Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-17
THE RICHMOND DISPATCH SUNDAY, DECEMBER IL 1898


q desire TO vote for him that he CONSENT
Ell to become candidate. He voted for
Martin. Miles Martin can tell all about
this case. Summon Ellyson 10 give cor
respondence with Meredith"
/ The above was written upon ordinary
reporters paper with a lead pencil. II
4 was filed.
Mr.. Meredith on the Stand
Mr.. Royal having made some refer
enee 10 Mr.. {. v Meredith, and that
gentleman being present. asked that he
be allowed TO so on the stand. II the
committee desired him, rs early as pos
sibie, as he wanted to leave the city on
] the O'Clock train.
MT Meredith was sworn at once, and
vas asked IL he knew OF any improper
expenditures OF funds In the recent scna-
torial night. He replied that of his own
personal knowledge he knew of nothing;
that ne had not seen the money dstrt-
/ pu'eu' lie could give the committee IN
formation which would place It in a posi-
| ton 70 learn about this lie had heard
mat certain funds were subscribed by
the Richmond and Danviile and Chesa-
pedke ana OHIO railroad companies. and
that only portion OF It was distributed
through the State Chairman.
Mr.. Mushbach asked the witness II he
knew OF the expenditure Of any money
/ IN the election OF members OF tie House
or Delegates and Senate with a view 20
Affecting their votes In the interest of
any candidate for the United States Sen
ate?
Mr.. Meredith replied that he could give
! 10 me committee certain information
when by securing other witnesses would
produce such chain OF evidence, cir
eumstantial. as TO be convincing to the
BODY on that point.
After great deal OF wranglinZ about
whether or not Mr.. Meredith should be
allowed TO go ahead with his story, he
/ was permitted 20 do so until some one
! objected. lie said General Lee had as
sufances that the Chesapeake and Ohio
! and the Richmond and Danville railroad
companies would contribute 5000 each TO
| The campaign fund. The head officials
had given him assurances that this money
would be turned over TO Mr.. Ellyson, as
| usual.
Mr.. Cook: General Lee can be sum,
| moned.
Mr.. Mushbach: And General Lee will
be.
SQUABBLE ABOUT TESTIMONY.
Mr.. Meredith continued by advising the
COMMITTEES 10 summon Mr. Ellyson. who,
ne said, could testify that only $500
OF the Chesapeake and Ohio money and
sl.l00 OF the Richmond and Danvilles came
into his hands. Mr.. Meredith had been
Interrupted once or twice, and Mr.. Down
Ing finally made the statement that the
committee had INDUCED witness suffi-
GENTLY This Mr.. Meredith denied.
Mr.. Downing went on 10 say that he
did not think it was dignhed on the
part Of the committee to take that char
acter Of. testimony, and it should be
confined to the question involved in his
resolution previously adopted. Np-
plause)
Mr.. Mushbach Insisted upon Mr.. Mere
dith being permitted to so ahead with
his statement
Mr.. Tredway thought the question was
one whether the committee should hear
legal or Illegal testimony.
After a great deal Of wrangling upon
the admission of Mr. Meredth's evidence
he was asked 10 give the names Of per-
sons who could enlighten the committee
upon the subject under investigation Mr.
| Tredway added that the witness should
write out the points that he thought
could be proved by each witness he
would propose as he did not care to take
mp the committees time with this mat
ter.
To this Mr.. Meredith replied: "You
write it out; my time is more valuable
than yours. Q4aughter). I will furnish
the Information j refer TO to your ste
nographer."
Mr.. Meredith then declared he did not
mean TO be rude and amended his re-
mark so as to make his time just as
valuable as that Of the member Of the
committee.
| KNEW NOTHING HIMSELF.
| Mr. Meredith proceeded by stating that
he did not know Of a dollar being dis
tributcd by either OF the candidates for
the United States Senate. The commit
tee would hardly get any one before it
who did.
Mr.. Mushbach asked II he knew that
the funds resolved by the committee were
properly expended?
This was objected to by Mr.. Downing.
Mr.. Mushbach Then I have no further
questions 10 ask during this investigation.
IaughterD
WITNESSES SUGGESTED.
The committee finally began to take a
list Of those persons who Mr.. Meredith
| said he had reason TO believe could give
| information bearing upon this matter.
| He gave in the names of General FitZ-
| hugh Lee, Mayor ElysOn, Barbour
| Thompson, Miles Martin. Isaac Diggs, II.
| T. Wickham. DR. Prddy, James Moore,
Of Orange; ]. L. Baird. of Amherst; S.
A. Thompson, of Patrick; John j. Moon,
Sidney Epes Walter Watson, General
Rufus A. Ayres William Rice, Of Char
lotte. and Mr.. Arvine. of Lunenburg.
! While Mr.. Meredith was calling out
the names Of these gentlemen Senator
| Flood, who was sitting near by, made a
side remark. to which the witness took
exception. He said Mr. Floods remark
was uncalled for and unjust. The Sena-
tor replied that what he said was not
intended for Mr.. Meredith's ears, but
he thought it was just The Chair called
Mr.. Floods attention to the fact that
he was not q member of the committee,
and should not interrupt the witness.
MIR. MEREDITHS LETTER.
| Mr.. Meredith then made reference 10
a letter (already in the hands of the com
nittee) from himself to Mr.. j. Taylor
Ellyson.
The committee hesltated for some time
before accepting the paper.
! Mr.. Mushbach said the committee
should either reveal or conceal Mr..
Downing remarked that he only desired
to get at any testimony as to fraud In
the recent election Of a senator in the
| Democratic caucus.
The letter, which was filed was as fol-
lows:
Hon. J. Taylor Eliyson:
Dear Sir,--I have had read to me a
letter from you to Mr.. Barbour Thomp-
son, dated November. 1898, and which was
carried on that day by you or Mr. Wick
ham to Mr.. Joseph Bryan with a letter
from Mr. Thompson to Mr.. Bryan. There
IS language In that letter which fairly
! admits OF the construction that you in
tended 10 assert that any money dis
trlbuted by Mr. Thompson was dis
tributed with your knowledge and con-
sent. l ask that you will write TO me
| whether you intended to make any such
assertion. l have asserted that you
could not have so intended, because
first. you on moro than one occasion
promised General Fitz Lee and myself
| that you would not let Mr.. Thompson
distribute any OF the money contributed
by the railroads If you could help 1t;
second. because after the election you
told me that any fund distributed by
Mr.. Thompson was without your having
any control over il, and that while you
could give me Il list of tho counties in
which YOU distributed funds. the counties
I'm which Mr. Glasgow distributed any.
and the counties in which no funds were
distributed so far as you knew, that you
could not give me Il list of the places IN
which Mr. Thompson distributed funds
because he had not furnished you with
such Information. | therefore ask that