Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-03
MANY BANK FIGURES
The Proceedings Yesterday In The Massey
Pilot Libel Suit.
BOOK KEEPER COSDEN TESTlPlES.
Nr. MasSey'S Several Certificates Of
Deposit from the Planters.
poCrMEyTAnY EVIDENCE
The House In charlottesville ana
the Mssscy-ynncy Case--A Deposit
,,o ,~o, >Inbnmn-A Tilt Between
CounseI-Holidny on the Fourth.

NORFOLK. VA, July 2(Speclal.)-
While nothing OF an exciting character
was brought out to-day in the Massey
Pilot libel suit, the proceedings were
interesting throughout \ great deal Of
the time Was consumed in submitting
documentary evidence for the defence.
Most Of this had reference 10 Mr.. Mas
sey's bank accounts and financial affairs
generally. and 10 the records OF the Su-
prcme Court OF Appeals in the Massey
Yanccy suit Of some years ago. rms
was a case. as will be remembered wAich
involved three garnishees Of about N'VVo
each upon certain building and loan STOCK
subscribed to by Mr.. Massey. Judgments
had been obtained against Mr.. Massey
hy the heirs IN this case. upon the bond
~ whose administration Mr.. Massey went.
II onpesrs tina; the money was spent upon
the education Of the heirs. and that MT
MASSEY would not pay for this reason
The plaintiff and plaintiffs counsel IL
Is said. are prepared 10 meet this issue
when they get 10 IL.
ANOTHER FEATURE.
Another feature of to-day's proceedings
was the testimony Of Mr.. w. W. Gosdeh,
ona Of the book epers OF the Planters
National Bank OF Richmond, concerning
Mr. Masseys transactions with that IN
stltution from the beginning OF the year
,sgl through 10 and including 1874. Inns
showed that Mr.. Massey In April 1871
depcslted at that bank on a certhcate
NJ deposit the sum Of 500. and that he
ala most OF his banking business WIN
the Planters upon the certificate oil ue-
poslt nlan. II is said that Mr.. Massey
will give satisfactory reasons TOT inns
when he goes upon the stand.
The defence hope TO have scored a point
by proving hy the deposition Of the Judge
of the Probate Court Of Monroe county
Ala. from which county Mrs. Massey
cones,. that she received no money OF
conseduence. so far as court records there
show. between the years 1850 10 1884. Inc
LAWYERS for the defendants introduced
this. presumably to demonstrate That
Mrs. Massey aid not get from her fathers
estate the s. coo. a part of which she paid
on the Charlottesville house and lot when
has figured so prominently in the case
This point. IL is claimed by plaintiff,
Will also be promptly INST.
A STRONG BELIEF.
There is strong belief here now that
MI Massey viii ges a verdict, and there
are many who think that the TRIAL VIII
Ultimately result In damages against
Messrs CHM & Co. OF New YORK ana
Boston. rival concern Of the American
Book Company and the firm, the attorney
end agent OF which IN Virginia is Mr.. ).
=. Byrd. the author Of the alleged libel
ious article published In the Pilot.
All the talk ana testimony concerning
The dictionary charge seems. from me
evidence. 10 have grown ont OF reduc-
lion II the price OF Webster's dictionary
after IT had gotten into the possession oil
The American Book Company. II was hrst
sdopted by the Board Of Education many
years ago. Then. because the publishers
would not supply II al what the board
regarded as "A reasonable price. the board
bought Worcesters
When the American Book Company took
M Webster's and reduced the price the
board returned 10 IL. Mr. McGlvraN VIII
D. put on the stand tomorrow morning
by Mr.. Small. and the defence viii nave
tive or six other witnesses They hope 10
finish examining witnesses by tomorrow
evening
TO REST on THE FOURTH.
The court convened at 1880 o'clock this
morning. Nearly all the counsel in the
case were in their seats. Mr.. Massey SAL
10 the left OF MIR. Medley. sam Small ala
not come i'm until late.
As soon as the function Of calling the
names Of the jurors had been gone
through with. MIR Thorn. OF counsel Tor
the plaintiff. arose. and stated that mas
much as the matter Of whether or not
the Court should take holiday on the
Fourth Of July had already been lis
cussed he would like for the question To
be settled. so that the lawyers and others
might make their plans in accordance
with the decision Of the Court in the
premises.
Mr.. Wise said that there was no ques-
ton that the Fourth was legal holiday
and that II any of the counsel or Jurors
wished 10 exercise the right given them
bv law. the court should adjourn for that
day. Mr. Wise's personal preference was
that the case should go on.
Judge Prentiss asked the jury for an
expression Of their desire in the matter
Most Of the Jurors were in favor OF going
on. The Others were anxious for a rest.
The Court then said that the case had
been vigorously pushed. and that the holi-
day would b given. There would be no
session on July 9Th.
Ex-Judge Heath. OF counsel for the
defence. thought the holiday would help
the progress Of the case rather than re-
tard IL.
AN iNACCTRATE REPORT.
Mr.. Nicely arose at this point and called
the attention o. the Court 10 certain IN
accuracles In the report OF yesterday :
proceedings az published in to-day's Pilot.
lie read from the Pilot the testimony
alleged to have been given by Mr.. X.
l.. de Lee. OF Chicago. concerning Messrs.
Massey and Womack. This report quoted
Mr.. de Lee as tesiifylng that he knew
the general reputation for honesty of
Mr. Womack. and thai it was that he
was not an honest man. Mr. Nicely said
that ne did not presume or believe that
the error in this respect had been made
by the reporters. He called the atten-
ton OF the Court 10 the fact that IL had
ruled the questions OF counsel concerning
Mr. WOmacks reputation out. and that
they were never answered. Mr.. Nicely
then read further from the plot. IN which
MIR de Lee was credited with tes,ifying
that he knew Mr.. Masscy's general repu-
tatlon for honesty. without qualifying
Il by adding "in politics as the witness
did MIR. Nicely asked that the Court
Insist that the newspaper reports shall be
made as accurate as possible.
Mr. Wise said that there was 10 ques-
ton that this publication was erroneous.
hut added that II the Court were TO un-
dertake to sc, straight all the inaccuracss
Of the newspaper accounts u
would not have much time for anything
else He had been told by Mr.. Gibbs.
OF the Pilot Company, that such an error
would be promptly corrected In the col
umus Of that paper.
Judge Prentiss tha, there rou;d be
no doubt that the publication ~was an
inaccuracy, and urged the members OF