The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-10-02
fCommunicsted.I

The Case OF fhc Rev. Dr. e. +. Baird.
Editors Dispatch: VIII you permit me
10 recti;y one or two mistakes IN your yes
terday's report OF this case, and add few
facts TO those therein presented. AS the
case arose cut OF the affairs OF the Commit
tee OF Publication, have indicated the
members OF that committee IN the following
cnumerations by italics:
/. The Committee of Prosecution con-
sisted OF the Rev. DR.. Williarn Bro,or, Rev.
William Il. Campbell, and w. w. Henry,
Esq.
9. The first count under the first charge
was not sustained. On this count, that he
had appropriated the funds Of the Church
10 his private use to the amount OF $14,-
559.49, or some part OF it, the vote was: -
To SuStdin the Charge.-Mintsters !:
John s. Watt, j. D. Dudley, George D.
Armstrong. Charles II. Read, T. L. Pres
tom, James P. Smith. George f. Denny, Fl.
NJ. Anderson, B. II. Dupuy. Elders: w. f..
Iauior, w. J. Dance. W. d. Reynolds.
Not Sustain. ministers: S. j. Baird,
NJ. W. Staples, T. d. Witherspoon, n. NJ.
Woods, William II. Scott. j. c. Painter,
John NJ. Rose. Elders: j. 4. Holt, r. 4.
Howison, 5. 2. Haw, j. W. Friend, James
Miller, E. W. Cone. Ayes, II; noes, IA.
9. The second count Of this charge was
that he did employ and use the name and
credit OF the Committee OF Publication for
the borrowing and raising OF money for MS
own private purposes by giving notes signed
or endorsed "E. T. Baird, Secretary" In
one or more OF sums, in the aggregate
amounting to s7,S4S.SS. The items (pub-
lished in your yesterdays paper are iden-
tical with those contained in the indictment
on which DR.. Baird was tried before the
Hustincs Court, where the charge was
found so utterly baseess that, before a
word Of the defence had been heard. Judge
Guigon arrested the proceedings, and or
dered a verdict 10 be entered for the de
fence.
On this count the Presbytery stood as be-
fore, except that Messrs. Scott and Rose
voted " sustain" so reversing the majority
and sustaining the count by IA to IL.
The same vote sustained the second
charge, OF uttering what Was not true, and
sinfully concealing the truth. This result
presents the Presbytery in very remarka-
BILE position. The second charge was abso-
lutcly dependent on the first count OF the
, first charge, which count had been rejected.
The charge was that in his annual report to
the General Assembly in May, 1875, DR..
Baird failed to report the amount Of his in
debtedness to the committee.
This amount was by Mr. Sleight. page &c
OF the printed testimony, set down at
SS,690.93. But on his cross-eXamination,
sum OF Se,434.36. "TheD, your former an
swer," said Mr.. Leake, .'is incorrect, is it
not?" alt appears SO now, from the fg-
ures," said Mr.. Sleight. "though did not
intend it to be so ut the time" The amount
is thus reduced to S2,256.57. But now
come forward MesSrs. White and Boudara and
demonstrate, as the result Of brief inspec-
ton of few pages OF the books OF account,
unQuestionable errors against DR.. Baird to
the amount OF S2,067.7S, page 152. This,
taken from the above S2,256.57, leaves bal
ance Of S1SS.79 as the highest possible liza
biiity OF DR.. Baird to the committee ut the
time in question. But. in the book Of as
sets which accompanied the annual re-
port, upon which the charge OF iasehood is
based, he had charged himself, under the
name OF bis agents, Whittet Il Shepperson,
with an indebtedness Of S1.211.7S. Such is
the basis OF the charge of falschood.
In word, the first charge was rejected
by Presbytery, the second was thrown out
OF the Hastings Court, and the third was
not only contrary to the evidence, but the
Presbytery in adopting it contradicted it
SELF, as all the items on which it rested
were included in the first count which was
rejected.
High compliments were paid in Presby-
terry to Or. Baird's skill in bookkeeping, as
illustrated in the examination OF the wit
nesses on the accounts. Justice requires
that it be known that all these examinations
were conducted by w. Leake, ESQ.,, CON-
missioner in chancery, and ruling elder in
the Ashland church.. Respectfully,
SAMUEL j. BAIRD.