The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-05-27
MORE HISTORY,
IN WHICH G. WASHINGTON Ed
WARDS AND OTHER DISTIN-
GUISHED COLORED VETER-
ANS Ape CTORS

WARDS AND OTHER DlSTIN-
GUISHED COLORED VETER-
ANS ARE ACTORS.
The following is the additional deposit
tion of Major Joe. II. Stewart in the in
junction suit of the State of Texas VS..
Joe, II. Stewart end other named defend
ants:
HETEROGENEOUS.
First interrogatory-Is it not fact
that while the business of obtaining the
certificates in controversy in this suit was
on hand and some little time before they
were issued you, or your firm, were aid
ing, assisting and advising in the matter
of procuring veteran certificates for other
persons, when you knew, or had reason to
believe, that the persons alleged TO have
rendered the services were slaves at the
time the services were alleged to have
been rendered?
Second interrogatory-Is it not fact
that you personally, or your firm, have
AIDED, ADVISED OR ASSISTED
i | procuring, or in the effort to procure
veteran certificates for persons whom you
k lew to have been slaves? If you have,
state the date of so doing us definitely as
you can, and state for what person.
Third interrogatory-Is it not the fact
that the certificates were sold to Leon d
| II. Blum for
MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH
For how much did each particular certif
cate sell? What was the market value of
such certificates from the Goth to the last
of December, 1885? What is the market
value now? Do you not deal very extern
sively in such certificates?
(Signed) JAS. H. ROBERTSON,
For the plaintiff.
ANSWERS.
Being duly sworn, the witness deposes
and says as follows:
| To interogatory 1: On December 16.
1885, my firm received a letter from
Kirkland g. Bates, dated December IA,
| 1885, in which they asked us if we thought
we could procure certificates (meaning
veteran certificates for "slaves who were
with their masters at San Jacinto," and
stating that such slaves fought, but
WE'RE NOT ENROLLED SOLDIERS"
On the same day day that letter was re-
ceived, we answered. stating that if the
parties could make proof by two or more
Texas veterans, that they served for three
months or more in 1886, we could obtain
land certificates for them, On December
q, 1885, we received letter from Kirk
land g. Bates, dated December IS, 1885,
saying that George Washington Edwards
was, they thought, "a servant with his
master during the war (meaning the Tex
as revolution), and actually fought Al
San Jacinto as a soldier" On December
81, 1885, we wrote to Kirkland q Bates
and enclosed them form of power o,
attorney and an application for lanc
certificate for
G. WASHINGTON EDWARDS,
to execute and return to us, and in thi
letter we stated that we found that he wa
with the army from about October, 1885,
to about December, 1887 We so stated
because the records of the land offic
showed that Washington Edwards pre-
cured bounty warrant for military SCI
vice, rendered from October, 1896, t
December, 1887, and we presumed tina
it was the same man that rendered tina
service. On December 30, 1885, we re
ceived a letter from Kirkland & Bate
dated December %, 1885, enclosing
power of attorney and an applicatio
from G. Washington Edwards, to procul
his land certificate, and the letter Stain
that they kirkland g. Bates) would TO
ward us an application in anothe
case, as soon as they could make tn
necessary proof.
Myself, nor my firm, up to the time il
quired about, neither spoke nor wrote
anyone about getting such certificate
nor aided, assisted, nor advised any pc
son upon that subject, except with Kirl
land g. Bates, and in the manner hereinb'
fore stated. l thought then, and | thin
now, that negroes whether slaves or fire
in 1857 who served three months in tn
Texas army, in the revolution of 1886
and who made the requisite proof undo
the law,
WERE ENTITLED TO LAND CERTIFICATES.
| knew that negroes had drawn vetera
certificates and pensions, and knew thi
the commissioner of the land Office al
the comptroller knew they were negroe
when they issued land certificates al
pensions to them. AS to their havir
been free or slaves, in 1886, | new
thought anything about it, and I new
heard any such question raised, until
was raised in these four cases. Under L
amended constitution of the United Stat
1 supposed the
COLOR LINE COULD NOT BE DRAWN
under any law. We never presented T.
papers in the case of G. Washington E
wards to the veteran board, or the COZ
missioner of the general land Office, b
cause the board of veterans did not no
any meeting from the date we receiv
the papers until the question was rails
= in these four cases about negroes not
ing entitled to certificates. Had the boa
of veterans met before the question W
raised in these cases, we would have pr
r. scented the Edwards case, but would ha
or informed the board and commissioner
y. the land office that he was negro.
/ To interrogatory second:
= NEITHER 1, NOR MY FIRM,
\ ever had anything to say or do, by lett
or otherwise, with any person whomsoev'
about procuring veteran certificates
negroes, except Messrs. Kirkland d. Bat
and Hon. Henry Masterson, county jud
of Brazoria county, as stated in I
answer to interrogatory one, or as here
after stated.
. By letter to us from Judge Masterst
dated January o. 1886 and received