Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-31
FREE-PASS TROUBLE.
LEGISLATIVE TICKETS USED By uHAu.
TH0RIZED PARTIES.
A Member Of the House Of Delegates Taxes
Two Friends on Washing
ton Trip.


issue of this paper informed the public
OF the fact that a member OF the Virginia
Legislature had gotten into difficulty
about free passes. The Danville Regis
ter of the same date had the fol-
lowing, which furnishes few addl-
tional particulars and gives names:
Night before last three very tough
looking butternut-jeans clad white men
took the Virginia Midland train at Wash
ington for Danville.
When Captain Peyton, the conductor
of the train, called upon the three
hoosiers for tickets, they presented passes
given by the Richmond and Danvllle
Railroad Company to L. Parr, Republi-
can member of the Legislature from
Patrick; Il. H. Spencer, Republican
member from buckingham, and John Nj.
Dickey, Republican member from Gray
son.
Captain Peyton was astonished, and
when he viewed the trio, with their short
homespun pants, unb!acked shoes, un-
kempt hair, slouched hats, unwashed
faces, and their generally woe-begone ap-
pearance, be thought well might Nir-
ginia repudiate and go into ban krnptcy
with such looking Legislators as the three
who stood before him.
The more the Captain thought over
the matter the more he felt ashamed OF
Virginia, and upon his arrival at Dan
vile, out of mere curioslty-lust as a
man will follow circus band and
monkey show-he watched the rustic
Legislators (so-called). They all stopped
at the National Hotel and registered
but, presto, change all Of them
we're not the men their passes repre-
sented them to be. They registered
as F.. Parr, j. A. Gilbert, and j..
Howell, of Stuart, Va. When Captain
Peyton saw this he smelt fraud,
and upon investigating found that
Gilbert and Howell were travelling un-
der assumed names on borrowed passes.
Accordingly he at once approached
them, took the passes from them, aud
intimated that as soon as he got his
breakfast he would have them arrested
fer travelling under false pretences if
they did not fork over their fare from
Washington to Danville. As soon as the
Captain turned his back Parr paid the
hotel bills of Gilbert and Howell and
disappeared. 1t is supposed they took
the narrow.gauge train for the hills OF
Patrick.
1t turns out that Edmund Parr, homo
rable % member of the Legislature
from Patrick, was responsible for this
fraud, and that he borrowed the passes
to give his butternut constituents free
excursion to Washington. Shades OF
Patrick Henry defend us : The passes
belonged to II, II. Spencer, cOlored Re
publican of Buckingham, and John NJ.
Dickey, white Republican from Grayson.
THE OTHER SIDE.
Mr.. Parr was in his seat in the House
Yesterday. He made no denial OF the
main facts in the case, but he expresses
profound regret for what has occurred.
To one gentleman he said he would
rather have lost thousands of dollars.
He said that Messrs. Spencer and
Dickey not having any particular need
for their passes, he borrowed them and
took his two friends on the trip as
stated. Both are Democrats, said he,
and both are men of respectability. and
thev were neatly dressed.
Mr.. x. II. Spencer CwnO is white Re
publican-not colored man, as stated
above), said yesterday that he loaned bis
pass to Mr.. Parr without making any
special inquiry as to the use to which il
was to be Dut, but his inference was
that Mr.. Parr desired it for his own per
sonal use. Certainly, he said, he never
would have allowed it to pass out OF his
hands had he dreamed what was to be
done with it.
Yesterday, with friend, Mr.. Pan
went to Captain Potts, of the Richmond
and DanvilIe Railroad Company (thC
Iessees of the Midla ID road and offered
to make full and complete compensa
ton to the company by paying It the
fare Cboth ways) of the man who haC
travelled under his name. He was ad
vised to write to the Midland agent, ant
will do so.
Mr.. Dickcy said that Mr. Parr asked
him to lend him his ticket, and he did so
THE PASSES.
All or nearly all the railroads in th'
| State send what are called "sessior
passes to the members of the Genera
Assembly. These bits OF paper beal
the names of the persons to whom the,
are sent, and entitle the members t.
travel to and fro on the roads named
during the session OF the General As
sembly.