The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-20

Mr.. Martin: First. I will state here ths
I noticed Sunday-I was up at my hom'
out Of the %cIty-tbat the statement ha
been made here that I told my friend, Nj
Royal, that Mr.. Bouldin told me tina
somebody else told him about that HenT
matter. / did tell Mr.. Royal that. bu
II was not 4 thing that ! was repeatin
generally. because / had no persona
knowledge OF IL whatever.
Mr.. Nicol: do you know. OF your owi
knowledge. of any improper means o
methods used at the election on the III
Of November, 1890. In the favor OF an,
candidate or candidates for the Unite'
| States Senate?
Mr.. Martin: The only knowledge have
or that subject. at all is In regard TO tn'
testimony DR.. Priddy gave on yesterday
j Hd see DIR. Priddy at Kcysvilie on ue
day he mentions. The exact words oil the
conversation. Of course. ! cannot uhder-
take 10 repeat. but / went there to sec
hin because / was under the impression
tina he was a friend of General Lee
Everybody knows | vas; and II he was a
friend OF General Lees, as / thought ne
was. ] was DESTROYS of helping his brother.
II ! could. I'm SECURING a Federal office.
That was without the knowledge OF Cen
eral Lee; II was OF my own motion. /
had been trying TO secure offices Tor
friends before without regard to their
political compilations, and had failed, but
thought I could get this one. l did ask
DIR. Priddy TO declare himself, because
IL he was against my friend / would not
help him TO get the office. lie told me
that he was for Mr.. Martin. That ended
the conference. as I did not propose 10
help a man to get an office when he oc-
cupied that position. He had a right to
do ~ ~ ro,froo. \ dfI net u,,oc4fop HE
right and he did not question mine /
know as well as anybody how politics in
Charlotte are carried on. / have been in
IT a good many years. When DR.. Priddy
said that the friends Of General Lee were
opposed to him, and that Martin had as
sisted him, and ] told him, Doctor. you
got your campaign fund from the Demo-
cratic committee" TO my surprise, ne
said: II did not. Mr.. Ellyson had no
money" He did not say where he got
II. but ! inferred from what he said that
he got 1t from Mr.. Thompson. he said
that he could not get any money from the
Democratic committee. and as he had 10
outside of the Democratic committee
to get funds. he felt under obligations TO
vote for the gentlemen from whom he got
them.
MIR. Nicol: Do you know, Of your own
knowledge. OF any improper means or
methods used to influence the vote of
any member OF the General Assembly at
the caucus held on December Z. 1899?
Mr.. Martin: l have said all / know
about ii.
Mr.. Nicol: The first question was as
TO the election, the last one was about
he caucus. do you know anything about
Mr.. Martin: No. sir, I do not. I have
given you this statement, Mr.. Chairman.
further than that, l know nothing
about it.
A Political Obligation.
Mr.. Cooke: Then ] understand YOU 10
'ay that 1t was just an inference of yours
hat DR.. Priddy got the money from
DIR. Thompson?
Mr.. Martin: / say that was the impress
lion created on my mind. / do not wish
o do him an injustice; and / want TO
here that | believe that whatever
vas given to DR.. Priddy to be used for
campaign purposes he did so use In the
'ampaign; and that II was a political
obligation he thought himself under. and
lot a pecuniary me-.
Mr.. Downing: Did i understand YOU
% state that at that time he urged as
| reason for his being in favor of Martin
hat General Lees friends were opposed
o him?
Mr.. Martin: Yes. sir, did not con-
'er with him as L did not see any use in
I. DIR. Priddy had made up his mind.
md there was no use in discussing IL
my further. l voted for DR.. Priddy; l
vent up there TO vote for him, and think
/ great many OF General Lees friends
lid. l don't think the senatorial matter
entered into the fight up there. / was
In6pr the fmnragefon fhaf Hnfh - a.
candidates were Lee men.
Mr.. BOykin: / understand that DIR.
'riddy has a very good reputation, am not
correct?
Mr.. Martin: He stands very well in the
G.. v. Meredith.
Mr.. c. V. Meredith then took the stand.
Mr.. Nicol: Mr.. Meredith, would YOU
Ike to be heard more fully on the mat
er of this investigation?
Mr.. Meredith: l simply want to make
statement or two, in regard to Mr.. Ely
on's testimony. What l want to state
8 virtually what General Lee said. |
ave heard 1t intimated that / have re-
called secrets Of the State Committee. |
do not propose TO indulge in any ex- |
ravagant language about its being a
lie. / simply want to state
- nv N0AAAAAAlhNttf 40 Il oldttu HtIt Oh the |
rst examination, that when L heard
( this thing in 1891, l told Mr.. Ellyson
/ would not serve on the committee
the railroads would undertake TO dis
ribute the funds directly, and when l
greed to act on the committee this time
was on the distinct understanding that
would not be done; and when found
1t was being done, | told him that
| found IL out that l would certainly
II. | never had an intimation
I 1t until | heard that DIT. Priddy was
oins TO vote for Mr.. Martin, and it was
umored in the county thai DR.. Priddy
ad had money furnished him by Mr..
or by the friends of Mr.. Martin.
met Mr.. Ellyson at the Tenth-street
ate of the Capitol Square, and said to
What is this i hear about DR..
'riddy getting campaign money from Mr..
lartin or his friends? Didn't YOU prom
Sc General Lee that all the funds would
e sent out through the county chair
hen, or some proper person In the coun-
y, II the chairman was not a proper
erson?' He said, II did make that
| said, How about this Char
ute matter?' He said, THAT came
Mr.. Barbour Thompson, and |
nothing to do with it," He said he.
r they. have what they call a prelim-
nary fund, and / have no control over
nat The language he used was dis
Inctly that. except the he or they.
ala. MI. Ellyson, | propose to use this !
hing" / gave him warning then. Then
e said, IF II comes down to facts.
ill get a list OF the counties where
ent money. and a list Of the places where
Is not generally sent; but | can
get YOU a list Of the places where
lr. Thompson sent money, because he
Id not give II to me. l say this is Mr..
statement, positively. / sug-
est hat II Mr.. Ellyson will take this
n reply TO 1t. he will not
lfer from what l have said. / want 10
AZ AhnA nnr.AhInn hnr.n- .nrnA L. |