The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-07-19
He Game PREPARED 70 EXPLA|N.
HE WOULD BELIEVE nR. MGSSEY.
The Proceedings Yesterday We're In
teresting. a Large Number of
Witnesses on the Stand, Ono
Of Them the Wife Of
DR.. n. E. johnson,

The Mnssey.PIot suit has now run
twenty days, about twice rs long rs was
expected when the case was called.
There was n decided decrease IN IN.
tercst during the latter plrt of MIR.
Mnssey's cross examination, owing to
,he loug accounts taken OF his receipts
ana disbursements, but as soon as the
pininuA left the stand there WAS II
revival of feeling.
The new witnesses were expected to
produce additional SENSATIONS, aud as
:he partisan feeling is strong In the
city the attendance was larger yester
Gny than ut any time during the past
ten days. This was doubtless due to
;he fact that Gov. O'Ferrall and At
,orDey General Scott would he chilled
20 the stand, and their evidence being
important, tending to chow beyond nli
dispute the character of the operations
OF the Board of Education, OF which
they we're members, Their evidence
WAS expected to hive especial aud pc
cu!iar weight, as the dciouse had dis
claimed all intentions of charging
either with doing any wrong or know
iugiy allowing anything wrong to he
done. Gov. y 'Ferraii cama to Norfolk
prepared TO tell all about the book
contracts and the meetings of the
Board. He was the best witness intro
duced on either side, not best III any
partisan sense, but best because he
'uily understood what lie was talking
about; answered nj! questions in u
straightforward manner aud with n
directness that produced very favorable
comment, aud was on the stand not
more than an hour and IL half.
There was some little delay in getting
down to business, as one or two Of the
lawyera were late. When the Court
was ready for work Mr. Thom arose
and said that Mr.. Massey desired to be
rocaIled, that he migat be able TO cor
rect mistake which he had made, and
said MIR. MGsscys attention had been
called 10 the mistake by his lawyers
There was no objection and Mr.. Massey
took the stand. Lie said he had testified
that he deposited for Mrs. Massey in
1872 81, 600 in tho Planters National
Bank, but that he finds that no to
thnt time she had not placed NOR o
thau 500 or $500 IN his hands.
Mr. Wise then asked Mr. Massey
chat relation MIR. Andrew Parish wGs
90 Mir. " omnck, and he replied that
MIR. Womack was HE nephew. He was
chen asked when he first met Mr.. Wo.
rnacll, aud replied IN 1890, since which
time his acquaintance with Womack
has increased In reply to question,
said he had been alone III his office
with Mr. Wumnck, as he had been with
other agents; that MIR. Womack had
visited his house and that he had a
conversation with Mr.. Womack about
the New York World ai ticle
Mr.. Massey then left the stand and
Mr. BiIiaoly, OF the firm OF Hume X
BilIsoly was called.
ilo said he was book seller OF tho
city OF Norfolk and gets 20 and 10 per
cent. discount from the list of books
adopted by the State for the FREQ
schools; that his firm is required to sell
at the list price.
Mr.. AIlrIend, of the firm Of Vickery
& Co., was called, but to save time thu
defense agreed to admit that bis evI
dence would be the same as Mr.. Bill
noly, and he was not put upon the
stand.
ATTORNEY GENERAL SCOTT.
Attorney General Scott was the next
witness. He saiG he had been nom
Der of the Board since 1890 He then
told Of the adoption OF the State con
tracts, Tia meetings Of the Board, tho
Smporiunity of book agents and the
adoption OF the resolution saying that
agents of publishers would not be al
lowed to address the Board orally
MAJ Scott ssid he thought he was
responsible for tho circn!nr, that he
endorsed it. He was very bnsy and
.shat the book agent consumed nearly
all of his time.
He told the Governor and Mr. Mas
ney that something would have to be
done, and at his suggestion the Board
took action.
That there never had been anything
like star chamber proceedings. That
fhere was nothing in'Mr. Massey q co
Duct to distinguish him from other
members of the Board.
He explained that Mr.. Byrd came
before the Board of Education and
shougbt IL strange that he (Scott) had
Ass read the y contract for books;