The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-03-12
SIMS CROSS EXAMINED.
His Career as an Offce-seeker and His Per-
sonaI Character.

Sims
His Career as nm Of,ee.SeeLer md Ills Per-
sonai Character.
BY telegraph TO the Dspatch.l
WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE cross-ex-
animation OF Colonel William +. Sims by
Senator Vance in the Danville investiga-
ton this morning was long one, but
much Of IL was repetition and elaboration
OF points already brought out. Colonel
Sims, in answer 10 a series Of inquiries, de-
scribed the circumstances under which he
became the candidate OF the Rexdjusters
for Congress. lie was asked II he was not
up 60 1882 a candidate for political honors
from the Conservative party. lie said, in
substance, that there had been times when
he would have accepted Office at the hands
OF that party; but he had not taken the
initiative In securing office. His friends
asked him 70 become candidate before the
Convention, and he had written letter for
publication. setting forth his sentiments.
He had no idea that the Convention would
accept him as their candidate, entertaining
such sentiments.
Senator Vance produced and witness
identified the following letter:
COnfdentidl.-De Clark: / write hur-
riedly to remind you that tomorrow is the
day for the Dan-River district to meet to
appoint delegates at SHEPHERDS Store. Go
down by all means, and have Yourself and
any others you can influence appointed
delegates to go 10 Martinsyille on the 3lst.
DIR. Williams will be there moving heaven
and earth for Cabel. Get yourself and
men you can manage appointed, II posi-
BILE. Don't try TO get all, but get as many
as you can. Try to have old man Shelton
appointed. | have not tried TO get dele
gate IN Dan River, but think you can work
some in by proper management. II Jack
Clark is for me OF against CabelI, get him to
go 10 Brossvillc tomorrow and work with
jim Collie and other friends there; and il
he is not for me, don't say word to him.
The meetings are advertised for O'Clock.
You had better be on hand sooner. Con-
zeal your purposes as far as possible.
Yours. truly, WILLIAM T.. SINS.
Witness said. by way OF comment. that
he had known his opponents to do many
mean and dirty things, but never before to
get possession Of and publish private let
ter marked confidential" There was
nothing in it, however, which he would
conceal. In respect to acts OF violence
threatened and perpetrated by colored
men, witness possessed no knowledge eX-
cept in two instances. In both OF these
he volunteered TO prosecute the offenders,
and did so. In respect 10 the Danville
speech, he admitted that he incidentally
called them (the signers OF the circula)
liars. and incidentally called them towards;
but he did not apply these epithetS TO the
signeIs individually by name. Witness read
over the names OF the slgners OF the Danille
circular, and with some hesitation gave his
opinion Of those he knew. The majority
were fairly honorable men in the ordinary
meaning OF the term; but they thought, in
accordance with current sentiment, that
they were doing Gods service in prevent
ing the negro from voting il churchman.
This was part OF their creed. They would
even lie for political ends, doing evil that
good might come. These men were expo
nents of prevalent public sentiment. They
thought great injustice was done them
when vote was given to colored men.
Senator Vance asked if strong imputa-
tions had not been made against witness
own character.
Witness replied that there was nothing
until he became a ReSdiuster.
Some discussion arose with regard to
the propriety of questioning witness on
this point. Senator Vance said that when
his own witnesses were called it was pro-
bable this witness character would be at
tackled.
Witness rejoined that all he wanted was
the privilege OF questioning any one who
brought charges against his personal char"
acter. Witness said: don't assail the per-
sonal integrity or truthfulness OF any man
have spoken OF here, except in connec-
ton with these political matters, and as l
tell YOU, | think the sentiment OF those
people there is that they are tustitiable in
telling any mean lie or doing any mean,
dirty little thing for political ends.
Senator Vance: Well, you cannot de-
scribe much lower state OF society, If
that is true.
Witness: | can't help that, sir.
Witness admitted in reply to inquiries
that he knew some OF the men in the
crowd to whom bis remarks would give
offence were men of pluck. He did not,
however, suppose they would shoot any.
body else for what he said. Speaking OF
the condition OF affairs in Danyille on sun
dav. November 4tb, to which witness had
referred in a note to the Governor, as fol-
lows: 1.-THE town is in the control OF an
armed mob" witness said that the armed
men were nomlnalIy in charge oI tne loMh
sergeant, but some OF the squads OF police
were under the command OF the most ac-
tive of the rioters of the day before.
In answer to Senator Sherman, witness
said. so far as he knew and believed, not
one Of the signers of the Danyille circular
would tell lie for personal gain. They
were inspired by what might be called po-
litical fanaticism. Witness regarded the
substitution Of false ballots for his own as
highly dishonorable, but he did not sup
pose men who had done this thought 1t so.
This ended the examination.
Mr.. Vance asked Mr.. Sherman when he
was to be allowed to summon witnesses.
Mr.. Sherman said that he could not tell.
The difficulty with regard to the appro-
priation did not arise from any indisposl-
ton to allow full investigation, but be-
cause Of the sentiment in the House with
regard to the payment of senator's seereta-
ries. The matter would, he thought, he
arranged by conference committee within
q day or two.
M pTY ETItHTH 20 NGRESS,