The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-19

1 NliNNIlicAMltfH Ah'f
out the truth OF this NATTER
CAPTAIN Shepherd: We'll. have hear
say evidence. That IL all l can state
What / was going 20 state just now Il
hearsay. and / would much prefer tina
Mr.. Thompson should be examined.
Mr.. Nlcol: Did he communicate these
things 10 you himself?
Captain Shepherd: Directly.
Mr.. Mushbach. 7 don't see where inc
"hearsay" comes in II Captain Shepherd
got the information directly from MT
Thompson.
Not Admitted.
BY vote of the committee, II was de-
cIded that the evidence OF Captain
Shepherd should not be admitted.
Mr.. Cooke: DO you know whether this
camnaign was conducted different from
former campaigns? 49,,
CAPTAIN Shepherd: / know very niue
| about this campaign.
Mr.. Boykin: | object TO the question.
Mr.. Boykin's objection was over
ruled. the chair casting the deciding vote.
CAPTAIN Shepherd: I krow very little
about the campaign; i saw Ii was very
one-sided.
Mr.. Nicol: One-sided in what way?
CAPTAIN Shepherd: l saw the Demo-
Gratis were going TO win. that there was
no opposition to amount to anything.
Mr.. s. A. Thompson then took the
stand.
Mr.. Nicol: Have you ever read the
resolution under which this committee IS
acting?
MIR. Thompson: ! think / have; ! am
not certain that l have read the whoie
revolution. I would rather hear 1t read
If Il is not too long.
The resolutions were then read to the
witness.
Mr.. Nicol: Will you please state any
knowledge that you have on the supJ|c'
of this investigation?
Mr.. Thomspon: Wei, I don't know that
I can say that there was any improper
methods used tina l know Of In our
county. There was some FUNDS that
came there, but I don't know posltlVely
where they came from. A friend OF mine
IN our county a little while before the elee-
ton came 20 me and said. Thompson
we need some funds here and / think we
can get some money upon the CONDITION
that you will be favorably inclined TO MT
Martin for United States Senator! Ana .
little willie before this i had receiver
a letter from another friend Of mine, stat
ing that Mr.. Martin was a candidate (Which
was the first had ever heard of his name)
and told me that he would be pleased il
! could support him, and he gave him a
very high recommendation. / answered
him that I would give his friend due cen
sideration: and / told the friend that APP
preached me about the money the same
thing. A few days after that. perhaps a
week, DR.. Priddy came TO our county. l
did not meet him. did not see him; but
was Informed that he came there. and
] suppose brought the funds; and he wrote
me
Mr.. Tredway: Have you the letter?
Mr.. Thompson: No sir, ! thought so
little of it that l destroyed Z. He wrote
me that he brought $3.50, upon the as
surance of the man who had approached
me in regard TO the money that if elected
/ would be for Mr.. Martin for senator.
/ did not much like the situation. and that
was che reason why | did not support
Mr.. Martin. The grand reason why ]
cid not support him was, though, that
my constituents did not want him.
How He Voted,
Mr.. Nicol: For whom did you vote in
the caucus?
Mr.. Thompson: The first five ballots I
voted for Mr.. Goode. On the last ballot
l voted for General Lee.
Mr.. Nicol: State to US what you told
Capt. Shepherd.
Mr.. Thompson: / told him in substance
what | have stated here. ! did not tell
him the circumstance as fully. ] might
have remarked 10 him that l considered it
an indirect bid.
Mr.. Nicol: What became of that money
sent there?
MI. Thompson: About S24 Of it was put
in my hands. The balance was given TO
the county chairman. L did not see but
about S24 of II.
Mr.. Nicol: This is what Capt. Shep-
herd said about what you told him CIr.
Nicol here handed Mr.. Thompson a memo
randum written by Capt. Shepherd. Read
il. please, and say If it is correct.
Mr.. thompson. l did not tell Captain
Shepherd exactly this.
Mr.. Nicol: Read it aloud and say
what you told him.
Mr.. thompson: The handwriting is
rather hard TO read, and / can't read it
very readily.
Mr.. Tredway of the committee then
read the memorandum, which is as
follows:
That DR.. Priddy, of Charlotte county.
came to his (Patrick) county. He did not
see him while in the county, but re-
ceived a letter from DR.. Priddy in which
he, Priddy, said he had left in his county
a SUM Of mono to assist in his election,
but il was upon the express and positive
condition that he %CThompson) was to vote
for Mr.. Martin for the Omitted States
Senate. If he, Mr.. Thompson, was elected.
Mr.. Thompson: / don't know that /
told him hat IL was upon that condition,
but that he said that IL was upon the as
suraIce of this friend of mine hat he did
it.
Mr.. Tredway: Who was this friend?
Mr.. Thompson: DIR. Martin.
Member of Committee: What is his
full name?
Mr.. Thompson: DIR. p. S. Martin.
Mr.. Nlcol: What position does he hold;
is he a member of State Executive Com
mittee or of the State Central Committee?
Mr.. Thompson: He is a member of the
State Central Committee.
Mr.. Nicol: Where does he live?
Mr.. Thompson; He lives at Stuart, in
my county.
Mr.. Nicol: Is that all you know in regard
TO this matter?
Mr.. Thompson: Yes. sir; il is, as well
as l remember now.
Mr.. Nicol: do you know whether any i'm
proper means were used after the assem-
bling of the General Assembly at the eau
Gus held in the haI Of the House Of Dele
gates on December eth. in the interest of
any candidate or candidates for the
States senate?
Mr.. Thompson: No, sir. / do not know
about that.
Mr.. Downing: II l understand you cor
rectly, II seems that you remember that
the contents of that letter from Or. Prid-
dy TO yourself stated that this money had
been left there upon the assurance that
you were for Mr.. Martin.
Mr.. Thompson: That / would be for
Mr.. Martin; but l did not know whether
these gentlemen were agents OF his or
not. whether the headquarters knew any
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