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

and all hands said that I could heal
them. IL got the nomination. Sometime
/ met Colonel Bob Cstlet,
OF Governor McKinney's staff. and a
warm friend Of General Lee. Bot Cat
let Is a man | love ard respect as high
~ as n man living in this world. He
said; Allie, want TO have a little pri-
yate talk with you. our friend, the
General Is going to be q candidate for
the United States Senate. ] said, yes.
He says. | think the kick we are hav-
ing here will let you go to the Legisla-
ture. He said. don't commit yourself; I
think YOU will be favorable TO General
Lee. / said ] am very favorable 20 Cen
oral Lee. but | am not going 10 oomit
myself because my supporters In this
county are very much opposed to General
Lee. Colonel Catlett SAYS, you are ex-
actly right; | would not do 30 either, be-
cause IL you commit Yourself to him YOU
will have your hands tied all through the
canvcss. and they will use It as a stick
to crack your head. I said certainly. so
YOU can tell the General what I have
said: that ! am not going to commit my
self. as ] don't know what complications
may arise. | saw Miles Martin at the
Eagle Hotel. and he expressed himself
as Colonel Catlett did. On April court
day. the 7th OF April, a candidate was
brought out against me; the farmers and
the Third party people attacked me. and
l tell you we had a very hard fight.
Character Assaiisd.
My personal and political character was
sfsaned and every means brought TO de-
feat me. On one side I noticed the rail
Of every friend Of General Lee against
me-every one | knew except Mr.. Miles
Martin, aud / think he voted for me in
the primary. on the other hand. the
friends OF Mr.. Martin supported me
through thick and thin. as the saying Is.
They stuck to me all the way through,
and they didn't ask any pledge OF me,
although one Of them did say to me:
we are supporting you. now keep your
self clear, and don't pledge yourself to
any one. but when you go TO the Legisla-
ture vote foi the man you think best"
At the primary | won by a majority of
81. thought the thing was all over. and
l had received the congratulations Of my
opponen on the other side; but after a
few days a great how was raised. and
there were cries that dead men had been
voted. sc. L demanded an investigation,
but could not get Il: and while the matter
was pending | received this letter from
General Lee, and I'm response TO that |
wrote him this.
Uetters here again read by witness)
When | came TO the Legislature / came
unpledged. , had pretty well made up
my MIND that unless nothing happened
TO change my decision to vote for Mr..
Martin for the long term. -Four days
before the December court a meeting was
called for the purpose OF instructing Mr..
Williams and myself who to vote for for
United States senator. The notice was
put I'm one issue OF the Charlotte Gazette.
which has a circulation probably OF one
fifth Of the county. That was on Thurs
day. and the meeting was called for Mon
day. | went 10 the courthouse expecting
TO be called before the meeting TO define
my position and have a talk with them.
but | was not invited into the meeting at
all. / sent over 10 find out how many
were there, and il was variously est
mated that the plumber was from thirty
10 thirty-fiye. The secretary Of the meet
ing said that thlrty-two voted 10 instruct
me TO vote for General HuntOn for the
short t~erm-which was my avowed inten-
t~entiOn-and for Governor Mckinney for
the long term. or If ne did not stand "A
good show for It or dropped out, then |
was 10 vote for General Hunton, and "
General Hunton dropped out | was to
vote for General Lee.
Only Beresay.
Mr.. Mushbach: This was hearsay, was
II not-the man came back and told you?
A. He came back and told me. and IL
also appeared in print. These proceed
ings appeared in the newspaper In due
form.
q. by Mr.. Downing: Do you know OF
any improper influences resorted to by
the friends Of any candidate for the Sem
ate OF the United States2
A. Certainly not by aly of Mr.. Martins
friends.
O. II don't make any difference whether
by Mr.. Martins friends or anybody else.
A. Mr.. Miles Martin, representative of
General Lee, came 10 see me ON Sunday,
the 18th OF November, and said he wanted
TO have a private talk with me. ! said
all right. He said business vas business;
that he had the appointment OF gauger'
and he understood my brother was an
applicant for II. l said 1 didn't know
that that had anything 10 do with 1t. /
told him about the whole thing lie asked
me about the contribution OF funds' anu
[ told him that he knew as wei as any
body else how the funds were eohtrlput,"'
| explained everything 10 him' put ue,,
cllned 10 vote for General Lee OF peneia'
anvhodv else IN order 60 secure an APP
pointment for my brother.
By Mr.. Downing: Did he suggest ~
your brother as gaugerF
"A He saws: Il nave the appointment
.of ~eauger." He said: II would Ike very
much for your brother to have IL
toid him I could not vote for benerai
lee. He then said the appointment wohia
not be made. / said: VERY Wen that -
all right" That is all l know. don't
know whether you would call that III
proper influence or not.
I The Chair having handed witness a iet-
ter which was submitted by Heher1l 80
and asked him to state what ne hah 10
say I'm reference 70 il. replied:
was at the meeting OF the virginia
Medical Society on the ID Of October, al
the University Of Virginia, and | met
there my friend Or. Martin, with whom
associated on the State Board or hA-
aminers. and who II a member OF lhe
state Central Committee OF the ruin
We got TO talking, and Dr. Mar
tin asked me about the different cdhol-
dates. He says: How do you stand on
the Senate" / said: II have not declared
my position; but, confidentiaily' my III,
cliBation Is to vote for Mr.. Martin ana
I expect | SHALL We got 20 talking about
NJ Martin and he said. well, i would
like 20 see a Martin In the Senate even
though he Is no kin 10 me- He said ne
was going home and bring all the mhu-
ence he could on Mr.. Thompson to vote
for him. After that eot a letter from
Dr. Martin. saying Thompson was OPP
posed by Popullsts. Republicans in,
and that Thompson expressed
himself as favorable 10 Nr. Martin.
Needed Help
Thompson is a very poor man., and a
orinnle and would be beaten for the Leg
islaiure unless he had some financial
and asked me II l would not try ana