The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-10-26
A card from Mr. II. q. Fisgat.
R1cnNoNp, " OctOber 30. 81

RICHMOND, VA, October ~, 1881.
To the Editor Of the Wing:
In several issues OF your paper there has
appeared, editorially, special references TO
an unpublished letter Since published) OF
W. Leigh Wilson, directed to the editor Of
The Win, and incloscd in an envelope
bearing the laW-card OF j. II. Ii. Figgat,
FincaStle. Va, in all OF which the attempt
has been made 10 connect said Figgat with
tht letter. and thereby connect him also
with a letter Of Wilson'S to Hon. A. NJ.
Kelley. chairman Of the Democratic state
Committee, written about the same time,
and thus tlrough this indirect way at
TEMPT TO S3en the weight Of his evidence
rs given in The Blair-WilsOn aiilir-the
Riddlcberger exposure, so called. such
also was the attempt and insinuation OF
II. II. Riddlcbcrgcr in letter published
in the Wing OF October -.
/ should have noticed and replied to
these various charges sooner but FOR the
fact that one Thomas j. Wilson, assistant
postmaster at Fincastle, Va, told me on
the night OF October 18th, mt the st. Claire
Hotel, that he had examined said letter,
ard that he had written a card that would
be published in Che Wing OF October 18th,
in which he had stated that be knew The
writer OF said letter, and that while for
private reasons he would not state who
The writer was, that yet he would state that
neither J. III. III. Figgat or myself had
any connection with the same, or either OF
said letters. This statement was made 10
me twice the last time in the presence OF
Mr.. Cabell Davis, OF the IT. Claire. How
far he fulfilled his promise his card shows.
The simple facts Of this then unpublished
letter are these: Some time IN The latter
part of September w. Leigh Wilson met
me on The street in Fincastie rs | was conf
ing from my Office late at night and asked
me if / would not give him an envelope
and direct Che same for him, which Ireadi-
" consented TO do, and returned with him
to the Office, when / found | had no en-
yclopcs but those bearing the law-card OF
nv brother. This he said made no dii-
ference, as he only wished to send letter
to the editor Of Che Wing demanding the
name Of some correspondent in regard to
personal matter, and that for reasons salts
factory to himself he was afraid to put the
letter in the Fincastlc post-ofiice Ill his
handwriting. l asked him no questions in
regard TO 1t. /, not knowing then the name
OF Mr.. w. c. Elan, directed the envelope to
"The Editor OF the WhiG" and inelosing
his letter in 1t, without even noticing the
handwriting, handed it to Wilson, who
carried il at once across the street and
mailed it.
J. II. II. Fggat was absent from home
attending court in an adjoining county,
had ut that time been absent for several
DAYS (nearly one week., and did not return
until several days afterwards, and knew
absolutely nothing about the matter until
the night OF October 10th, when inform
ed him of Wilson's statement to me.
This is the sole history of this wonderful
envelope. have butte say that hereafter
any man who either states, or intimateS, or
insinuates, that either j. ii. II. Figgat or
myself had anything to do with the pre-
parati0n or knew aught OF the contents OF
either of said letters, save that i derived
from Wilson himself, / brand beforehand
a MALICIOUS LIAR AND sLANDERER.
With this | have done.
Respectfully, II. c. FIGGAT.