The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-19

sir. l suppose Gen. Lees frlenos WoH1
With reference to that part OF Gen.
Lees communication, in which he requests
that Dr. Priddy be asked how II was thaf
he was asking for money for himself, wit
ness said:
On the l4th OF October. I think II was.
the District Committee meeting was held
In LynchbuTg. Mr.. Scott had requested
Mr.. J. G.. Watkins. Democratic chairman,
to so with him up there. The COMMITTEES
wanted 20 know what cnance there was To
elect Williams to the Senate. He told
them that ne thought with proper help
he could get II. The committee told lin
10 20 ahead aud make arrangements 10
elect him. and they would give help. About
four days before the election. the county
chairman. Mr.. Watkins. came down hero
TO see MIR. EByson. Mr.. Eliyson told him
the money was not ready. but that | would
come down for IL later on. and he would
have all the money fixed up az he wanted
II. He came back satisfied. On saturday
morning scott and 1 started dow here.
we did not get here until los, the train
being late. We knew Mr.. Barbour Thomp-
son was assisting MIR. Ellyson In rais-
ing FUNDS. we didn't know what source he
got II from-rsilroads. national banks.
or what. At any rate we knew ne had been
assisting MIR. Eliyson. Ny uncle was hero
with some election tickets for me. aud
wrote him oemeet me at Mr.. Eliyson's
ONCE at y O'Clock that morning. AS the
train was late, W did not get there at that
time, and he started home. We went up TO
MIR. Ellyson's Office after the train got IN,
and DIR. Fisher said Mr.. Ellyson was out.
We then went up 10 Mr.. Barbour Thomp-
sons once. lie was at dinner. and we
went and got dinner ourselves. When Mr.
Thompson got back and we saw him, he
said MIR. Eilyson and he had agreed on
what they were going 20 let us have.
For Meckienburg.
We told him We had promised the Meek
lenburg people TO see Mr.. Ellyson, and see
II we could get some money for them. 1
found Mr.. Ellyson not inclined TO help
them at all. He said, have you gotten your
money YETI / said We had been to MIR.
ThompsOns office. and he had given ,s
the money. thought Mr.. Barbour Thomp-
son was sort of a cashier for Mr. Elfyson.
Mr.. Thompson wrote TO me on the Hd of
october 10 come down here. as he wanted
10 talk with me about Mecklenburg coun-
". got here on the I'D. and he said.
Doctor, you have been Yery badly treated
IN your county, and Mr.. Ellyson and [
nave agreed that you shall be taken care
or regardless OF Necklenburg. 1 said: MIR.
thompson IL is not necessary to spend any
money to elect me, but il will take money
TO defeat the majority which Mecklenburz
VIII slVe. We were talking over the out
look. when Mr.. W. A. Little Of Erode
ricksburg, and Jack Mason came I'm. We
had a very pleasant talk. and went back
mat evening. | said: Mr.. THOMPSON. is
mat money You are putting out intended
TO influence any man to vote for any
particular candidate for the United states
Senator He said: Not a bit of IL. / am heln-
ing MIR. Little and Jack Mason. and thev
are Lee men. ] am helping the Demo-
cratic party.
y. Dy Chalr: How much dii YOU get9
"A. That Is a party secret. and I don't
care 10 divulge il. Every cent we got
was dlsbursed through the county chair
man. ! would say further. That is has
been customary for our county To No
celve help from these sources. for years.
Q. by Mr.. Trcdway: DO you know
whether Thomas $. Martin had any con-
nection with the distribution of this
fund.-
A. Not that | know Of. sir. I aid meet
him as 1 went into Mr.. Barbour Thomp-
sons office. and | had to introduce my
self; he did not recognize me at all,
We had no talk. / was introduced at
the Exchange Hotel, on the nth OF Au-
gust. All he said to me then was. why
you look as If you were built for running"
| wanted to know something about thls
MAI of whom / had heard 50 much, and
] went To see people i'm Richmond. with
out his knowing anything about II, and
| was satisfied as TO the kind of man he
was, and then / bad a talk with him.
.. Did you vote for him I'm the cau-
cus2
4. Yes. sir. on every ballot. / want to .
say further that / never got n cent ~ 2
money. except on hat Saturday, and
Mr.. Eilyson and Mr.. Barbour Thomp-
son were perfectly cognizant Of the fact
Of what l got, and all about IL.
q. by Mr.. Cooke: Mr.. EllysOn did not
ask you who you were going to vote
for. did he?
A. No. sir. ] want to say further. that
with regard 10 an article In the paper
that Judge Hairston heard me approach
$. A. Thompson and oner $ao-to be col
lected. with an additional so for pocket
change. il he would vote for Mr.. Martini
! think Mr.. $. A, Thompson viii bear mo
out I'm my statement that never were he
Judge Hairston, and myself together for
any length Of time. Is not that so, Mt
Thompson?
Mr.. Thompson: No. sir. / don't think
we were.
Witness fcontfnning): ~ 60 Mr.. Meyer,
/ don't think / know the gentleman. The
statement is absolutely false.
@. by Chair: Have you anything fur
Their 10 say, DOCTOR
A. / think / have covered pretty near
everything. now, sir.
Thomas =. Martin.
Mr.. Thomas S. Martin here stated thai
ne would like TO be heard. and was asked
TO a the chair. After being sworn, he
addressed the committee as follows;
will state. Mr.. Chairman, ana genfle-
men OF the committee. that J have no
very especial object in appearing before
This committed. except that | feel " Is
dne 10 myself, as this investigation very
closely concerns me, that | should take
advantage OF the opportunity 10 appear
before YOU and under my oath deny the IN
Situations. and intimatiOns, ana charges
mat have been made that / am privy
or a. party In any sense or to any extent
with the use OF money 10 accomplish my
election 10 the United states senate
Great appiause)
feel. Mr.. Chairman, that as a cliZ'n
NJ this State, ( had a right TO announce
myself as "a candidate for any position
within the gift OF It's people. ana mat
my friends had a right TO vote Tor me-
without their Integrity called into qJfs-
ton bv vague rumors. tApplause) de-
sire 10 say, sir. that there Is not a man
vino lives who can truthfully say thaf,
directly OF indirectly, / have az any ume'
before or after the nomination or any
orkor ~ this LEGISLATURE. sOught 10