The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-02-08
Mr.. Page: deny the validity of any such
power Of attorney.
AN ArrEMrr no wAKp rHk hLow.

power Of attorney.
AN ATTEMrT TO WARD THE BLOW.
|. Mr.. Lyon: All this has been offered in
evidence before; and now state, and can
prove it by the record of !he company and
by the evidence which Mr.. Ragand pre-
sentcd to this committee several days ngo;
and SO much have these proceedings been
prolonged, | may say even several weeks
ago, by the recorded evidence which was
then presented, and with which no person Is
more familiar than the learned counsel for
Mr. Robinson, 1t WAS never questioned after
the suit to which that document refers.
Furthermore, in proper tribunal we
will prove that not only was his stock voted
by authority. but that the transaction which
took place he said personally to the presi-
dent that he was satisfied with what had
been done. will prove furthermore, when
the time comes, and before the proper tribu-
nal, that when upon the two days which
witnessed before Judge Wexford, of the Cir
cut Court, settlement of the chancery suit
TO which reference is made in that remark
able paper, that BrodnaX was present himself
| in the courtroom, and knew very we'll that
part OF the delay was occasloncd by leaving
| the door open for names OF people VINO were
not In the bill; and that then and there; in
the hour Of his opportunltyi pc did not osk
| 10 have his manic inserted. "e VIII prove,
| furthermore, when the proper time comes,
| that after Mr.. David B. Tenant, VINO was
the principal plaintiff in that suit, ana MI.
| Ragand had come In and agreed upon
| friendly settlement between them, that
other plaintiffs, that bold and learned
and dlligcnt counsel kept US baflled
| for two days in the presence of Judge
1 Nd hoya "a f1rintnH 1nrI1-
| ments preserved; thank God, by which
| 1c can support tho oral testimony OF the
| Gentlemen who were there; TINT they kept
It's at bay for two days from making peace
| iul and friendly settlement 10y trying to
>tipulatc that Reuben Ragland, rs president
| Of the Petersburg road, should bind the
! railroad not to prosecute the plaintiffs for
damages for maladminiStration in their
Office us directors of the company. When 4
man puts his dirty linen iu this mangle I
will wash it; but, sir, say this: that fur
lhermore, before the proper tribunal will
prove that these petitioners have harasscd,
and worried, and tsstscd, and pressed us with
Mil sorts of importcnitieS to buy the stock to
luake money; and they have made little
| ring-a very little ring-and that is the little
ring tf1lt is thrown ] / here. Dir. Robins
son and his counsel are wise not to assume
the paternity OF that thing they arc wise to
wash their hands of it; and therefore, if |
| had got the floor first, would not have
asked the question that Mr.. Ragland did
whether this party came in the interest of
Mr.. Robinson or not. | would never have
suspected, from Mr.. RobinsUn's clarac-
ter, or from the sagacity Of his counsel, that
they would ever suffer themselves to have
been caught in 50 small ring as that. Inow,
sir, utterly decline to answer. l should not
use in reference to my personal friend over
there that other word which Mr.. Ragland
used, but I will say this, that ! scorn to all
swer here, when have once been before
the court ttat has jurisdiction over this
subject, that had these same men with
BroadnaX sitting there behind the rail,
watching on and whispering to Mr.. Ragand
and the lawyers on the other side not to let
them OFF; don't release them if they mall
administratcd the office; don't let them
cover up their responsibility for damages
behind this. Now, sir, SO far as am con-
ccrned, having made this erpose, having
challenged and de1ied, as / now challenge
and defy, an examination OF everything
upon the record, repudiating rs L
do, on behalf Of this company, tie
charge OF fraud, we call them TO the tr-
huna where fraud can bc siftcd ; we call
them to the place where legal rights can be
determined, and l shall never plead before
his court, before this committee, before q
Virginia Senate; but upon the facts OF the
case it is enough TO show that this was for the
purpose Of compelling us to buy, and now /
give them notice that so far as my advice rs
counsel cin 20. that stock will never he
bought by any man act for or represent to
| the crack of doom.
NEVER HAVE a CHANCE.
Mr.. Page: You will never have chance,
| sir.
Mr.. Lyon: Oh, no; but we have had
chances upon chances and opportunities
upon opportunities. | desire to rcitcrate
| that do not suspect, and would not offend
them By sllspecting, either Mr.. Robinson or
his learned counsel of being party TO this
little ring.
Mr.. Ragland: asked the question because
thought Mr.. Page could answer it, whe-
thcr it meant blackmai or whether it
meant in the interest of Robinson.
Mr.. Page: again ask that the chairman
will protect nc from such imputa,ions.
Colonel Taylor: desire that all language
of that sort will be retrained from.
Mr.. Page: humbly ask leave to say few
words in behalf Of this petition, which has
been referred to you by the General Assem-
| lily of Virginia, and to make some obscrva.
tions in response to the ,....
| EXTRAORDINARY nARANGuE
with which this petition has been greeted BY
| kagland and his counsel There is nothing
very extraordinary in this petition nothing
very remarkable in it : it is n tale that has
been told before, and it is tale that was told
in q court of justice, and it is a tale that the
gentlemen did not choose to meet and re.
spond to in Il court of justice. The case
pcnding in behalf of other stockholders who
sasaI US these gentlemen now stand was
cdrxESaalised, upon what terms l am not
apprised, but Mr.. RagIand, through his
counsel, agreed to pay sum of $50 per share
for the stock represented by those gentle
men; it was pending suit, and the defend
ant, not in accordance with the wishes OF his
counsel, or the advice of his counsel, but OF
his own head, afraid to stand the test of the
investigation, thought it wiser to settle the
matter. Now, sir,
| WHO ARE THESE PARTIES!
whose names appear in that petition? They
are gentlemen of us high character as any in
the State of Virginia. There are no men
that know in the State of Virginia who
for probity, integrity, and respectability
are their superiors. They have lived in
the county of Brunswick ever since they
were born, and if Dir. Ragand can bring
higher evidence of rcspectability of charac-
ter, Of integrity, or Il better claim to be heard
with attention than those gentlemen can, I
shall be glad to see some evidence of it. Now,
sir, what do these gentlemen sayl First,
want to advert to point that Mr.. Lyon
made-that one of these gentlemen, by his
attorney, John Donnan, voted for these