The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-04

s,u,h and its people. occurred during
Military Governor Wells term OF o" AZ
During watch time the old 1anitor was nn
ing the cffice OK mess s, 81 nn ~, Gov.
ernor Wells and his wife were Wss,rs"
people. their home being In Detroit NEE; m,cns
and the latter, ccording 70 1919
ers statement ,,s wa South hH' and its people.
one cav v lille the Governor ana MS wle
were nj luncheon, the bell rang, ana two
ladies. who were known TO De WIN ~
porters OF the Lost Cause. were s an ,nrrHa,
ed. The call VAS thorougny nm.
one and was conducted with frigid s,sns
ness. although with perfect adnerenes
10 polite etiquette. The ladies' VINO weIS
calling were dressed in the neignt %
fashion. gotten up regsrnieGss, ys a. -. Wells
returned to the dining-room 20 nnsn nsna
luncheon, and when asked by ner nuso ,r,
who had called. remarked. "Oh. onIs ~
stuck-up, horrid rebels, who came 10 s"o"
me how we'll they could dress.
Governor Wells then said 20 wsinors
who was waiting upon the taoie, ! sups
pose, Walker, you don't ike 10 near ~.
people spoken about In such manner.
mo. sir" he responded. cause dere
Is list az good people In Nirginny as "srs
is in Detroit. err any other place. iur oas
matter" =, ~,.orro-..
wife on a edge like. and fob God. SIR, sne
chaved de rag and buse me monstrous
much" The old man chuckled to MIN.
self when he told me this. as II ne cou.o
recall the scene exactly as 1t had hap
pened.
CINE Brrwrrx pfERroSr AND wELLa
Ano,har incident. and give It exactly
az n was told me. occurred just Few
DAYS before Governor Wells came INTO
Office According TO Walkers version Ok
the affair. Wells had been on 10 see Cen
eral Schofield. and had preferred charges
against Pierpont. In his wire-puiiing 10
secure pierponts office, he had written
n number OF letters to friends. IN WHICH
he made a statement Of the cealges 'nas
he had preferred. IL 80 happned that ono
of these letters fell into Pierponts nanns'
and when Wells called upon him 10 nou.
Nv him that he had been commissioner
10 supersode him, PtcrpOnt had the ietssr.
"De Governor was at his dinner "n.n
General Webs he come. so l axed nun,
into de reception room ana aeh ''''
dc Governor he was dere.
Il introdLcedelem. and dey had a long.
perllte talk, den General NeIs ne ,ssv W
and say Governor, Use pointed py ''"
oral Schoicld 10 supersedc YOU. 80
Governor Picrpont say ne know 49,
and den he asked Gincral Wells did NO
ever write any letters aporl n'''' anu
General Wells say he never did. 80.
Den Governor picrpont he pulled our
de letter where Gincral Wells had wfi's
and showed II to him. ,.,,o-,,
WeIls' face lie looked like he would
givc his life II dat dcie door would opeu
and swallow him up. he aver saiI =
word but he turned around ana MaN ss
ont de rooni holding his n ,ah WiS"y
high and pioud-like. and me and de Cow
ernor jist stood Gere looking AZ eao"
other
rnr CAPITOL DISASTER.
walkers description OF the falling,in
Of the capitol. was very graphic. lis
wife heard he had been killed ana shs
cane living TO the scene, ana when mar
ia she found him. she threw her arms
around his neck and refused 10 let MN
leave her. IL was some time before no
could make her believe that he had hot
been killed. ...
| of Providence. lie had just left the tatai
room but few minutes before the ciaS.
came. in order To show a gentleman on, an
| his daughter over the Capitol ainet
! rendered great assistance In the WORK OF
rescuine the wounded. His description
! of the horrible scene was realistic In tns
| extreme As fast as the bodies were re.
| covered they were carried 10 the siops
| ON the South side OF the capitol ana iais
on the grass.
The plaster dust that was brushed from
| tho clothes and washed from the per
! sons of the unfortunate men, together
| with the blood, killed the grass on Wv
: hin where they were laid The CONFUSION
and wild excitement that followed tha
announcement OF the disaster were most
infinitely pictured TO me. AS ns'eneu
| to Walkers account OF that fatai acci'
dent / could not but help commenting 10
myself how every little detail ana lea.
| tlire OF that awful days work seemed %
| have impressed itself upon the old mans
mind.
Anew DOUBTFUL FACTS.
| when Walker Is showing tourists ovei
the Capitol he Is In his glory: he,net
J O.. -. fro, D.. If
| he gives a vivid If not correct panoians
| of the late civil war, or In the pictuie
| gallery, where he expatiates AT length
| upon the early celebrities OF the cou""s
| Washington In the rotunda the old man
| * the same genial and instructive guide.
! Never lacking for a WORD, Tor ne never
| changes his descriptions. allowing no
| questions to be asked. passing IN p"ttcct
| rotation from one object 10 another no
| weaves "A fabric OF facts and nction TO-
| gcthcr that make "A most pleasing wholes
and leaves upon the tourists MIND q
| lasting impre ssion, and inbues him win
| the fact that Virginia, the greatest OF all
| lands. Is the prolific home or WARRIORS
! presidents. statesmen. poets, sases, mar
| tyrs, and preachers.
it was in the famous picture gallery that
| the old II AN proved most amusing. As
we halted in front OF the picture OF John
| Page. he proceeded to tell me that that
]
| minon when he was fifteen years Oh.
| and that the famous Thomas Nelson was
| "A member of the Virginia House OF BUR-
! gcsses, when lie was I'm his sixteenth
| year | made mental note or these
facts for later digestion aad adJustment,
| but as yet | have found no medium
through which TO settle what oxistina
| diff arences OF opinion there may be be-
tween Walkers statements and my
/ knowledge OF Nirginia's earlier history.
lie assured me that the old Speakers
! chair used in the House OF y lrgesscs as
| presented to General Washington by
/ Queen Anne, OF England ana that II was
l95 years old. From the top OF the Capi'
| toll he pointed his finger over toward Ches-
, terrified. and told me that on "A clear day
| there was "A rock In that county. which
| he could see with his naked eye, and that
| IL was the same stone upon which John
/ Smith had his historic head reposing.
awaiting for the fatal blow, when Po-
cahontas threw herself upon him, and
with tears I'm her beautiful eyes besougn
her stern father 10 spare the pale face
gentleman from over the waters.
And thus II was We passed from one op'
ject 10 another. each surrounded by
some pleasant legend. As 1 left the
| Capitol. | looked back. and the old man
was bending down under one OF the trees
feeding the squirrels with nuts.
j. A. W.
Property Transfers.