Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-20

| II.
In both of which II is claimed he express
ed his intention Of supporting General
Lee.
Mr.. Disgs said he would like 10 see the
/ first-named letter, which he understood
was In the possession OF General Lee.
He didn't remember IL. lie thought he
had copy OF Meredth's letter. -but not
OF the X. +. Lee letter. The latter was
written IN hurry In order that II might
reach Washington the same day. and was
not copied. He had since been shown
what he believed was n correct copy OF II.
Continuing Mr.. Diggs said he did ex-
press great admiration and respect for
/ General Lee. but did not promise TO vote
for him. He would not deny the Mere
dith letter. but did not recolect writing
| H.
HIS CAMPAIGN FUNDS.
Going into the next question. which
dealt with the source OF his campaign
funds, Mr.. Dlggs said they were obtained
I from his father-ln-iaw and other friends.
He was handed 500 by Mr. r. II. Card
well. who assured him It came from the
authorities OF the party. as he would
! have II no other way. lie also spent $50
out OF his own pocket. lie wished the
money had gone 10 the county chairn an,
but he supposed II was sent to him direct.
as he had handled Il III 50 many pre-
vious campaigns as county chairman o.
the party
Mr.. Diggs then went 10 the next cues-
ton, which vas that OF pledges and his
| actions on The night Of the GAUGES. Wit
ness said lie apprnl .he.l Mr. WillOughby
Newton, one of his Constituents W th re-
gard to what General Lee alleged he
Oiggs) had said to him (Newton) The
| latter positively refused to talk on the
matter. saying that he did not approve
of his course. but when questioned d.
| rectly said he knew of no pledges.
Mr. Diggs asserted that he had never
said that he had made any pledge to Mr..
Car1well or any one else. Mr. CardwelI
| would state the same thing on oath. He
never knew how Mr.. Hathaway would
vote until he heard him answer TO his
name upon the roll-call. When he went
over to where Mr.. Hathaway WAS sit
ting on the night of the caucus he had
just been having a great deal Of trouble
with his friends. those on each side
having urged him TO vote for their man.
He remembered going over and saying
something pleasant to Lees friends. AS
to keeping him from voting no man could
stop him from doing a thing when he
wanted 10 do It.
FRIENDS ON BOTH SIDES.
Next in order was the query as to who
prevented him from voting. Mr.. Diggs
stated that If he said he was prevented
from voting he meant his friends on both
sides. Messrs Perkins. Barnes. Card
wen. and Wickham. who represented the
various counties Of his own and the ad-
joining districts. were using legitimate
efforts to have him vote for Martin.
As 10 the question following, which
dealt with the persons with whom he was
when he walked about the hall, Mr..
Diggs said he did not recollect as there
-.
ing over and speaking 10 the Chairman
OF the committee Cir. NlcOD, who con-
graduated him on having voted for Lee.
When seated he was near and within
easy speaking distance Of Messrs. Wick
ham and Cardwcll
As TO his vote on the 1st 4th, and 5th
ballots he could not specify, but he
thought he voted for Lee three times.
When asked why he did not vote on
the other ballots Mr.. Digs gave the
direct reply:
Because ] did not choose to vote"
NOT TO BE BRIBED.
Mr.. Diggs said he never thought he
would see the day when he would have to
come before a legislative investigating
committee or any other body 20 deny
having received a bribe He heard long
before election that charges OF the i'm
proper use Of money were liable 10 he
made. and was therefore on his guard.
The only person who ever mentioned
money 10 him was Mr. Charles V. Mere
dith. who met him near the Capitol
eleventh and Bank Streets and remarked
TO him that he (Meredith hoped that
! he Diggs) would not allow Martin =
friends to make him believe that they
were raising all the campaign funds.
General Lee was then in New York col
lecting money for the committee. and he
Meredith was on the Executive Commit
tee. and would see that the funds were
equally distributed. and that witness
should have his share
The morning after his arrival in the
city TO attend this session of the Legisla-
ture Mr. Meredith took him TO one side
at the Exchange Hotel to state that he
had no connection with what Mr.. Mere
dith himself characterized as a dirty
trick"
The occurrence. Mr. Diggs went on TO
explain, was this: After eating supper the
previous evening he was approached by
Mr. Minter, who told him Mr. Conway
Sands was upstairs and wanted 10 see
him. Mr.. Mintcr carried him upstairs
to n room in which a number of gentle
men were Mr.. Meredith being the only
! one with whom he was acquainted. Mr..
Sands was not there. Some one asked
him into a side room to have a drink.
He refused. saying he did not drink.
Finding out he was In General Lees
headquarters against his WILL Mr.. Diggs
went on to say he excused himself and
retired as rapidly as the embarrassing
circumstances would permit.
Wanted to Know the Author.
At this juncture Mr. Ellyson appeared
and asked the Chairman II anything had
been heard from the author OF the ar
ticle already referred to published in
Sundays Times dated at Danville. Mr.
! Royal, who was present, repeated the
statement already made by him In refer
ence TO not yet having heard from the
telegram sent by him to the writer ask
, ing him to come before the committee
Mr. Royal asked II he should send
another telegram requesting permission
, ! to give the name OF the author or the
| article referred to.
This question was not here decided
, and Mr.. Ellyson went on to say that
he understood that Mr.. Charles V. Mere
. dith in his testimony given only short
while previous had implied that there
were discrepancies between his Oily
sons) letters and his statements upon
the witness stand. He then dealt with
e the Or Prlddy matter, and said thai
his first intimation OF the sending OF the
1 companys funds TO Charlotte county
/ was given him by DR.. Priddy himself
yet II was due to Mr.. ]. S. b. Thompson
TO state that he reported the matter
, the next day.
In regard to the alleged discrepancies
: Mr.. Ellyson said that he had already said
and with much emphasis, that so far al
he knew there was absolutely nothing IL
2 this whole campaign which he or hi
committee had done Of which he or an!
e other Virginian need BE- ashamed. He de
5 clared that he knew OF no campaign g
l absolutely free from all questionable
} methods on the part Of the party mana
gers. Not the slightest objection cnui'
e rightfuly be raised to II. He added tina
ne was present TO answer any other ques
r tlons that any one might see nj to pro
e pound to him. He wanted all the barrier
2 removed that any interrogations whatso
} ever might be put TO him. He would an
swer them as far as his ability TO do 50
would enable him. MIR. Ellyson said h
, would answer the questions, not only be
t cause il was his duty TO do II, but becaus
l II would give him pleasure to do II.
g No one seemed TO have any question:
=. TO ask the State Chairman, and he re
tired from the witness chair.
TELEGRAM TO DANVILLE.
Here Mr. w. l.. Royal arose and said
: "Mr. Chairman. shall i send the Telegram
10 Danville 10 which recently referredY
, Chairman Nicol. The only objection tina
, can see TO sending II is that do no
So, hcxy much longer the committee