Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-18
he Appears Before the Virginia In
vestigating Committee.
RAILWAY CONTRIBUTIONS DIVERTED
Mr.. Withrow's Charges Conobo-
rated.
TODAY'S PROCEEDINGS.
THE VIRGINIA INVESTIGATION.
Gen. Lee and Collector shepperd BE.
fore the COMMITTEES.

rore the Committee.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
RICHMOND. Va, Dec. ls.-Gen. Frts-
hugh Lee and Collector Shepperd were
before the United States senatorial investi-
eating committee today. Capt Shepperd
when called. said that he knew nothing
about the charges of fraud or improper
influence" except what Mr. s. A Thomr-
son, the delegate from Patrick, had told
him.
Mr.. Thompson stated to the committee
that Congressman Claude A Swanson
wrote to him during the campaign urging
the claims OF Mr.. Martin for Senator. Soon
after this he received a letter from DIR. IL
s. Martin, a member of the democratic
executive committee. saying that he could
get money to run his campaign, provided
he would vote for Mr. Thos. s. Martin for
United States Senator. Subsequently money
was sent to him. and he turned ft over
to the county chairman for distribution.
After the election a friend Of Mr.. Martins
came to Patrick to see him and urged Mr..
Martins claims. The witness said ne voted
for John Goode for Senator on the first
nve ballots, and on the sixth and last
A communication was laid before the
committee from Chairman Taylor Ellyson
complaining of telegram in the Times
from Danville, Va, making charges OF
fight in the Danville section. Mr. EIlyson
asked that the writer of the same be SUM-
moned before the committee.
The committee instructed Mr.. Royal one
Of the editors Of the Times, who was pres
ent to communicate with the author OF
the article, and ask him to attend the In
vestigation. which request will be granted
capt Shepperd was recalled, and stated
that Mr. Thompson tCid him that the money
was contributed to his campaign with the
distinct understanding that he should vote
for Martin.
Mr.. Thompson. being recalled. said Mr..
Shepperd misunderstood him.
Gen. Lees Statement.
Gen. Lee. being called. made the following
written statement:
Having determined to become a cand,-
date before the legislature for United States
Senator, and having heard that in the cam
paign OF 1891 money contributed by certain
Of the railroads in Virginia was not in
trusted to the chairman of the state COM
mittee. but was put at the disposal Of and
distributed by Mr. Barbour. Thompson ana
Mr.. Thomas Martin. i endeavored TO pre-
vent a similar distribution I'm the late cam
paign. first wrote to Mt. Ingalls,. presi-
dent OF the Chesapeake and Ohio railway,
and stated that. while / did not ask for
any assistance or support from his road. I
would ask that he would see that any funds
contributed by his company should 60 into
the hands Of the state chairman. and not
into the hands of anyone else. and had
from him the positive assurance that such
should be the course pursued as TO any
funds contributed by his road.
Later in the summer i went north with
Mr.. Ellyson, at his request. to solicit cam
paign funds. While there i saw MI Spencer
Of the firm of Drexel, Morgan l. Company,
and one of the receivers of the r.. and ID.
r \ AZ Sir M reSf af inn M
received from him similar assurances. L
then asked Mr.. Ellyson not to let the funds
be distributed in the interest Of any sena-
torial candidate. He replied that he would,
because in the previous campaign others
had received credit that he thought should
come to him. As the result Of our trip Mr..
Ellyson obtained several thousand dollars
for the campaign.
"On our return Mr.. Ellyson asked me e
1 had any particular locality that i would
like the funds raised to go. 1 replied: No.
l am now attempting to prevent campaign
funds from being so used for the benent OF
Mr.. Martin. have only to request that YOU
will dispose Of the money where IL win do
most good to the party In general. without
reference to the candidacy OF any one
Some days afterward when 1 was going
TO speak in Senator Stubbs' district Mr..
Ellyson asked me to tell the chairman of
that district he would send him a certain
assert is all that had to do I'm any man
ner or form with the collection or distribu-
ton Of any funds whatever from any
source for the benefit of any candidate OF
either house of the Virginia legislature.
After the election. when 1 had been in
formed that of the $1,000, which was the
joint contribution of the Chesapeake and
Ohio and Richmond and Danville railroads
| only A,6uO had been turned over to Mr
Ellyson i complained to Mr.. Axtell, vice
president of the Chesapeake and Ohio rail-
way, OF such conduct who expressed sur
prise and indignation at the information
and stated that there was a clear under
standing between himself and Mr.. Spencer
That the entire contribution OF the roads
should be turned over 70 Mr.. Ellyson to be
distributed by him.
When Gen. Lee concluded his written
statement he said that he had received let
ters showing good evidences Of fraud Upon
investigation the general found that ne did
not have the letters with him. and his tes-
timony was thereupon continued until the
afternoon session
Mr. withrow Corroborated.
Messrs. c. F. Moore and John Delaney OF
Allegheny county testified In reference to
the withrow bribery charge. Their testi-
mony in the main points substantiated the
statement Of Mr.. withrow. e. $500 would
be contributed to Mr.. Withrow's campaign
| IL he would promise to vote for Mr.. Martin.
Twelve O'Clock having arrived. the time
| for the convening OF the legislature. the
committee took q recess until this after
\ noon.
FIGHTING AT RIO.