Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-10-23
1Hs WINNIE DAVIS INCIDENT.
Gov. Northen Investigates Tom Watsons
Charge Against Mr.. Cleveland
fAnvueta Eveninz EewAI

Charge Against Mr.. Cleveland
Augusta Evening Newal
week or more ago the Ne,cs criticised
Tom Watson for his uncalled-for attack
upon Grover Cleveland IN charging that
the ex- President refused to let his wife
meet Miss Winnie Davis in Richmond az
tho unyeiling of the Lee monument.
Governor Eorthen, OF Georgia. was at
tracted by the editorial Of this paper on
Watson and he had personal interview
with DIR. j. William Jones, an eminent
Baptist preacher. q brave Confederate sur
viyor, and historian who Is we'll known
as the author OF the history OF General
Robert e. Lee and also Of the JEFF. Davis
volume. and who is the best-informed
man in Georgia about this alleged, snub-
bling of the daughter OF the Confederacy.
The Governor had DR.. Jones. who lives
in Atlanta and holds the position OF assist
ant corresponding secretary OF the Home
Mission Board Of the South Carolina Bap-
tist Church, reduce the interview to
writing, and Governor Northen has sent
the manuscript to MAJOR ). Z. Z. BLACK.
DIR. Jones's statement to the Governor Is as
follows: -,
81 take pleasure in putting IN writing a
statement which I made in conversation
with you concerning the alleged refusal OF
President Cleveland to allowbhis wife to
meet Miss Winnie Davis and to be intro
duced to her himself. For while do not
take any active part in politics. save TO try
always to discharge my duty as citizen
and Christian to vote right, | feel that
facts in my possession will fully refute this
SANDER upon President Cleveland and that
/ should not be silent concerning 1t.
"Mr. Cleveland himself and Ex-Governor
Lee. of Virginia. have denied these state
ments very emphatically. L give you IN
more detail exactly what occurred as 1t
came under my personal cognizance:
I'm October and November, 1886. Miss
Winnie Davis, the Daughter OF the Con-
federacy.' was for SIX weeks guest at my
house, in the city OF Richmond. She went
Mrs. Lee, at the Executive Mansion.
Several days afterward President Cleye-
land made his visit to Richmond on the
occasion of the agricultural fair. Ii
had been arranged originally that
Mrs. Cleveland should accompany
him, but at the last moment 1t was
decided that his official duties at
Washington would prevent him from doing
more than to come down to Richmond on
the early morning tram, remain several
hours. and return to Washington the same
EVENING. Mrs. Cleveland was sick at the
time. aud when the President decided to
make 50 hurried trip the. family physi-
clan advised that she should not be SUBJ
iected to the fatigue of the trip or the ex-
cltement of the crowd. For this reason.
and for this reason alone. as MIR, Cleveland
stated at the time. Mrs. Cleveland Gid not
90 TO Richmond and did not have an OPP
portunlty of meeting Miss DAVE.
80 far as the statement that Mr.. C'eve-
land himself refused to be introduced to
the Daughter of the Confectionery the
IL hui mr. O ntIu rpfufa6 nv these
facts: Governor Lee stated TO me at the
time, and reiterates in his card. that when
he met President Cleveland at the depot
and escorted him to the Fair Grounds, one
of the very first questions be asked him
after getting in the carriage was, Where
is Miss Davisy' Being told by the Gov
ernor that she was then at the Fair
Grounds, the President replied Well. L
want you to introduce me 20 her at the
very earliest opportunity, as want to pay
my respects Arriving at the grounds
deafening applause and gwen grand
ovation. After making the noble speech
which be made upon the occasion, the
vast crowd surged forward and shook him
by the hand and in the midst of it he
turned to Governor Lee and said: You
have not yet introduced me TO Miss
Davis Governor Lee replied: She ls
on the other side of the stand, but | will
bring her and introduce her. No, said
the President Il will go to her. They
made their way through the crowd. Gov
ernor Lee introduced the President of the
United States to the Daughter of the
Confederacy,' aud he gave her respectful
and very cordial greeting, saying that ne
was delighted to meet her.
THAT evening Governor Lee gave Presi-
dent Cleveland grand reception at the
Executive Mansion. l was present and
CHANGED to be talking with MISS Winnie
when the time came for the presidential
party to 60 to their train and return TO
Washington. Mr.. Cleveland came out OF
the room in which he was across the hall
into the room where the Daughter of the
Confederaey' was being given q splendid
ovation by the old soldiers AND
Others who were present. and making
his way through the crowd came
up and bid her adieu. / remember as
distinctly as if it had been yesterday the
language he used. He said: l regret to
cay, Miss Davis, that my duties call me
back to Washington, and am obliged to
tear myself away from the good people oil
Richmond; came. therefore. to say good
by. and to express the pleasure with which
have met you, and the hope that may
have the privilege of again seeing you IN
tbs future His whole manner was that
of man sincere and earnest In what he
said, and not of making mere formal
speech"
Thus another campaign lie is nailed.