The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1893-12-21

81 ~ ~
to throw some light on the subject. He
furnished the following; NJ. Nj. Martin,
Barbour Thompson, A. s. Priddy. Judge
Hairston, of Henry county; Mr.. Meyer,
clerk of Patrick County Court; Briscoe
Boullin, of Charlotte, VIM. ID. Haynes,
of Franklin; Ham Shepperd, W. Ii.
Fowle, General Fitzbugh Lee, Hon. }.
Taylor Eilyson, Delegate isaac Diggs,
Senator Henry T. Wickham, James
Moore, Of Orange; j. P. Beard, Of AM
herst; Delegate s. A. Thompson, OF
Patrick; Delegate j. b. Moon, Senator
W. A. Watson, T. J. Arvin. OF Lnnen~
burg; Delegate Leggett of Princess Anne;
William Rice, of Charlotte; Exattorney
General r. a. Ayers, Walter Gaison Of
Princess Anne, and the upe1lntendent
of schools OF Princess Anie.
During Mr.. Meredith's testimony. he
said, $4,000 contributed by the Ches-
apeake s. Ohio and L. q d. Railroad
Companies and Of this amount only 49,
500 was distributed by the chairman of
the party. He thought if the commit
tee wanted light on the subject. they
could get it by tracing this money that
never reached the chairman.
Mr.. Royal was recalled. and started
out, as he said, to lay the foundation of
his testimony by cribing the intimate
relations existing between Mr., Martin
and Mr.. Barbour Thompson, but was
cut short by the committee, who took
the ground that what Mr. Royal was
saying had no relation to the subject.
Delegate Binford's testimony was
practically the same as published day
or two ago. He stated that Mr.. w. II.
Sands was the person who offered to
raise $500 to put in his campaign fund
If hn x.Jar,l1 tn For a.
He knew nothing of any corrupt meth>
DDS having been used.
Mr.. Sands being in the room was call
ed. He said being a Martin man, offers
ed to go to work and raise the money
for Mr. Binford's canvass if the candi-
date would agree to not vote for Lee
His idea was to go to work aud raise the
money from persons that he had secur-
ed contributions from while Chairman
of the County Committee. Mr.. Sands
said he did this without any conference
with Mr.. Martin or Mr.. Thompson and
entirely upon his own responsibility.
He knew that if Mr. Binford intended
to vote for Lee, the Ex-Governor had
friends who would raise money for him.
Witness made bis personal contribution
to the campaign find and canvassed the
county for Mr.. Binford.
B. Moon testified that they knew of no
improper methods having been used in
the senatorial contest, Mr.. Diggs, the
delegate from King William. said he
knew nothing in the world about any
improper methods having been used in
behalf Of any senatorial candidate. He
desired to emphasize the statement that
he knew nothing, absolutely nothing of
anyone having attempted to corrupt
any member of the General Assembly.
Everyone who knew him would prob
adj agree that had; ANY effort been made
to bribe him there would have been, as
Mr.. Withrow said of himself yesterday, a
funeral procession. Mr.. Diggs said
when he came here he was besieged by
friends of both Lee and Martin, but he
did not decide how he would vote unit!
two hours before the caucus met, when
he received petition signed by every
delegate except one who comprised the
convention the nominated him for the
House. He then determined to vote for
| Lee, but did not vote on the last ballet
| for the reason that during the rollcall
he was in conversation with gentleman
on an important subject. At the end of
the roll call he rose to address the Chair
to ask that his name be recorded for
Lee, but there was SO much noise in the
hall that he could not make himself
heard. Later he went to Lovenstein,
secretary of the caucus, and asked to be
| recorded for Lee, but Mr.. Lovenstein
said that under the rules this could not
| be done Continuing, Mr. Diggs said
he had for a long time been an intimate
personal and political friend of Mr.. G.
| V. Meredith, and about a year ago re
ceived letter from Mr.. Meredith in the
interest of Lee, and he might have in
replying Expressed a personal prefer
ence for Lee.
Senator Watson said he knew of no
money having been improperly used in
| his district.
The committee took recess until 4
P. NJ.
MEssRs. MOORE AND DELANEY TESTIFY
Among other witnesses examined by
the Legislative Committee appointed to
ascertain If any improper means were
used to bring about the election of Hon
Thos. S. Martin to the q. S. Senate from
Virginia, were Mr. G. F. Moore, of this
city, and Mr.. Jno. 7. Delaney, of Gov
ington The Richmond State of Monday
last contains the following:
sMr c.. f. Moore. being called testi.
fed substantially as follows: I live al
Clifton Forge in Allegheny county, am
a practicing attorney, MIR. Withrow is
President of the Withrow Lumber Com
| pany which operate at Clifton Ff rye
and makes his headquarters at that place
l have, Therefore, been thrown with him
almost continuously since my removal
to that town. As a result we became
very cordial and intimate friends, and
often talked over matters pertaining to
the recent campaign. In these confer
ences the fact was repeatedly referred to
| by Mr.. Withrow, that the State Exec
utve committee was doing nothing to
aid the campaign in our section. We
were sadly in need of funds. On the Sd
day of October | saw Mr.. John L. De
lany in Covington. Heis member of
| the County Executive committee. [ ask.
ed him how the campaign was progress
ing. He replied that the progress was
slow, on account of having no means to
do the work necessary in pnrging the
registration books and getting out the
vote. | said to him that if Mr.. With
row would assure us that he was not
pledged against, nor unfriendly to Mr..
| Martin, thought coull induce some
of the friends of the latter to give MS
some private aid, and asked Mr.. Delany
if he thought it would be improper to
ask Mr.. Withrow how he stood on the
Senatorial question. He replied that
there could certainly be no harm in it.
Thereupon Mr.. Delany called to him
and we three went into Mr.. Delaney's
office.
Il said, Mr.. Withrow, you know we
are Withrow men in any event, and will
do all we can to help elect you. 1t is
not our wish to have you commit your
self nor make us any pledge but, If YOU
have no objection, we would be glad to
have you tell us how you stand on the
Senatorial question He said he hadbeen
nominated without making pledge and
he wanted to be elected without making
any, and then asked why we wanted to
know his preference. We told him if he
could say to US that he was not pledged
against Mr.. Martin, nor so unfriendlv
toward him that he could not consider
his claims, we thought we could get
some aid in his campaign from some Of
Mr.. Martins friends He then spoke of
the railroads backing Martin. We Incl
dentally said we knew nothing of that.
that MIR. Martin was not dependent on
railroads; he had means of his own. end
SO did some of his friends, but naturally
his friends did not care to spend their
TrT0f o IT,. L