Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-10
ASKS FOR THE FACTS
LET ANY CHARGES AGAINST THE
MILITARY DE MADE PUBLIC.
A Note on the Subject from Major
observation-disclosures Gregory and
Smith Leave for HOme-The CO.
creed Jurors
creed Jurors

creed Jurors
The Richmond military who were on
duty ut Lunenburg Courthouse during the
trial of the Pollard murderers have
been very much annoyed at the apparent
disposition In some quarters TO charge
them with having been guilty OF i'm
ever been made in tangible way, but
there have been limitations that were
disparaging " our soldier boys.
Major j. II. Derbyshire. who COM
manded the troops at Lunenburg, pub
lished in one of the afternoon papers
yesterday the following card:
"In your interview with Messrs.
Gregory and Smith, OF Lunenburg, pub
lished yesterday, you say: 1t is evident
however, that there Is something In con-
nectlon with the military phase OF this
case which has not yet been divulged,
but when Mr.. Gregory was questioned
along that line he was mum as a
clam Permit me TO say that II Mr..
Gregory knows anything whatever against
the conduct of the soldiers at Lunenburg
hope that he will lose no time In making
it public"
Mr.. Gregory, when shown Major Derby
shire's letter, said ne had already pub
licly expressed his high commentator OF
the conduct of the soldiers as such. He
felt no hesitation in saying that they
did their duty as soldiers, but some OF
them, he thought, had gone step be-
yond their duty in interfering with the
trial
THEY LEAVE FOR HOME.
Messrs. Gregory and Smith. who were
delegated by the people of Lunenburg to
secure the publication of the resolutions
adopted by the mass-meeting and OF the
statement of facts prepared by the
Citizens Committee left for their homes
yesterday via the Southern railway 12:55
+. NJ. train. Mr.. Gregory was seen by
"A Dispatch man Just before starting for
the train. and asked II he had heard
before seeing II In yesterdays Dispatch,
that since the trials two or three OF the
Jurors had made statements 10 the er-
feet that they were not entirely satisfied
about the guilt OF the women. and were
coerced into returning the verdicts
rendered. He replied that he had not.
He thought he knew the lawyer 10 whom
such confessions were alleged to have been
IT, This gentleman. Mr.. Gregory added,
was asked to defend the murderers. but
after talking with all of the accused de-
cllned TO take the cases. II am satisfied"
said Mr. Gregory, that he felt certain OF
the guilt OF the women as well as Of
Marable."
ORR PICTURE AND THE GRASS.
The Times quotes from the review Of the
Pollard case printed I'm Tuesdays Dis
patch to show that an effort was made
20 discredit the Times's picture of the Pol
lard home and argues that the Dispatc h's
photograph printed on Thursday fully bore
out the contention Of the Times that Mrs.
Pollard's body was In such plain view
when Mr.. Pollard, with Mr.. Clements and
the latier's son, entered the yard gate
that it was practically impossible for them
to have failed 10 see IL
The Dispatch is frank 10 say that its
picture was inaccurate on this point. The
artist, as explained I'm our issue yesterday,
In making his drawing from a dim kodac
negative put the body to the southeast
Of the chimney instead OF to the northeast.
as the diagram printed in the same paper
showed that 1t ought 70 have been. This,
of course, brought the body some feet
nearer the gate than II should have been
Had this been its real position it could
yard was entered.
Again: When Mrs. Pollard was muir
dered. there was a growth Of grass and
weeds i'm that part Of the yard about
eight inches high, which would certainly
have lessened the likelihood OF the body
being seen by those going in at the gate.
whereas. when the Dispatch correspond
ent got a gentleman to assume the pO-
stion on the ground that the body of
the murdered woman had occupied. and
took his snapshot picture. the grass and
weeds had been trampled dOwr until
they did not amount TO an obstruction.
OUR AUTHORITY.
But the Times, presumably upon the
authority of the representative sent by II
10 the scene Of the murder six weeks
after its occurrence, fatty denies the Dis
patch'J statement about the vegetation
in the yard. and says
There were no weeds and very little
grass. and that not more than three
inches tall"
When the member OF the Dispatches
own staff went to Lunenburg to investi-
gate this case ne made special inquiry
about the growth in the yard lie was
assured by Mr.. Pollard as we'll as by
Messrs. III. c. Gregory. T.. a. Clements.
ID. J. Gregory. Edward Thompson and
Mr. Robinson. all of whom responded
promptly to the alarm sounded by the
bereaved husband when he discovered the
hacked and bleeding corpse of his wife.
that the growth of grass and weeds was
about eight inches. AS between the
Judgment Of these gentlemen and that Of
A stranger who visited the place many
weeks afterwards. when the vegetation
had been trampled down. the Dispatch
Leaves IL TO the public to decide which
should be accepted 1t has no doubt that
its statement was absolutely correct, as
have been its publications touching the
case since II first printed the exclusive
account of this murder. which has so
stirred the people of Virginia.
The Dispatch has not tried Ito bellttle
any facts which the superior diligence Of
the Times may bring out ahead Of IT,"
but has endeavored 10 adhere rigdly 70
statements with foundations of facts
upon which to stand.