The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-10-05

evening I witnessed the drill OF Company
~, DuI company remained absent.
IN wednesday morning / noticed in the
RICHMOND Dispatch a short notice to the
erect mat Company Il would probably
ny participate in the competitive drill.
1 tnen knew that others were on the same
uali as 4, and decided to watch there
alter my opportunities. On Wednesday
evening again went TO the old City Hall
Where Company a was getting ready for
me me drili. also found there large num-
per or members OF Company Il, VINO ap-
Peared TO me to be more or less excited
learned from them that they had come
prepared for their weekly drill. but that
they ,had been stopped by a written or
utr from captain Ainslie, who was alb
sent, saying that no commissioned or
non-commissiOned officer should form the
company without his consent. I also
heaid some two or three members say
mat they hoped Captain Ainslie would
go out OF the company. and In my hear
ing even the name OF gentleman was
mentloned. who, IL was then said, would
be selected as his successor.
| left the City Hall to attend to some
other business and later in the even
ing wrote the article which appeared
In next days Times. The closing SEN
tence. as to the taking OF step to
bring about Captain Ainsie's iesigna-
ton" was an inference which / drew
from the remarks which / heard, and
prefaced the same with ''it is expected
that" etc. / wrote the article for no
other reason than to protect myself as
a reporter about matter OF public in
terest, not knowing what might appear
in print elsewhere the next morning.
However, before / took the article TO
my office / read IT to two friends o;
mine members of the battalion who
acknOwl edged that the facts were known
TO them as stated, with the exception
of the last paragraph, and explain
ed 10 them how | was prompted 10 write
yos.orIo,. ,,,or,,irg nc soon az lea rp-
ed that a letter would be published
against the article referred 10 in an
afternoon paper, | managed TO get Il
look at its contents, ana Ieellng per-
fectly at ease as to my statements. l
hesitated for hours as 10 the best course
to pursue. What members OF the Blues
battalion | met during the day / spoke
10 on the subject, ana most OF them
asked me TO let the matter drop: r..
In the evening / found MAJOR Sol. Cut
chjus at his office. whom | asked II he
knew how many signatures the letter or
the members Of the company nad FecelN-
ed. He told me he had seen about TWEEN
ty-this was about noOn-and that he
had gpent all day fixing up matters. All
was IN harmony now; company b
would take part in the drill and assemble
every evening between now ana tuesday
evening ,,..
IN keen matters relating to military or
carnations out Of print, Tor they ana not
interest the public.
lie added that he thought ne had heatu
one or two Of the "hot-heads as ne
called them-himself saying that they
would like to see Captain Alnslle IeaNe
the company. ~, ,..,,.,,,-
Last evening Mr. Lewis Mex. Judkins,
of Company b, who wrote the ietteT arlu
caused its circulation among the MEM
hers called at The Times ONCE ana
stated that the letter had been signed
by forty, all but three members OF me
company. He asked what l intended
TO do, and | replied that | had not yet
made I'D my mind He then volunteered
the suggestion that | might write some
thing 10 this effect: We nave Deeh sur
prised to be so severely criticised for the
article which appeared in YESTERDAY
Times the contents OF which were
caused by misinfOrmation. we are
also Glad TO announce the fact that the
discords in the company have dlsap-
peared.'
told Mr.. ludklns then and there that
the reference to "discOr.s,' as suggested
by MIN. would be a direct contradiction
Of the letter Of which ne had been me
author
would like to add that | did not in any
way allude in the article in question, al
though / knew Of II at the time | wrote
it, that Company b held a meeting on
" Wednesday evening after the written or
der had been received from Captain Aims
lie. This meeting was attended by MAJOR
Cutchins. He, as well as First Lieu
tenant Pegram, advised the men OF the
Improperly of expressing an opinion about
Captain Ainsles order ! mentioned this
10 Major Cutchins last evening and also
stated that | had been informed that on
,hat evening Captain Ainslie had ten
dered his resignation TO him (Major
Cutchns), but that he had refused 10
accept II. Major Cutchins replied that
Captain Ainslie had told him he wanted
10 resign, but that he Outchins) told him
that he should not do IL.
These are the facts In the case, to the
best of my recollection, and | reiterate
them with great reluctance. but | feel
convinced that such statement is due 10
myself as well as 10 The Times. In order
to refute the charge Of Justification which
has been made in the most pronounced
terms
As an explanation why l have not given
more names of members I'm connection
with the various statements. / desire to
add that at the time | beard them
| did not expect 10 be forced into this
detailed explanation. and did not take
any notes as to the parts which the sew
cral members took. At this moment ]
would not like TO be charged with max |
ing A. say something that should be !
credited to 3. The facts. however, re-
main as related. {. WERNER,
Times Reporter.