The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-03-20
Weekly Herald.
MARCH 20, 1879.
h0THEcAL.
"a PriestIy Retailer OF Dying Confess
slOns."
r. a.. rgyz- Al n

slons."
Toihe Editor Of the Tribune:
This is the heading of an editorial of
the Knoxville Tribune, of March 18th,
in which am presented to the public
In a way that makes it necessary for
he to reply.
There are but two points in the arti-
Gle which | deem worthy of notice.
The first is that | volunteered the
testimony. The second that | revealed
the secrets of a dead man intrusted to
me In his dying moments.
The facts are these: When Governor
Marks Message came out, | wrote to
him, as did many others in the State,
telling him | believed the people were
with him, and that the people wanted
10 pay all their just debts, but that they
Syould not Willingly pay debts that
they did not rightfully owe There
was some correspondence Mr.. Galloway
had just before his death in relation to
the management of the railroad, which
was very distasteful to him, and | was
s:tisied that that correspondence was
accessible, and l so stated TO Gov.
Marks. For the family of Mr.. Gala
way could have no objection TO giving
w correspondence which was honor
ing to him. ] did not then think, aud
do not now, that there was anything in
those letters which would reflect upon
Mr.. Galloway. After | had written
that letter the committee summoned
me to go to Nashville and give tcstimo-
ny. This slImmon was sent me by
mail. refused to go, and wrote Gov.
Marks and the committee that such
was my position that | would be mis-
understood, and that | knew nothing
which would be of any use TO them a.
testimony, and requested them 10 re-
lease me. The Sergeant-at-Arms of
The Senate came to Cleveland and l
refused TO see him. The committee
then came to Cleveland and l was
from home, and the.GSergeant-at Arms
of the House followed me up, and in
this way l was brought ssbefofe the
committee.
Ibid not suppress anything, for this
would be false swearing. some one
had po>ted Che committee so that l
could not have avoided telling all Of the
truth, If had been inclined.
The testimony was taken very hur-
ricdly and DR.. Driver, who wrote
rapidly, wrote the latter part OF my
testimony in order to make time, as
the train was nearly due on which
they expected to 60 to Knoxville. The
question in which l @ns asked, ''Do
you know anything CT the disposition
of certain papers?" was put to me in
such a way that l felt it my duty to tell
what / understood had become of them.
This ] regret, as it involves a lady for
whom | have a high regard, and par
ticularly do l regret it as l now learn
that the papers were not disposed of as
/ stated in my deposition l had under
stood. So much for the manner in
which the testimony WIS given.
Now as to the charge that 1 have
committed a gross offense against de-
cency andlendercd myself odious in
society Nv revealing tie confession of
n dying man, is not true to fact.
Mr.. Galloway was sick for some time
before his death. Was not in full
health for eighteen months, ana during
his first fitness / nursed him and did
all | could to restore him to health.
He, during his illness, made a profess
sion Of religion and as soon as he was
well enough Joined the Church. AS to
him making a confessions to ne, it is
utterly false. l would not have heard
it and he would not have made it TO
me or any one else. He confessed his
sins to God. The circumstance related
in my testimony about his making
Betsy Higgins assist him in some mat
tiers at Nashville he told some time
before he wasstaLen.'sick as q GOOD joke
TO his friends here, 1 did not know
then, nor dosI know certainly now,
that the object was not Legitimate, bit
the means.usediMr. Galway did not
pretend TO justify. from this first
illness lie talSed.frHe'y tonne, and al
ways seemed TO be dissatisfied with
bis life3as President of the railroad.
The committee seemed 10 be impressed
with che idea that there was a death
bed confession, and so put the que =
ton to me. l did not answer that
there was or anything like it. / was
not with Mr.. Galloway when Ing died,
but had he made a confession of q Great
wrong he had done the citizens of the
State OF Tennessee, l would consider it
my duty both as a Christian and patriot
TO reveal the fact, If by so doing the
wrong could be corrected.
N. w. MoTHEGAL.
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