The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-31

Racket, Lunenburg county. Va.
July -. 1853.
To the Editor of the Times;
Sir,-In your issue Of July Path I notice
a statement made by a Polish Jew by
the name of John bern. who had recent
~ settled at WattsbOro. Lunenburg cOun-
~. that is such a tissue of falsehOOGs
that think IT only just 10 the people OF
Lunenbrrg county that the public gene
rally should know the facts Having
business interest near Wattsboro | was
there about the time that bern had some
gentlemen taken before a justice Of the
peace, and was at their trial. and If You
nave reported him correctly | wish 10
say that in all his statements concerning
the AMER he has rot told the truth but
once. The facts in the case as established
by creditable witnesses are these:
Wade Hardy ana John Dern had diff
Guilty, and Hardy Knocked Dern down
with his fist kicking him al the same
time, but did not touch him after he fell.
Dern's wife, on seeing him knocked down.
told Wade Hardy that she would shoot
him, ard at the same time drew out
long, black stick. which Hardy thought
was a gun, and he ran up 10 their door.
where she was standing, and took il from
her, but did not interfere with her other
wise. Max Meyh Charlie Bragg. and
John Elder were with Wade Hardy pass
ing rear Dern's house when the difficulty
occurred. but had nothing 70 do with II.
Doth lilfI lldl "A warrant lN-hfl LOT dl4
for Of the parties. which was invesu-
gated by justice Of the peace. and Dern
himself testified that nobody touched him
but Wade Hardy. The justice very prop
erly dismissed the case.
As TO the charge that he was attacked
on his way home by one OF the parties j
will say that IL can be proven by at leasi
one hundred men that Dern never started
from Lunenburg Courthouse to his home
near WattsbOrO. As 10 the charge that
al r,a a IIIUgTk flrnr had made fNTtffG
against him. there is no one who knows
better than John Dern that there Is not
a word Of truth In this statement. Tor
he had this fully investigated while here.
and failed TO prove that any one had ever
made a threat against him. As 10 there
being Illicit distilling carried on near
WattsbOrO, / do not think that man
can he found in Lunenburg who knows
or believes that such Is the case. ana IL
seems a little strange that II the native
people of this county know nothing or
this, that a stranger should be approached
on the subject when he had not the con-
fidence of the German settlers VINO came
here with him.
Some person or persons did go 10 MS
house while he was at Lunenburg Court
house and break his house and damage
his furniture. | do not endorse this, nor
do the men who Dcrn swOre out war
rants against endorse IL. They have
remedy in a civil action, which / under
stand they will prosecute.
/ passed Dern's house before his furni-
ture was put back i'm the house and saw
II. and | am satisfied that his entire fur
niture would not cost over 500, and this
was damaged probably one-fourth-say
so damage ia all
| think that the Germans who have
settled i'm Lunenburg (sOme OF them
having been here about twenty-five years.
will all testify that they have received
the kindest treatment. and all the encour-
agement our people could give them.
What ] have written above viii be en-
dorsed by every German settler around
T. c. MATTHEW'S.