Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-07-12

me That Wont nave to get an order from a
member of the board. told him [ had a
right to them anyhow. didn't know where
Mr.. Scott was and didn't care about going up
and botllering the Governor.
@. At that time had you ever seen Mr..
Massey in regard to that matter? A. No, sir.
q. Did you ever address any commuuica-
| ton to him in reference to that matter? A.
No SIR
| q. Is the question of prices the only crit
erion by which the Board of Education ought
to be Influenced? \. No. sir, but l think 1
can say it was the duty of the board, and es-
pecially Mr.. Massey to get those books as
cheaply as possible.
| Q. Why Mr.. Massey? A. Because as
Superintendent OF Public Instruction he
knows more about it than anybody else.
| Q. AS a matter of fact do you know what
was the degree Of Mr.. Massey's Influence in
the substitution of the Webster's for the Wor-
cester's diction aries? A. I suppose the de-
gree of his influence was his vote in the
board, and wish to say consider Attorney
General Scott one of the highest men in the
country, and do not think Gov. O'Ferrall
was approached in any way at all. L think
they had confidence in Mr.. Massey on this
subject and allowed him to run the concern.
Q. But do you mean to say you did not
know Mr.. Scott opposed the motion ? A. He
opposed the motion to change it.
| @. You say massey, with the aid of Gov.
O'Ferrall, won.' A. Yes, sir. y
| Q. Wouldn't it have been an equally truth
full statement to the effect that Gov. O'Ferrall,
with Mr.. Masseys aid, won? A. wasn't
there and don't know who took the active
part in the matter. couldn't tell you.
| @. Do you know whether there was a
unanimous vote on the question or not? A.
l understood, sir, that there were two votes
for Webster's dictionary and one for Worces-
ter's.
| Q. And the only person upon that occasion
who was swayed by occult and sinister intlu-
| ences and was in a vOcative and dative mood
was Mr.. Massey? A. Yes, sir.
| Q. Will you be kind enough to explain
that from any standpoint? A. What?
| Q. Your language there, vOcative and
dative mood, from any standpoint of the
English language? A. TO tell you the
truth l don't think wrote those words. l
think there was change there in my manu-
script. I don't remember writing those
|
it.
@. Then you mean by that what we allege
In the declaration, that Massey was calling
out for brides and that that daughter of the
horse leech was calling out for patronage?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And MI. Massey was giving it? A..
Yes, sir.
@. And getting the money? A. Yes, sir.
| q. And you didn't use that language? A.
No. sir.
@. What other language did you use that
is its equivalent A. The language l used
| is in the article. l refer you to that.
| G. Have you compared them? A. No,
sir. but say did not use the language.
don't think it's good English.
| Q. And that is the only reason you have
for repuciating it now? A. Yes, sir. I
don't repudiate the sentiment.
| @. The sentiment is your sentiment? A.
Yes, sir.
q. And applies only to Mr.. Massey? A.
Yes sir.
| Q. Although he was only one out of three
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What was Judge Rhea's relation to
CHM & Co.? A. Attorney, just as l was.
@. Hadn't he copy Of that contract? A.
Judge Rhea had them and L don't know what
became of them; 1 don't know whether he
left them in the Office or not.
Q. How were those contracts obtained by
Judge Rhea? A. AS / said, they were
brought to the hotel.
q. By whom? A. I don't know, possibly
Mr.. McGilvary.
,,,of far If faOf of% hot
were threatening mandamus proceeding to
purchase the production Of those contracts,
your associate counsel was in possession of
them? A. No, sir, don't know what be-
came Of them, because Judge Rhea's connec-
ton with CHM & Co. absolutely ceased that
morning.
Q. Will you explain why it was that Mr..
Massey was willing to let yon have one copy
of those contracts and was not willing to let
you have others A. That is psychological
problem 1 am not able to solve.
q. Is it explained by this statement, be-
cause you have given an explanation OF it in
this statement: sit was quite in keeping
with the dark lantern policy of Massey, and
indeed he cannot be blamed for wishing to
keep these contracts dark" A. The i'm
keep me from getting at those records. 1
thought Mr. McGilvary wanted to keep the
contracts in the dark, because was reliably
Informed that he was in the pay of the Amer
lean Book Company.
Q. Areyo absolutely certain, that your
first communication to Mr.. Small in reference
to this matter was after some publications
had been made in the Pilot about the adop-
ton of the school books? A. am certain
II know it because my attention was called
to the matter by seeing all article in the Pilot.
CHM & Company paid me nothing for the
publication of the article; they did pay me
for making the investigation the purpose at
first, Of my making the investigation was to
bring the matter before the next legislature
I found what / believed to be undue influence
on the part of the American Book Company
and went on to New York and stated the ex-
tent of my investigation to CHM & Co.
told them before leaving that l proposed to
publish the matter. They left it to me. I
then communicated with Mr.. Small and had
the matter published. There has never been
any act Of mine that could be construed by
the directors OF publishers of Pilot Publish
ing Co., to the effect that CHM & Co., would
be responsible for the results of any libel suit
that might grow out of the publication. CHM
& Co., never saw the article before it was
published.
After searching technical examination by
Mr.. Thorn as to the difference in the contract in
other States as compared with that in Virgin
ia Mr. Thorn asked:
@. Then you are criticising the policy of
the School Board of Virginia? A. lam not :;
am criticising the policy of John E. Mas
sey.
q. Could Gov. O'Ferrall and Attorney
General Scott adopt different policy? A.
They could; but state that, John E. Massey
being the Superintendent of the Schools. they