Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-06-11

1 Then Il was decided that the committse
would he sent 1t the city'Is expense. Inc
committee was afterwards appointed ana
! MIR. Curtis was made chairman"
Witness then referred - eonysrsauon
which he bad subsequently, with Mr. Cur
/ Tia AZ 10 how the expenses of the trip
should be provided for. Mr.. Curtis, ne
| continued, said each member would have
| 10 pay his own way and be reimbursed oy
the city.
| Mr.. Epps explained how he came TO bor-
row the money from Mr. Glenn firss. lie
said This young man Glenn came TO me
and said "lf IL IL inconvenient Tor Won
/ 10 Get the money 1 will advance 1t 70
yori.n I learned in few DAYS that he had
offered to lend it to every member OK Inc
committee.
DENIED BY Mr.. CURTIS.
At this juncture Mr.. Curtis arose and
denied that Mr.. Glenn had ever offered to
|. lend him the money. Mr.. Meredith called
| the attention OF Mr.. Curtis 10 the state:
ment of Mr.. Waddey that his man had
gone to him (Curtis) TO see u necessary
pecunIary arrangements had been made
! for the committees trip. nr. Curtis re-
marked that he had not rs yet had an op-
portunity TO correct THIS.
Continuing his evidence Mr.. Epps said
| that he thought inasmuch a. this man mad
made the same proposition TO the other
members of the committee there was no
improperly in his taking it. The sum
| (SiOJ) bad been loaned to himself IN Dir.
Mountcastie's presence and the same
! amount TO Mr.. Mountosstle in his own pre-
senco. The witness told MI Belv'n OF tnis
| transaction while in Pklladelphla, ara the
latter proposed to let him have the money
to repay the Waddey loan. He did not.
| however. get the cash from MIR. Belyin
until two or three DAYS after the commit
tee returned from the North. Mr. Bslviui
| gave him the 800 In Jake's place, when
no one but negro man was III there.
But little more transpired IN regard TO the
money until the night the contract was
let. when the witness and Mr.. Belvin met
az Murphy's. Mr.. Belvin told MIR. Epps
then that the 500 loaned to HIM was
BooZe's money. The witness said he asked
him why in hi he did not tell him So
and told him that ne would raise the
amount to pay it back IN few days.
GAVE Mr.. Kelvin NOTE.
A short time later ne wrote Mr. Belyin q
letter saving that he was sorry that he
did not have the money 10 repay MIN. but
he would give him his note endorsed by
William +. Purcell. To this Mr.. Belyin
replied that he had lent Mr.. Epps the
money without any paper and would cer-
tllDlN Dt S0Ilsutl WIFI lilo HCs''
Here the witness showed q communication
from Mr.. Belyin acknowledging the. re-
cent OF his note, and also letter from
Mr. Booze asking Dir. Epps 20 see him ut
MurDhy's Hotel on important business.
which Mr.. Epps had not done.
The witness told of conversation he
once had with Mr.. Booze III which the
latter practically promised him 81 or -;
a-day lob III q New Jersey factory, and
added that since tho contract had been
awarded he had heard nothing about the
place.
CONCLUDES HIS STATEMENT.
In concluding his statement Mr.. Epps
said: When Mr.. Belyin loaned me that
money 7 thought be was as pure as my
wifo and that he did so TO relieve me OF
embarrassment. | want to say further
more. gentlemen, that IN casting my vote
for these contracts | cast them Just as II !
were gong to pay for the work myself. L
voted a. consistently rs l knew now.
There is no man who will tell you hoknew
how was going to vote or that
| asked him how he would vote.
Then I want 10 know. gentle
men. admitting what Mr.. Starke has
said % true, for the sake OF argument,
would INV vote have given him the con-
tract? Did / cast the deciding vote Z
Either man could have done without me. L
believe every man cast MS 'OIs Us ulu US
he thought best.
IacknowledQe I have acted indiscreetly.
/ thought Mr. Belvin's loan was an honest
one. Gentlemen, thank you tor listening
TO NV statement. and while know that j
acted ,ndIscreetly have no apology to
make for the manner in which | voted"
PAY raE 900 TODAY"
At this juncture Mr.. Epps handed the
alleged ANONYMOUS letter to Mr.. Meredith,
putting IL in evidence. 1t bore date of
Thursday and read as follows:
go to Citizens Bank, pay note 800 to-
day before o'clock. If you have not tue
money borrow it. Very important.
Some comparisons of handwriting were
made and Dir. Eppss cross-examInation
Sir. Meredith Did the person who gave
you that note give as the name OF the
sender any person who has been witness
on this standl
Mr.. Epps; He did. sir.
Mr.. Meredith You say you object to
giving that name!
Mr.. Epps If you. Mr. Meredith, say
that this is proper question VIII answer
II. do not want TO do any injustice 10
my fellow-msn. Twill, however, answer 1t
if YOU say 1t is a proper question.
Mr.. Meredith IL is a proper question.
Mr.. Epps: The name given to me was
that of Mr. Preston Belvln.
The witness, while under severe cross
examination by Mr. Meredith. said that
when he borrowed the money from Mr..
Belvin he did not know that MIR. Belvin
was connected with the metallic company.
Mr.. sTABKE's ASSERTION.
Mr.. Epps then said that he had no recol-
lection of ever uttering such remarks rs
MIR. Sterke had stated he had in regard TO
the material and workmanship IN the
goods of the Specially company and the
Fentop COMPANY. He added that If he
had done so it was when "he had more
whiskey than head"
Mr.. Meredith called the attention of Dir.
Epps TO the suppers at Murphys. which
had been spoken Of In the course OF tho
investigation, and asked IT he md not con-
slider them somewhat In the nature or O
bride. he said that he did not, as he
knew that they would not affect him. He
considered that Dir. Belvin was such a
friend to him as would warrant him IN
borrowing the 800.
Mr.. Meredith obtained from the witness
the admission that be did not pay the
money borrowed from MIR. Waddey out of
that he received from Mr.. Belvin. but
with that which he received from the city
by the addition OF 81.
CHARGED ALL TO THE
Mr.. Guigon asked Mr.. Epps what part
of his expenses on that trip he charged 70
the city, and he replied that tho city paid
them oil.
Mr.. Guigon: Did you think it proper for
you to do so!
MIR. Epps: did. sir. considered that
as was giving 4 week of my time in at
tending to the city's business tho city
should defrsy my expenses. She paid fol
ali my eating, drinking, sleeping, and
riding.
Continuing his statement. Mr.. Epps said
MIR. Belvin never told him at any time that
If he received the contract he (Epps) need
not pay that money back.
WHAT Mr.. BELvIN SAID.
Mr.. Meredith: Did Mr. Belvin ever say
to you that If Stsrke got the contract you
need not repay the 800?
Mr.. Epps: He did. sir but he was drink
ing, and did not consider that he meant
what he was saving.
The witness denied that this ubiect was
ever alluded 10 by either himself or Mr..
Belvin afterward. Upon being questioned
| by Mr.. Guigon AIR. Epps said that he con-
sidered Mr.. Belvin half drunk and lit
| tie over" He then referred to the fact
| that he had already stated that he had no
other conversation until the night after
the contract was let. and when Mr. Belvin
| said that it was Booze's money that no
had loaned to him he (Epps) replied :
why in the - did you not tell me so!
You have deceived me-"
Tho wifnees uaS intarrooafsd hv Tho