The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-09-02
from the National Republican, August 31st.l
WASHINGTON, August 80, 1876.

from the National Republican, August 31stl
WASHINGTON, August 80, 1876.
II. d. Nichols, Norfolk, Pa:
have received with utter establishment
your telegram in relation to the affidavit OF
William II. Coe, charging that, having writ
ten letters which have appeared III the
Washington Republican signed " Paxton,
I had engaged him to assume the rcsponsi-
bility In case Mr.. Goode should demand
satisfaction. am unable to realize how any
man could possess malignity and hardwood
enough to SO pervert facts, and, not having
seen the affidavit referred to, must content
myself with an absolute and uncqulVocai
denial OF the statement, and meet IL by a
simple and truthful recital OF all the 1acts OF
my connection with William IL. Coe ana the
/" Paxton" letters. Early in the month OF
August Coe called at my room Win Inc
manuscript OF the first letter, dated Nor1olR,
August Sd, and requested me to procure Its
publication. He stated to me that he felt q
deep sense OF gratitude to .me for having
some three years ago obtained hlm employ
ment when he was in 4 destitute and suffer-
ing condition; that he had felt outraged at
the treatment I had received1rom Dir. Goode,
Of whom he spoke in terms stronger, II pos
sible. than in his letter. He stated to me
that he had been captain in the fortleth
Virginia regiment, and was 4 gentleman by
birth and connection in Virginia; that he had
had two fights on my account, brought about
bv his warm condemnation OF the ac-
ton OF Congress and Mr.. Goode in my cleo
ton contest-one with the Hon. Beverly
Douglass at the Metropolitan Hotel, and
one with Fitzhugh. the late Doorkecper OF
the House, at the National Hotel. He took
from his pocket and showed me a cOmmIni-
cation which, he said, lie had written two
wears ago. when I was attacked in the COL
umns OF the Sunday Gazette, OF this city,
and in which he warmly defended me, and
pronounced the statements in the Gazette
articles to be bascly false. lie gave as rea-
son why he did not himself take his letter to
! the Republican Office that they had refused
| to publish his defence Of me two years ago,
and he thought they would not insert
anything for him. l asked hlm II
he was prepared to take the 1liil re-
sponsibility OF the publication, to which he
replied that he was then took the letter,
which was written on both sides OF The pa
per with lead pencil in back hand, struck
out some fulsomc praise OF myself, ana
added the charges in relation to Mr.. Goode
| having voted for himself and permitting his
father to be supported by the State, and
|
from the manuscript The letter was then
sent to the Republican Office by me and
published. On the 23d of August he called
again on me with second letter, and gave
him COPIES ois the card inserted by Mr..
Gooae in the Virgisian OF the 22d, and that
OF Mr.. DeZcndorf in the Day Booh OF the
same date. After reading these he said he
would alter the letter that lie had written,
and would stop the writing OF cards, but
that he did not know about the charges
that Goode voted for himself and about
his father. told him I assumed all tsic re-
sponsiblity for those charges, and was pre-
pared to prove them. He had signed this
second letter, ':PaNton, an officer III the
Confederate army. who lost IN arm fighting
for the South while you, Mr.. Goode, were
occupying your soft place in the CoIfcdc-
rate Congress-" At my suggestion all OIL
this but the word Paxton " was omitted.
This letter was prepared for publication i'll
the same way as the first, and at his request
| met him at the cditorial-rooms OF the Re-
publican and introduced him to Mr.. David
SON as "Payton." While in the editorial
rooms he again asked to have the addition
above referred to made to the signature, but
was dissuaded from doing so by me. And
he exhibited to Dir. Davidson the letter pre-
viouslv referred to, which he had prepared
two years ago for the Gazette, referring to
the fact that the Republican had refused to
publish it rs his reason for his request for
me to accompany him to the office, as he
thought they would not print anything for
him. This letter appeared in the Repnbli-
can OF the 24th instant.
Believing that it would compel notice
from Mr.. Goode, this arrangement was made
with Captain Coe and myself. His address
was left with the editor OF the Republican.
ANY communication which might come for
"PaXton" was to be sent to Coe. He was
to refer the writer to me, and was to noti-
fy whoever it might be that William Ii. Coe
was the author Of the Paxton" letters,
and responsible for all the contents except
the statements:
/. That Mr.. Goodc voted for himself st
the last congressional election.
,. That while deploring the great poverty
OF Virginia he had permitted his. father to
be supported by the State.
5. That he had attended the dancing par
ties and balls OF Washington Immediately
after his fathers death that for these state
ments | Was responsible, and that we both
declined any retraction unless furnished
with proof that the statements made were
incorrect. Expecting TO be absent from
Washington for two days, ], at his request,
gave him the form Of an answer to send to
any communication he might receive. re-
ferring the writer to me. And on his state
ment that he was out of employment gave
him letter to General Averill, asking for
!, a position for him in the work OF paving
Pennsylvania avenue. Believing him gen
tlenan and man OF honor, had no hesita-
| ton In giving him this letter, and said no
more in it than believed to be true.
On Saturday evening, August Goth, the
following note was brought to me ut my
rooms by a woman had never seen before
james II. Plat:
Dear Friend,-Pleasc send me ten I0)
dollars, as wish to leave for Baltimore. I
called to see you twice, but you were out.
/ will call on my return; would call, but
IN down town.
BY complying with the>abolc you will
oblge yours, &c, -@.s 3~xE
IPaXton.] WILLIAM II. Coz.
told his messenger to ask him to call on
me himself, and in short time lie presented
himself, and on his representation that he
was out of money and desired to go to Bal
timore and return the next morning loaned
him five dollars. have not seen him since,
nor heard from him until your telegram was
received informing me Of his affidavit.
/ have thus given you an accurate and
| truthful statement OF my connection
with Coe and the q Paxton letters.
Any statement that have ever intended Or
attempted to shirk in any way the full re-
sponsibility for my share in them is abso-
lntely false.