The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-05-01
communicated
rNO THE PUBLIC.

I think IL due 10 NV friends that I should ak
space In your columns for the folio wing: My clerk,
Mr.. WIlli,ms, has been sent ON 10 The iiustings
Court two charges of having bought ana fcc' lyat
certain pig.iron. have his To say at present Mr..
Williams buys no ron at my place Of busines, FOR
himself. lie Ouiy buys ana receives as my agent.
He has ney' been authorized by me 10 Nioaic any
| law oi mi. STATE, nor do belieye that be has
ever done 50 in0atiOnally; aud | AIN re-
.pon.ible for any act done by him wiihin
The scope Of his duties - my clerk, ant
have never shrunk from being resnoo.ibie
rof any act that he has d'ne 30 far Mr. Williams
was arrested on his own statement, voluntarily
made when | WAS under arrest for the same charge
ieung al he knew. although he hId 10 admit that
he WAS careless when he received the pig.irOl
claimed by Mr. Sntder. aud by lhai sdniislon put
himself Ia he position he now occupies. lie n,f
not have been benefited by buytDg the irO aad
therefore had induce ment 10 violate ilIs law i
IL To be supp aei hat hc would have assclnc the
.pOnsihiiiy of The pur hase " he hsd acted uDd,r
Hiy Ord.rsi HE would never nave Dern a. rested n
he had SAID, Mr.. smith told me To- buy all iron
brought 20 the store, aud that he would be responsi
Knowing him to be an honest man, and believing
thai whai he dd BE- 0iI through caclessUess, wbls
la hurry. ask The pIbiic 10 suspend lnlRme1t
until Mr.. Williams Is friej. AS 10 iDyscif, have
THIS 10 say: came here from the NOrln liter HE
war to settle AMI live here. have done aet since
/ have beeu here 20 the dCiruen' OF the people OF
Tins city have ATTEMPTED to Identity myssif win
the people If D!s ciiy. have never knowingly doa.
30 not 10 that stolen goods baye not been
bought al nv place Of business. lt T. lmposd'
De 10 Prevent " IN dOlnk tue large Dh'iit.f
I carry on. Bur do mean 10 affirm hat never
bought any article knowing Il 10 be siol.D, aud
mean TO SAY h,t no man has ever csim.d az article
IN IA house os haying been stolen from hln that
dd not immediately surr. nder 10: ana al my goods
are open 10 view and inspection. rs have Sx large
doors open 20 every Que all Gay loug. AL my ppr-
chases are done IN open day. Nv businss, pur.
cbisss last year amounted 10 over s2OO,OOO. sBf
Aye months OF the year was virtually b0lJp hnsi-
ness outdoors Aud suggest that II is unjust rot
ABSURD, 20 suppose fb q l. doing such 4 bu ines,
would subject myfelf tr my clerks 10 The daDeer
OF the penieotiary tor i've or six doliTs' ~0rib of
irDn. Ny whole Turcbasfs IA ihe city ot sichmond
do no. amount 10 more thsn 10000; ana hence
nv paTchfses Of iTen from the Old cportd men who
20 around pickiDg up junk l. picayuns affair 10
c0Inpari. on with my otter business. A: was acs
quilted Of all implicitly 10 the purchase OF 10. r0d.
need not ask ny intends 10 show anv lenisnCy Ia
idging me. Bat do ak that they will wail llte
before they pass ti1gnent on my clerk.
And have his further 10 say, that do not be-
sve that five hundred dOars' worth of stolen iuDk
4 sold in he ciy Of Richmond In year. | know
that many VIII not believe this, some pers0ns
suppose hat mast IN not al. jnrk ~ stolen. The
opinion Of such people IS founded on nothing BAT
rumOr aud IA, piciOn. Thty have no idea bow much
junk $500 viii buy. nrmiy believe what say on
my Iii JAMES c. SMITH