The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-10-20

where he (Riddleberger) was to meet NAL Daniel
| do, and when Riddleberger became Sergeant-a
Arms OF the United States Senate he was to CIV
Wilson an appointment from Colorado. Wflso
solemnly asserted to us that he would die before
would sign the papers prepared for him, and after
wards made affirmation to the same effect private
iy to one Of u.s. he over and over again asserted 7
us the genu1neness of the Blair letters, and tina
these men who were after him knew they were ger
utEe, and that was the reason they wanted him
ssgo back on them. He also assured us that he ha
the af1davits of four men who had seen these lei
tors last fall when they were received-some Q
them, at least, the same evening.
Wilson, after leaving US, returned to R1ddleDer
gers room, and the proof of bargain and sal
there is indisputabe. And 1t is confirmed by tn
or this morning, and Wilson and his cousin "a Re
ad1uster Republican, went on the train toward
Wytheville.
You can use this as seems to you best.
JAMES MCDOWELL,
J.H. 81. FIGGAT,
J.R. GOODWIN,
CARD FROM HON. H. H. RIDDLEBERGER.
To the Editor the Wing:
In the tsDispatch' Of this morning ind commu
nicaton addressed by Messrs. James MCDOWELL
Kelley.
proper respect for the intelligence and gentiit,
Of Virginia requires that should treat the whole
publication in way that neither OF the stgnersn
him to whom 1t Is addressed, deserves.
First. I would disassociate Messrs Mays anG
TlOmaS y. WILSON Win tl16 reply aud leave them t(
answer for themselves. 1t is first written Of me
ssRiddtebsrge, soho 1t is said refused to speak t.
WILSON at Wytheuiue, met him veru cordially on tn.
Wythevtlle and when met him on the street al
Ftncastle was going to the barbershop, and sim
ply said to him. "Good morning. Leigh r shaking
hands with him. No words passed but the common
and quickest cOurtes1eS.
So much for lie number one.
Then follows awe had reason to know Wilson
had no money then" TO which Ineed only respond
that men who investigated Wilson's finances and
edit tnuendo of this sort against ought to be
accepted as authority on this point.
Next 1t is said: Immediately after dark, Riddle
berger Mays and others assembled at the hotel and
with Wilson for several hours" This is an unuual
ined lie. I was in my own room, surrounded
till II O'Clock by number Of gentlemen, and at this
hour retired with Hon. Lewis Linkenhoker and an
other gentleman, whose name cannot recall, they
occupying bed in the same room and retiring at
the same time. AS to the draft-before had heard
Of a Wilson confessions Immediately on the arrival
of Mr.. L1nkenhoker, and in my own room, in the
presence of a-half dozen or more gentlemen, told
Mr.. LinkenhOker was away from home and al
most without money, and asked him to get me some
money for which would give him a draft. He said
ne T9q ny b 40 So 'na1 t6 10
office and at the connter Of the hotel and paid my
bill from the money received on 1t, This was not
the first time had asked friends to do as mnch
since the Legun, and 1T did not occur me
that Figgat was such suspicious bride agent to
bring such transaction into question, though I
ment Of Wilson's writing to the swing" and "Dis-
patch"
Now, then, that 1 wrote dictated, suggested,
thought Of or knew one word OF the Wilson letter;
that at any time, to any person. suggested or
thought Of suggesting consideration, either by mon
ey, appointment to ot11ce through myself, Gen. Ma
hone, anybody else, In any way manner, form,
is wicked and malicious lie, and no man, or men,
possessing any instincts OF gentlemen, could have
been induced to rush into print with such charges
by suggestion or inclination.
The invention of "Sergeantat-Arms'' and "Colo-
RADIO" was and is lie, and could have emanated
only from the most fruitful and capable of liars.
The letter concludes: "Wtlson, after leaving us
returned to Riddlebergers room and the proof of q
bargain and sale there is indisputable At no time
to the hour OF retiring, my room less than
crowded with gentlemen; and Wilson came into
that room but once-then only to inquire for some
one. whom do not recollect, and leaving with the
Information that he was not with US.
For the public want this indisputobIe proof.
Knowing it cannot be supplied, brand 1t as base
and infamous lie, and want the responsibility
to rest with any gentleman who will assume it.
1t is proper, in my Judgment, to say In that con-
nection, however inappropriate 1t may appear to
some, thatI would have written the letter had
Mr. Wilson dictated 1t to me. offered a letter
OF gentleman Gen. Walker) and declined to take
it, as declined all other correspondence Of that
private nature. I was informed that two letters
were In Wythev1lle in the hands Of a third patry,
which 1t was claimed had been written by Gen. Ma
hone and Capt Blair and that they were subject to
Mr.. Wilson's order. told Mr.. Thomas Wilson
would pay all travelling expenses 10 obtain those
letters and bring them to me. For this reason he
and. Mr.. Leigh Wilson left Fincastle in the same
stage. The next day was informed that these let
tiers would not be surrendered. do not know the
reason. 1t would be better, no doubt to have them
published, and along with them the letters which
rendered to me- The country could then
judge, and say do not fear the consequences.
Moreover, If had chosen rush Into print on mere
statements, would have stated that prominent
lawyer of F1ncastla wrote Mr.. Wilson's unpublished
letter to the "Whtg' and the published communi-
citation than had with Mr.. Wilson, One envelope
had Figgat on the back, and the manuscript can be
o In Mr. Waan % for aaSe aS mach
gat, who seeks his middle place as signer of the
Infamous tDispatch" communication.
The public can Judge between me my letter trans
hitting the Wilson oonfession and that of Figgat
which had the more association with the author Of
letters which Fggat seemed all the time willing to
testify were genuine and would still have believed
against the evidence of the reputed author and his
own witness. Respectfully,
81. H. RIDDLEBERGER.
Subsequent to the publication of the above
letter of Wilson's, the alleged author stated to
Messrs Whitehead, Glass and Harvey, at
Lynchburg, that the purported confession was
forgery.
Mr.. ]. a. II. Figgat, of Botetourt, in reply
to Riddleberger. reasserts the statements made
over the signatures of Messrs Mcdowell. Fig
gat and Goodwin, and concludes his commu-
nication with the following paragraph:
am unwilling to handy epithets with such
man as MT. Riddleberger, but will content
myself with proving the TACT as stated by me,
and leave the public to Judge between u.s.
deemed it right to expose plot to corrupt a
miserably weak and depraved creature, and
think we were rendering loyal service to the
cause of right in SO doing, and have no apollo
gies to make for our action
And last, Thos J. Wilson, cousin of the
notorious Leigh, sends the following to the
Richmond Wing:
RICHMOND, VA, October Is, 1881.
In regard to the Leigh Wilson confession, take
this occasion to say that said confession was made
privately to me before Leigh Wilson had seen or
spoken to either Capt. II. H. Riddleberger or Judge
R. F. Mays also here emphaticaly deny that any
conference was ever held at the Haythe Hotel be-
tween H. H. kiddlsberger, Judge Mays and Leigh
Wilson, or that any consideration or tnduceMent
was held out by either of said gentlemen to the said
Wilson to make this confession; that it was volun-
two other gentlemen, ana delivered by myself to
Capt. Riddleberger in the PRESENCE of Judge Mays
and others, at ~ o'clocka. m. on Monday.
James Mcdowell and j. r. Goodwin, purporting to
be statement Of Leigh Wilson to them, 1t Is q lie
and Others that Flggat and Mcdowell had offered g
him 81, 600 to withdraw the confession he had de-
livered to me to be- handed to Capt. Riddleberger;
Blair and resolved to set him right In this matter
Said W1lsop further informed me that the letter
Wrltten 70 the Dispatch OF september =, 1881, was
not written by himself but by j. H. Il. Figgat; also
the letter demanding the authorship OF a certain
letter signed "X X" In the Wing was submitted to
me Tor inspection by W. O. Elam ESQ.,, and am sat
1sfed the handwriting the envelope was r. @.
Figgats, and the said envelope was stamped "Law
once OF j. Il. H. Figgat, but the letter was not In
said F1ggat's handwriting.
II the statement of Leigh Wilson to me be correct
here say that the conduct of said Figgat and Nc
Dowell IS as reprehensible was the conduct OF
Leigh Wilson, and their efforts to stab the character
OF Capt Blair after said Wilson had confessed the
forgery to them deserves the severest condemnation
and shows to what depth Funders will sink to carry
out this unholy crusade on the rights of people
me statements Of Capt. Riddleberger IN answer
to the Figgat-McDowell card published Id yester-
days Dispatch are true, and rally. endorse the
same, and hold myself personally responsible TO
any person who may hereby feel aggrieved.
\. ID Respectfully, -&c,
[signedl a' y THos: j; WILSON r
NOTICE. TO VoYERqyss-AsTTTgEE ~ REGIS
A.RFs!E"'Ten days previous to the November
elections the registrar shall SIT one day for the
purpose Of amending and correcting the list
at which time any qualified voter applying
and not previously registered, may be added.
"The registrar shall give notice of the time
and place Of all registrations for at least ter
days before each sitting, by posting written OIL
print notices thereof at ten or more publ,
places in their townships, wards and election
district. AND THE REs1aRssANfI, SHALL VA At AM
TIME PREygoEs ~ THE Il REG k YIA +. PAYS o.