The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-10-18
MIR. W. II. WELLS.
A Complete Eefutation OF the Charges
Against Him.


To The Editor Of the Times
Some weeks ago there appeared in
your columns long article from Call
fornia paper, giving what purporled to
e the details OF a sensational occurrence
at San Diego Cal, in which Mr. William
r. Wells, late OF this city, was repre-
senied as a party 20 public scandal,
and also ss having fled from San Diego
with his employers money. Besides hls
fathers family and bis own. Mr.. Wells
has many friends in this city, and 1t Is
but jVslice TO sll of these to say that tae
whole thing is cruel, malicious
falsehood from beginning to end.
The TINES was the only paper
in the city which reproduced
the story, and feel that ! can confidently
rely upon your serse OF fairness to give
the same publicity TO its complete reiuta-
ton. therefore enclose a copy Of a
letter which have received from Mr.. J.
c. Sprigg, Jr., Of San Diego, Cal, in
which hey lives an emphatic and uuquali-
fed denial 10 both the lies; also an ex-
trac, from the San Diego Bee OF Sep,em-
Der 5, 1883, and lastly letter from Dir.
Wells to the San Diego Union, and pub
lished In that paper on September 0 or
6 ask that you will publish these ust
as they are, because nothing less than
this would be full Justice to a man who
has been so cruely used, and to those
who are his friends and those 70 whom
he is dearer still Yours respectfully,
JAMES G. LAMB.
SAN DIEGO, CAL, Sept. %, 1888.
james c. LamJ Esq Redmond. Va:
Dear Sfr,-I am informed that report
has been circulated in Richmond and Pc
tersburg concerning Mr W. r. Wells,
lste Of your city, and in effect that he
had been participant In some public
scandal" here. and had decamped with
1000 Of his employers funds. IL the
information be true, you will oblige the
only employer he had during his stay in
San Diego by giving complete denid to
both statements. They are absolutely
false am, sir,
Yours truly, J. c. sPRfGG, JR.
From the san Diego Bee, Sept. 5. lsSS
W. r. WELLS.
mE r. IN Los ANGELES, AND DENIES the
STORIES RRCARDiSG HIM
w. h Wells, the druggist over whose
disappearance from the city so much idle
and malicious rumor has been circulated,
is in Los Angeles, where Bee represen-
tatiye saw him last Friday. He has been
doing occasional work for the papers
there, chiefly for tee Tribune and the
short-llved Mail and feels very much
hurt at the garbled and distorted versions
of the cause Of his leaving this city
which have been put in circulation by
enemies, and even by those who had no
grudge at al against him, but who, ap-
parently out Of sheer wantonness, wished
10 hit him because he was down.
The Bee man had quite long talk with
him, and Mr. Wells unbosomed himself
very candidly in regard to the circum
stances attending his departure and the
causes which led to H. He said
"The plain truth of the whole matter
is that had been drinking heavily for
five or six weeks, and at the time lett
was simply crazed with liquor. No one
can regret the folly OF that indulgence
more than do, now that see and real
ize its results, but | had no intention Of
leaving san Diego a. | Gid, nor, for the
matter Of that, did intend to leave it at
all.
"A theatrical manager was the tempter
that led me In my Intoxicated condition
to start for Los Angeles by suggesting
that should go there with him and have
a good time. ! packed my grip sack and
accompanied him.
81 only cot as far a Oceanside when
got into a drunken quarrel where | got
very much the worst OF il, and Of what
followed | have but ye:y misty recol-
lection. When regained my senses |
was in too disgraceiul condition to
think of returning, and besides it was too
late. The report had gone abroad that
had run away, and was In no condition
to return and give it denial
II was guilty OF no such crcokedness
in business matters as busybodies have
charged me with, and beyond a few per
sonsl debts which ! viii pay just as soon
as can earn the wherewithal 70 do so,
have noting 10 regret from a business
standpoint, except that | wss SO foolish
as 10 throw away the best chance | had
in life.
That story circulated in the papers,
and originating. as | understand, with
the Coronado Mercury, can only char
acierize as O diabolical falsehood and a
wsnton calumny which only hellishIy
malicious mind could have fabricated
There was not the smallest atom Of foun-
dation for tie story. never-sO help
me God gave any young lady IN San
Diego occasion TO speak or think lightly
of my conducI toward her, and hope
am incapable Of acting such a cOwardly
and dishOnoIable part as that malicious
and libelous article accuses me of having
done
| see the San Francisco Examiner has
repeated the lie with embellishments of
its own, aud have put the case, 30 far
as that responsible sheet is concerned in
the hands of a lawyer, with directions TO
commence suit Immediately for libel.
The original fabricator OF the story
shall deal with, and that very spon, ia a
different way.
The insinuatlon that some white
haired size is camping on my trail | re-
gard as simply absurd, since 10 one
suI Ifta b.,r.t rr ~ Iarrriaa eirn ar sQu-