The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-09-02

|
CoRREsP0NpEYCE--MR. WISE BOUND OvEH
rs THE SUN OF $1,000 TO KEEP THE PEACE
DIR. JOHNSTON ABSENT FROM THE CITY, &C.
The case OF Captain John s. Wise,
charged with being about TO engage in duel
against the laws OF the State OF Virginia,
was called in the Police Court yesterday
morning. MIR. Wise appeared at court
promptly at haif-past 0 o'clock with bis
counsel, Mr.. Thomas N. Page, and few
friends, and took his seat In the bar.
Several cases on the docket were disposed
OF before Mr.. Wise's case was called. Only
two witnesses tesIiied-Major Poe and Col
enel w. w. Gordon.
Chef-of-Police Poe, on being asked by
Mr.. Page by what authority he sued out
the warrant against Captain Wise, stated
that he did 1t upon-sthe information OF
certain gentleman whose name he did not
feel at liberty 10 give.
Mr.. Page then asked the Court whether
or not Major Poe could be forced to tell the
name OF his informant. The Court decided
that he could not be compelled TO answer
the question. M2ior Poe also said that he
bad conversation with Mr. Samuel Witt
the day the warrants were sworn out against
Captain Wise and DR.. George Ben. John
ston, and was satisfied from the converse
ton that llr. Witt bad no intention OF en-.
gaging in duel; hence he was not arrested.
The witness said he did apprehend duel
between DR.. Johnston and Captain Wise,
and accordingly had warrants issued for
their arrest,
Colonel w. w. Gordon then took the
witness seat. The Court asked him il he
had derived any Information from Captain
Wise or any one else respecting the diff
Guilty between Captain Wise and DR.. John.
stOn.
| The witness then stated that on August
| 23d be returned from south Carolina,
where he had been on business. When be
arrived here Captain Wise called upon him
and told him that he had had correspond
ence with Mr.. Samuel b. Witt, and read to
him (witness) the correspondence, and said
that any question between Mr.. Witt and
| himself (Wise) had been settled.
Colonel Gordon further stated that Cap
| tain Wise asked him for advice relative to
correspondence with DR.. Johnston, and
he advised him, under the circumstances,
TO correspond with DR.. Johnston. Captain
Wise then addressed letter to DR.. John
ston on Tuesday, August oath, between III
and II O'Clock, and delivered it Immediately
tlttTNtIuS. MI. W ISc lucU Itlt, itdflDb tHt
witness under the impression that he (Wise)
would not receive message from DIR. john
ston through Mr.. Bruce, because he (Wise)
had been informed that Mr.. Bruce was
one OF the fifteen who black baIed him in
The Westmoreland Club. Witness told
| Captain Wise he did not see how he (Wise)
could properly refuse a message through
| Dir. Bruce. An interview took place be-
tween Mr.. Wise and Mr. Bruce, but the
witness was not present at the time. Col
onel Gordon said lie did not have copies OF
the letters between Captain Wise and Dr.
Johnston, bat he thought that they conld
be produced without any trouble. Colonel
Gordon then left the witness-chair.
Captain Wise arose and stated 10 the Court
| that he had the letters, and would read them.
| He asked for few moments before further
proceedings were had. After consultation
with counsel and friends Mr.. Wise sald that
as it was now apparent that the Court
would certainly place him under bonds he
deemed it best TO give full statement OF
this matter. His statement was in effect Us
follows: That last winter his name was pro-
posed for membership in the Westmoreland
Club, which purported to be purely
social organization; that he was black
baled, fifteen negatives being polled;
that the only reason given was
his being a Readjuster and a friend OF
| General Malone; that after some difficulty
/ he secured list OF those voting against
him, and DR.. Johnston's name was not on
the list; that although he conld not ap-
proach those voting against him personally,
| vet he had denounced them on the stump
and in the press as towards, and had pub
| lcly insuIted TWO who bad approached him.
ri n
him i'm a very concerned manner OF con-
versation which Mr.. Samuel B. Witt. had
held in a bar-room few days previously ];
that be went TO see Mr.. Witt, and not see
ing him, wrote to him as follows:
AUGUST 90, 1880.
s. b. Wit, Esq:
Sir,-Mr. John Smelling informs me that
few days ago, in his bar-room in this city,
you stated
lst. That some Mr.. - had called upon
me and informed me he voted against me in
the Westmoreland Club, and that had not
resented it,
ID. That DR.. George Ben. Johnston had
sent me message OF some sort that br bad
voted or worked against me in that matter,
and that had failed TO notice it, and con-
tinued to speak to him.
Sd. That you expressed your doubts In
| that place OF my personal courage, and
spoke disparagingly OF the same.
Please inform me il you made such state
ments and remarks, and, IL so, whether
you are responsible for the same.
Respectfully, JOHN S. WISE.
Mr.. Witt being away from his office he
did not receive the above until Saturday
and replied thereto about p. NJ, as fol-
| lows:
AUGUST 90, 1880.
John s. Wise:
Dear Sir,-Your note OF the Goth, per Mr..
Newman, is to hand this morning. In re-
ply beg leave to say that only last Sunday
| was In Mr.. Snelllng's bar talking politics,
along with good many others. The crowd
finally dropped off, leaving DR.. James
McCaw, Mr.. Smelling, Colonel Pop
ham, and myself. We continued the
conversation in reference to the can
yass. During the talk something was
said about your affair with the West
moreland Club. l then stated that DIR.
George Ben. Johnston had said at the Rich
mond Club, the morning after your Staun-
ton speech, in which the Dispatch newspa-
per had reported you as 'denounciDg the
members OF that Club who bad voted against
you, that be had been approached by friend
OF yours in the Theatre who asked how be
4 voted in the case, &c; that he (Dr. john
ston) " not only voted against you, but or.
ganized defeat for YOU" and that he had
never heard anything more OF 1t.
| As to Mr.. -, his name was first men,
toned by somebody else. whom l do not
remember, and stated with him there was
a report commonly circulated that he went
there to vote against you, but for some rea-