The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-19
VIRCINIA'S SENATORSHIP.
Gen. Lee and Mr.. Martin Before the
Investigating Committee

The General During the Session Tells
of a Contribution of 81 900 Received
From President Cleveland for State
Campaign Purposes-M Martin De-
mics ANY Knowledge of Improper
Means or Methods to Secure His
Election.
Richmond, Va, Dec. 1S.-The principal
witnesses before the senatorial investi-
eating committee to-day were Cap. Ham
Sheppard aud Gen. Eitzhugh Lee.
Gen. Lee read a statement to the com
mittee, giving his Connection with the
can vass. He said that he asked the ate
chairman that railway oncials be not al
lowed TO distribute money cOntribut ed for
campaign purposes, but that it be allowed
to go through the hands of the state
chairman. Mr.. EllysOn, the chair
man, promised him that his
request would be granted
Gen. Lee also wrote TO President In gals.
of the Chesapeake and Ohio, and saw
Samuel Spen er, of the Richmond and
Dan vile, ana received the same ass IT.
ance. Gen. Lee said that OF the $1,000
contribu ed by the railroads, only "a 800
had gone thro ugh the regular channels of
the democratic committee. The commit
tee rose at noon before Gen. Lee had lin
ished his ties ,imony.
THE PAPER RECEIVED.
The committee went into executive
session over the document, returned and
allowed Gen. Lee TO read it. Prior 10 do
ing so, however, the. general said, My
object is 10 give you g-ntlemen all the
light on this subject that possess. for if
you were to have ano. her caucus, my
name should never go before it.''' loud
applause)
Gen. Lee, among other things, said: 'T
believe railroads have right 10 contrib
ute money 10 campaign purposes to pro-
tect their proper y and in erests." He
was asked if he collected any money for
the state committee last fall He re-
piled in the affirmative and among the
names OF those whom he gave as con-
trIbu.ors was that of Grover Cleveland
for $1,000. Applause.
MR.. MARTIN ON THE STAND.
DR.. Priddy, a member of the House,
from Charlotte, was on the stand for more
than half an hour, explaining his canvass
and his vote for Mr. Martin, after which
the caucus nominee, Thomas S. Martin,
went to the witness stand amid APP
plause and made "a brief and pointed
speech, which he delivered with
force, feeling and rapidity. This
was PERHAPS the largest audience Mr..
Martin ever addressed in Richmond, and
certainly the only speech ever made by
him in the state CAPT al Among other
things he said. 81 feel it is due to myself
anu TO my friends 10 DENY that was
privy or party to any attempt to use any
improper means or methods to advance
my claims for the position of United
states senator. 1 feel that my friends
have a right to vote for me, a Virginian,
without their mott es being questioned -
Mr., Martin was frequently applauded.
The committee con .nued to examine
with sses until l0:30o'clock tonight. when
an ad ournment was had until tomorrow
morning
BY constitutional requirement the legis-
tature will ballot for United States sena-
Tor Lo-morro v.
In the House of Delegates to-day Mr..
Evans, of Henry county, arose 10 ques-
ton of personal pri 'ilege. He read a
paragraph from the Dis atrh, which was
a portion of the memorandum submitted
as testimony by William L. Royal before
the sena orial investigating committee,
which he denounced as a malicio s false
hood, and said that the man who fathered
1t was mali ious liar. The members of
the House applauded.