Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-19
THE OTHER SIDE.
WHAT CRITICISED EMPLOYERS OF
MEMBERS or REGIMENT SAY.
A Letter from Mr.. Leroy Sutherland "a
Colonel Jones--Two Other
Statements

Ever since the Rosslyn expedition there
have been rrmors that several Of the
young men-members OF the First Resi-
ment-who obeyed the order to so upon
It. were threatened by their employers
with discharge II they did 30. and that
one Of these employers put his threat
into execution. The whole matter was
prougm Prominently 10 puonc attention
by the publication yesterday morning OK
the speech Of Colonel Jones, delivered at
the Armory Friday night, and as Mr.. J.
Leroy Sutherland, the gentleman who was
said 10 have discharged an employee for
the reason stated. felt especially ac-
gricved. he addressed the subjoined letter
TO the Colonel. This letter puts very
different face upon Mr.. Sutherland's ac-
ton from that which rumor gave II.
Mr. SUTHERLAND'S LETTER.
RICHMOND, VA. August IS. 1894.
Colonel Henry c. Jones. Richmond. Va:
Dear Sir.--With reference To the sup
posed discharge OF Mr.. John G. Peerman
from my employ for going TO Alexan-
uI4d WIN llt sipSVih-i ROiHS Oh- shNbNsN
TO- 1894, / desire to make the Sllowing
statement:
Mr. Pecrman informed me about 6
clock that the CORPS had been ordered
to report a; the Armory at o'clock to
20 TO Alexandria, Va i asked him for
what purpose. and his reply was: he
did not know" 1 then told him that
was in no condition TO let hin
40, and aso stated that OBJ
jected to his going, but told him to 30
up 10 the Arnory and ascertain what
was the cause OF their having TO go 10
Alexandria. but stated that L did NOT
think l would be able 10 let him go. he
returned IN about fifteen minutes anu
Informed me that they were conlpeleu
10 20 TO q.sperse Coxey's army. l then
told him the reason 1 objected 70 ms
going was from the fact that ne knew
that [ could not spare him at that TIME
He Informed me that lac would either
have to 20 or be court martialed, ara
asked me II / was Wiling 10 49,: pc
tween him and the court-mar'- -. toi1
him that | would be willing to 20 De-
fore the court-martlal as to the reasons
why i could not spare him. lie then
asked me il / WIS willing TO pay DIS hne,
told him / 0id not know, OUT l uri
not think that they would me MN, anu
added that / would do all / couid 10
help him in case he was court-naftiaieu'
A GENERAL TALK.
We then had general talk on military
service, and during the conversation NC
used these words: 81 see where l nave
made a mistake In joining the stare
military. but my reason for Joining II
was TO get the benefit OF the lectures
and | wished l was out or II.
I sad TO him. wen, SlL
down there and wait minute" thea
wrote him the following letter
lam so situated In business at pres
ent that I object to your going to Alex
andria, and would be glad If you wouid
make application for your release OF
look out for another position
This | signed and handed TO him, with
this remark: John, you take that letter
and use It,. AS he went out OF the door
he replied: "If l can get of l WILL Out
II | have to go | will consider that you
discharged me-" Ny answer was mat
the letter did not say so.
THE OFFICE NOT OPENED.
On Monday morning he had not opened
the Office as usual, and two hours idler
| sent 10 his house TO find out what was
the matter but was informed that nc
WAS out. An hour later he came in the
It to him, asking at the same time wnere
| he was going, and he informed me to MS
sisters I'm the country. | then asked MN
for what purpose ne was going, ana ms
reply was that / had discharged him. l
told him I had not and did not want him
to 20, and asked him If he had used the
letter He said that he had shown IL 10
Major kuyk, and that he would not let
him Off i said then you have done your
he. loot taN IA
your release and go to work. He replied
by saying. / intended to make application
for my release. but since you demand 1t
do not intend to do so and after some
talk with regard to our understanding
of giving each other thirty days notice,
he left.
SOME ADVICE.
The next day he came into the Office
| to get a book, and l told him, In the
presence Of my wife. that l wanted 10
| give him some advice, not with the view
| of his working for me, but as j would
were he my own son. l also told him
| that / thought l had always treated him
| as q Christian gentleman should treat
| an employee, and asked him IT, he had
| any prospects for another situation. lie
| inform d me he had no position in view.
| | then said: "You have made a mistake
| in leaving. as 1t has been my experience
| that you could get situation easier when
| you were employed than when you were
| out OF employment" but he did not agree
| with me. l then endeaVored to show him
| that If he left this line Of business and
| started at something else the four years
| he had spent In acquiring 1T was lost time,
| and wound up in q general talk by say
| ing: Let Us part friends. and II ! have
| said or written anything that has offend
| ed you. and for which you think | owe
4 you an apology, i will say j am sorry
| for II, and that all this has occurred
| and added that l was probably a little
| hasty in writing the letter. l then told
| him that l thought an apology was due
me for his using these words: THAT he
had intended asking for his release. but
| would not do so because / demanded It,"
| He said: Il accept your apology" but
| made none 10 me, and after some further
| talk we shook hands and he left.
1 just want 10 add that Mr.. Peerlnan
has never asked to get off for any parade
or To assist in militia in any way bu,
what II was granted, and the letter
| which / wrote him on August 10th would
| not have been written but for the fact
that he caid he had ade a mistake in
joining the State militia, as he saw
where 1t interfered with business, and he
| wanted TO ct out of IT,
You will kindly ask Mr.. Peerman II
this is not true statement of the case.
Yours truly.
J. LEROY SUTHERLAND.
The other young men who were said e
have been threatened with discharge were
| Mr.. Hugh Cardozo. who is employed 10y
| Nessrs. Oscar CranZ & Co., and Mr.
Robert Il. Northen, who is an employed
| Of Messrs. J. j.. Yancey a. Co. The EN-
| ployers in these cases said they had nj
intention Of discharging the young men
| One designed to censure his employee
for the way he conveyed the information
that he was going on the expedition ane
the other objected to the way in which
his employee left.
| TIE EXCLUSION RuQCEI.