Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-19
fHE RICHMOND DIspATCH-TUEsDAY DECEMBER 49, 1893.

House OF Delegates referred 10 ~ rshp.a'
Lee. was placed upon the stand. ne oe-
clared that he knew OF no imprope, W
fuences being brought to bear upon MN
sals or any Other candidate for the Legis-
,.tnre Reference was made 10 the letter
handed In By General Lee. and Dr. f.idny
said he would like to read Generai Lees
letter to him, which evoked the cominu-
nicatlon. placed on file TO him. the letter
was as follows:
RocKBRIpGE COMPANY.
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT,
GLASGOW. VA. July q. 1888.
Conndsntial.
My Dear Doctor: I am told by some
Charlotte fellows that you came thromn
all right, and was very glad 10 hear H.
as we had had some previous correspon-
dence on the senatorial question.
VIII you be opposed by Republican
or Thlrd-party man? Let me know now
matters are In your section.
Your letter VIII be regarded as strictly
private, and the Information coniided VIII
be for my eye alone,
Very truly yours, FlTI LEE.
MARTIN MEN SUPPORTED HIM.
The witness went into an elaborate ex-
PLANTATION OF the details OF his election.
and asserted that he found that he was
not DtuAk rNUDOkltl W cry 49, 49,
hardly. except Mr.. Miles Martin, while
the Martin men did all in their power TO
secure his Pnddy's) election. DR.. Priddy
referred to the contest that he had after
the nomination. and OF how the quee'lon
was finally settled by Chairman Ellyson
by sending committee TO ChariOtle
county to settle the matter.
Objection was raised 10 this line or
testimony. and the witness was then
asked II he knew Of any undue influences
upon any candidate for the House or Dele
gates or Senate IN connection with the
senatorial contest. The witness made refe-
renee to DR.. Martins interview with him
upon thu senatorship. DIR. Martin said he
would like to see "A man by his name IN
the United States Senate. although ne was
no relation Of the candidate DR.. Priddy
went on 10 say that DR.. Martin remarked
that he learned that Mr.. Thompson. the
candidate from Patrick. was favorable 70
Martin. He also said that Thompson was
a poor man. and the party was IN pretty
bad shape I'm his county He was DelnS
opposed by Democrats, Populists, Kepup-
licans. etc.
MONEY WAS SENT FOR.
DR.. Martin wrote the witness asking II
no could not get some funds 10 help
Thompson to carry on his campaign. SUD
sequently he received a second episte from
DR.. Martin. Both communications were
turned over to Mr. Priddy 10 Mr.. Tom
Scott. a friend OF Mr.. Thomas S. Martins,
and he came to Richmond and got $50
which he sent To Patrick county through
DR. Priddy for the work of the County
Democratic Committee. When tho Doctor
arrived at his destination with the finances
ho found Dr. Martin away from nome
and learned that Mr.. Thompson was III
the Hollow. twenty miles away.
DIR. Priddy said he left the money with
Or. s Y Hughes. the county chairman.
and wrote note 10 ). a thompson
telling him he had left the funds on the
assurance OF Or. Martin that he was "a
vorable TO Mr.. Martin, as 1t came through
the latter's friend.
The witness here declared that he had
not been instructed to leave the money
on any condition whatever; that he would
have left the finances had Mr.. thompson
have been present, and ayowed himself IN
| favor OF General Lee.
In reply to the Ex-Governor question
whether or not the money secured ior
| Thomson came from the same source
that his own did DIR. Priddy declared mat
he did not know. but that such may nave
| been the case.
FROM MIR. BARBOUR THMOPSON.
He knew that Mr. Barbour Thompson
WAS assisting Mr.. Eliyson, the Sut'e
charm an, and 1t was from him that ne
got his own campaign money. lie mt
,yent IN Mr. Ellysons office, found MN
| out and then went 10 Mr.. thompson "Ho
said he would get up the money III tlinS
| for tho witness to leave that evening WIN
IT, The witness returned 10 Mr. HHy 9oh
off,ce and told him that he had arranged
| fF2T
when he went for his money Mr.. W. a
7 ittle state senator, and Mr.. Jack Mason
yrare present. Mr.. Priddy said that ne
ael,ed Mr.. Thompson Il the tundS were
oiven 10 influence linn In any way MT
Trbonnaon replied: mo, l intend 10 help
bd,h tbess gentlemen Cfessrs. Little and
Nason) and they are avowed Lee men
Ths witness declared that he Voted TOT
Nartin-eyery ballot In the caucus re Nv
nor know that Mr.. Martin hAu any 'I'i'is
Y,botever TO do with the distribution V.
W. s,nds ua rot no money here except
the amount referred TO- whlch Wa" 0'''
cd from Chairman Ellyson' -. -,
NJ pr1ddy concluded his testimony ~
,ro,C,nciua as false the statement III M
Royalrs memoranda concerning h'iil''
DIDN'T GET THE PLACE.
IN tho course Of his testimony Dr. frlu-
:" xe -, To an interview on sunday
IN
NIo,,a,,her 10Th. between Mr.. Miles Mar.h
90 himself He said Mr.. Martin spohe
- bts Opriddy's) brother being an appl
can't Cor the position Of gauger uiurr VI
Jt-tiI,apn RYAN. and said he had the "p-
,''intment of one. Al MIR. Martin re-
anast Or Prddy defined MS postum On
the senatorial matter, ana MI MAJ VI,
said he was sorry but the appo'n1ii1'S9' 49,
,,o,ld NOT be made. Or. Priddy anuep
hah
rIsca This caused some laughter ana
aarnlausa from the Martin men III the
Senate chamber.
MR.. THOMAS s. MARTIN SPEAKS
Hon. Thomas 3. Martin here arose from
the seat he had occupied during ire at,et
noon sitting OF the committee ana asked
20 he psrrnitted TO make statement.
This was followed by tumultuouS APP
nlause throughout the Senate chhinoer,
IA the senatorial nominee stepped dtouid
10 be sworn the eye OF every one III 'le
hail was upon him, and every ear was
eager to catch what he had TO say.
Mr.. Martin began by declaring that ne
had no special object in appearing De-
fore the committee except that ne thousht
II was due TO himself and his frienuS
that he should do so, as the INVESTIGATION
very closely affected him. He did not
feel that ne SllohtA AoiA ~
81 the opportunity 20 state that he was
not a party TO any improper or Irregular
method in securing the nomination Dy
tho Democratic caucus of United states
senator. Ho thought that as citizen OF
the State OF Virginia he had right 10
announce himself for any position, ana
that his friends had q right TO support
him Tor that position without subIecung
themselves 10 vague rumors OF corrup-
ton. Great applause)
FALSE AND VINDICTlVE.
The charges, he declared. were false
and vindictive. II any member Of the
Legislature had been corrupted, the mat
ter was one lying between this member
and the Legislature. He was not a party
TO nor did ne have any connection with
any such schemes. II they had existed.
(Applause)
Mr. Martin explained that his first ac-
quaintance with Delegate s. A. Thomp-
son, OF Patrick county, was recently In
Richmond, when Mr.. Thompson called
upon him (siartin) at his brothers resi-
denca and said he had received a letter in
which some allusion was made 70 money
( In connection with the senatorship. He
did not say who wrote the letter or what
/ candidate for the Senate was referred 10.
Mr.. Martin said he then told Mr. Thomp-
son that he deeply regretted this, and
that he would be sorry II any friend OF
| his had been so indiscreet: that anything