Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-11-01
A Card from Mr. Logan.
SALEM. VAa.Oetaher is

Il
! Editors of Richmond Dispotch:-
was this morning shown the Richmon,
Wing, with the SO called confession" q
Nv. Leigh Wilson. This paper is SO ali
surdiy-almest ludicrously-false on il
face. that L at first determined not t,
notice it In any way; but fearing tina
my silence might be misunderstood,
write to you simply to say that 1t is
tissue of falsehOods from one end to tn
other. The "Blair'' letters were handet
me In Salem on the afternoon of the 8tl
Of September, with the request that
would permit them to be used at BIZ
Lick on the following day. I heart
that Wilson had for q week or NOR,
| previous been constantly stating on th,
sGreets of Salem that he had letters o
Blair which he intended to publish, an(
that G. M. Webber, the editor Of tht
Register, had defied him to do 80. WheI
the letters were handed me, I, nevel
having seen Captain Blair's handwri
ting, and noticing the bad spelling. haG
doubts Of their genuineness. Sol wrote
to the Hon. A. A. Phlegar to come te
the Lick the next day and bring with
him any specimens of Blair's writing
be had. I went to the Lick the nexl
morning. and, on reaching there ]
Feoaght 4Dfs NEilaUn-Asd found him, - he
says, in the bar. room of John Davis.
called him aside aud asked him II be
still insisted on having the letters read
and published I had sent him word the
previous evening not to publish them)
He said, II do; they have treated me
Id mean, and intend to publish
them" I remarked then, Suppose the
letters are denied; you will have to sub
stantiate them, and go around with
these gentlemen for the purpose" He
replied, "I have the proof and will
travel around and face any denial" /
then left him. Not one word was said
about money. either then or at any 9th
er time. and I never dreamed that he
demanded money for the letters. When
left him consulted with such of our
party friends as were in the village, and
told them Wilson's expenses should be
paid if we concluded to use the letters !;
that he must travel with our speakers
and face any denial, and, Furthermore,
he could do some good in certain por-
tiOns of BOtetOurt and Montgomery
counties, where he had canvassed il
1879 for the Readjusters, and that had
$75 left Of the campaign funds in my
hands. and asked their advice as con-
tributors of the fund. They all told me
to give Wilson the money if we should
need his services I then went to the
Trent House and saw DR.. Monteiro, and
we walked to P. L. Terry's residence,
about half mile from the village, to
consult with Captain Wise. Ireturned
to the village, and q short time there
after Major Daniel, Captain Wise, and
DR.. Monteiro drove up, and I handed
the letters to Captain Wise Mr. Phle
gar came on the down train about IL
O'Clock, and, much to my surprise, he
had copy of the letter of October 9Th,
and said he had had it for some time
He further stated he had compared the
original with letters and pagers of
Blair's, and said that in his opinion
they were undoubtedly in Captain
Blair's handwriting, and then passed to
the stand where Captain Wise was
speaking, and told him what Phlegar
said, and he then read the letters. Mr..
Phlegar afterwards re-read them and
stated publicly what have here writ
ten. This all. Wilson's whole state
ment is false except as to where found
him. kn0a0 he never saw either Cap
tain Wise, Major Daniel, or DR.. Mon
teiro on that day before the speaking;
during the huzzaing and Handwriting
that followed, as in ten minutes after
the speaking we all went to Mr.. Terry's
to dinner, and remained until the time
to go to the depot for the western bound
train, when Major Daniel and his party
went to Christiansburg. After all was
over, and 1 had the letters, called Will
son out of the hall and handed him the
S75 atafinU tn him What IL WAS for -
This was the first, last, and only time
What did have kept no secret.
told it to number of my friends when
converting about the letters. Among
them are some of the leading Readjust,
ers of this county. r. Fl. LOGAN.