examination as
witness.
Mr.. Meek upon the trial, swore that
no reward had been offered by the
road, and Mr.. Beaumont, the Sheriff
of the county, also swore upon the
trial, that he told me, before my ar
rest of Riggs, that | would get but one
dollar for making the arrest.
So much for B. F. Riggs statement
The purest character may be tarnish-
ed by the breath of the slanderer, and
as | value a reputation which L be-
lieve 1 have won by an upright walk
and conscientious discharge of my du-
duty, wherever duty called me, have
thus at length stated all the facts con-
corning my testimony. 1t will be OBJ
served that my testimony was alto
gether immaterial to the case.
If B. +. Riggs wants the people of
Stewart county, to weigh the proof
offered by the State, let him publish
the testimony of Nat Trice and Frank
Phillips. Jas. Riggs acqultal was not
the result of proof offered by him
for he offered none worthy of mention
so much as sympathy for his worthy
and deeply distressed mother.
Respectfully,
A. B. FOSTER.