Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-07
Opinions Of People Who Knew
Chewing in Virginia
WIrEAND CHILDREN WELL THOUGHTO OF
A Visit to the Man in the Emer-
gency Hospital.
MAKES A GENERAL DENIAL


IN Washington from Virginia are true the
sympathies Of the Washington public have
been. in a measure, misplaced. AS soon as
the reports of his discovery in the Smith
sonian grounds In a starving condition and
copies of the letters found in his possession
were read by residents of the sections in
virginia where Chewing had resided, those
who appeared to know him best sent word
to this city that he had played the same
trick before. and had also been guilty
OF wife beating. Mr.. Beverly R. Harrison,
a prominent citizen in Amherst county, Va,
on Tuesday telegraphed a prominent
divine OF this city that A. c. Chewing
was monumental fraud and humbug and
asked the minister to expose him Yester-
day letter was received from Mr.. Harri-
son. In which he says. "A. c. Chewing is
as great fraud as ever lived. He lived In
thls county for some time, and while here
was III jail for cruelty beating his wife and
little children. Judge Paul, a few weeks
ago. sent him to Jail in Staunton. He has
not been living with his wife for some time.
He is very smart, and has played this trick
before"
Some Additional Information.
Mr. Harrison also inclosed in his letter
a clipping from the Lynchburg News in the
shape Of an editorial note at the bottom of
the account of Chewning's discovery and
the sympathy his condition had inspired.
The News says simply: Chewing will be
remembered in Lynchburg as the man who
was recently sent to Jail for ten days by
Judge Paul for making himself too officious
while serving in the capacity of Juror in
the United State court"
A letter was also received from Dr. j. B.
Grifhth or Basic City, Va, by Rev. j. c.
Jones, pastor of the Epworth NJ. f. Church,
In answer to one sent by the latter. inclos-
ing s. for the suffering wife and children
or Chewing. DIR. Griffith stated that he
would hold the money, as Mrs. Chewing
was not in q distressed condition; that her
board was paid up at the place where she
was stopping; that she had admitted the
untruthfuness of the statements contained
in the letter found on her husband, and
published at the time, and furthermore had
received already over S2OO from sympa thetic
people in Washington.
Lieut.Smith of the Alexandria police force
visited Emergency Hospital yesterday and
Identified Chew ming as the person who WIS.,
tied the Alexandria station house a few
weeks ago and gave the name of A G.
Chewing, and told a story about the burn
ing of his home at Ambrosia Court House
West Virginia, and the suffering of his fam
lily. Lieut.. Smith told him to call again
next day, as in the meantime he would in
vestigate the case and have aid secured
but the man did not return. A resident of
Anbrosia Court House told Lieut. Smith
that no one Famed Chewing ever lived
there. but that family named White had
been burned out in the manner described
and their necessities relieved by citizens.
interview With Chewning.
A representative of The Star called at
the Emergency Hospital this morning to
hear what Mr.. Chewing had to say in re-
lation to these charges He occupies a cot
In the ward in the third story of the insti-
tuition, and shares the clean and sunny
apartment with two other white and one
colored patient. He Is al very Intelligent
and good-looking man, and the stubble of
beard on his face did not obscure the excel
lent lines of his jaw and chin. His fore
head is high and his brow shows the
wrinkles of thought that characterize a
student. His eyes are blue and expressive
and his clean-chiseled. straight nose and
sensitive nostrils make an otherwise at
tractive countenance still more So He
spoke in a low voice. in well-modulated
tones, and the easy flow of his language
the story printed about him in one of the
morning papers, and Immediately de-
nounced the hint that he had been in
trouble in Norfolk as SANDER
II was never in Norfolk in my life" he
asserted. Il never SO much as saw that
town"
His attention was then called to Mr.. Har-
rison's letter. He appeared to be uneasy
different objects in the room.
Mr.. Harrison is an honorable, high-toned
man. he remarked. "and I have deposited
small amounts in his bank at Amherst
Court House. 1 am rot the kind of a man
he says 1 am. 1 was never in jail for beat
ing my wife. 1 never raised my hand
against her in my life The facts are that
on one occasion, when I had one of my
attacks of alteration, or whatever II is INV
wife became alarmed and thought was de-
ranged. She went to Mr.. Whitehead, the
rested until an examination could be held
as to my sanity.
lie was proven I was sane and was re-
leased. AS to not living with my wife. I
haH oil E.-aI l.
have been out through the country selling
tobacco and other goods or looking for
work"
How about your arrest and incarceration
In Lynchburg?'
Judge Paul performed an act of Injustice
in that instance" responded Mr. Chewing.
HE sentenced me to serve ten days in iail
and pay fine of SO for misconduct while
serving as juror in the United States
court. l was guilty of nothing Of the sort
however. and when 1 was released after
five days confinement / wrote a statement
OF the case in the Charlottesville Progress"
1t appeared from his explanation that
Chewing was a juror in a case where a
railroad company was sued for injuries in
ficted upon a little girl and had taken
measurements of the premises where the
accident occurred, after the jury had been
present as body, when court officers did
the same thing, and that he had been
charged with telling his fellow jurymen on
the public street that the railroad company
should be mulcted in heavy damages In
relation to- the charge of Lieut. Smith
Chewning denied it, and said that If he
had told such story in Alexandria he must
have been drunk or crazy, and he couldn't
have been in the former condition because
he didn't drink
Then he recovered himself and said he
couldn't have been the man, as al the time
indicated by the lieutenant, he was EMPLOY
ed at the Capitol, and the records up there
would show It,
All through his conversation he en-
deavored to impress upon the reporter the
fact that some one else had been assuming
a guise of mendicancy under the name of
Chewing, and said the Chewing spoken
Of in DIR. Grifith's letter must have been
"A. G." Chewing, but he did not tell who
"A. G." Chewing was.
What is Said at Amherst C. H.
The following special dispatch was re-
ceived today from Amherst C. H., Va, by
The Star:
A. C. Chewing was born in southwest
Virginia and is about forty-five years of
egewas educated fer n Campbelite ach-
er, but was unsuccessful in that CAPACITY
and has been a wanderer and crank for
the last ten years. He married a distant
cousin of his, Miss Chewing of a most
respectable family. He resided in Am
herSt county, Va, for several years and
while here about two years ago he was
examined by a commission de luratico and
vas pronounced a crank rather than a.
F, lunatic.
lie is very shrewd, and is one of that