The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-10
JUDGE CHRISTIANS TESTIMONY.
He Knew Col. Cussons Must wave ma"
Good Grounds for His Action.

He Knew Col. Cussons Must nave ma"
Good Grounds for His Action.
At the request Of Chairman Woods
Judge George l.. Christian took the s'anu
and testified as follows:
@. by Chairman Woods: We VIII get
you please. to state your oniciai postum
In the city Of Richmond.
A. | have no official position In the city
OF Richmond now. sir
Q. What position have you heidi
A. was judge of the Hastings Court
at one time.
Q. VIII you please state whether you
are n member of the Grand Camp Oh Con-
federate Veterans of Virginia
A. am a member Of Lee Camp. OF this
city. and In that way ! suppose l am
member Of the Grand Camn.
.. I will get you to state II you nad
any connection with the resolution passed
on the 5th day Of November last by X. +.
Lee Camp. No. |. i'm the way of suggest
ing amendments 10 II. and what you may
know OF the statements made I'm that reso-
luton.
4. on the morning before that resolu-
ton was offered at night i'm Lee Camp.
Just as I was getting in my buggy N
front OF the National'B Bank Of Virginia Of
hibited 10 me n resolution which he said
he proposed to offer that night at Lee
Camp. I read II over very hastily. ana
suggested al that time 10 Major Brander
that II was as full as II ought to be. !.
like Major Brander had heard these ru-
mors about the History Committee that
had been floating through the city nut
knew nothing about the facts In connec-
ton with them. and had little or nothing
to say about them. ! knew nothing about
the facts set forth In the resolution. one
way or the other. I think he major
Brander) stated to me nj that time. IN
response to a question as 70 what was
the basis Of the resolution. that they had
some testimony I thknk possibly he re-
ferred to the checks that had been seen
but whose checks they were. or 10 whom
they were payable. or the amount OF
them. was not stated at that time a all
CHANGED THE FORM.
That night ! came down 10 the camp.
and very shortly after / got in there Ma
jor Brander's resolution was read The
point was made by some member of the
camp, think II was Mr. Dickinson, that
the camp ought not to act on mere ru-
mors which was the form in which the
preamble was couched. and | concurred
with Mr.. Dickinson entirely. ] said at
the Ailnt lHdN IL any PERSON ndu any III
formation about any member of the COM
mittee. the camp ought TO have the bene-
fit of it, and that IL ought TO be expressed
in the resolution. In response 10 that
somebody. | think either Major Randolph
or Major Brander. said that several were
involved. Then | said that I thought the
preamble should say that the camp had
information on which II acted: and think
j suggested TO put in that the camp had
information upon which II acted and
hurriedly. in a moment. just going to the
secretarys desk. drew the resolution i'm
the form in which il was voted on The
change was accepted by Major Brander
and II was adopted by the camp. That is
about all know about the matter. one
way or the other.
.. You spoke OF the fact that you had
heard rumors touching the History Com
mittee; state whether those rumors that
you heard were prior 10 the 9Th day Of
November 1891 or i'm connection with the
meeting held at that time. whether. i'm
your Judgment. 1t was proper to the MEM
bers Of the History Committee that there
should be an investigation?
A. | don't know that I heard those
rumors prior to the meeting of the Grand
Camp here. or during the meeting OF the
Grand Camp a all Ny impression is that
the ~umors grew out of the resignation OF
Captain Cussons as chairman of that com
mittee. From my knowledge of Captain
Cussons. both as a Confederate soldier
and as a gentleman. / felt constrained.
as did everybody else who knew him. 10
believe that he had some good reason
for his resignation. II was rumored that
he did resign. because of the connection
Of some member or members OF the COM
mittee with the American Book Com
pany: whether that was the foundation
OF his resignation. or not. never knew,
and do not know TO this day.
THE RUMORS CURRENT.
O. Do | understand that the rumors.
comments and criticisms touching the
committee. growing out OF the resignation
of Captain Cussons from the committee.
were general or restricted I'm their ma
ture2 Was the matter commented on gem
orally i'm the city or not?
A. That is very hard question TO an
swer II was certainly very freely talked
about among the Confederate soldiers
that met but whether il was talked
about outside Of the Confederate soldiers
or not ] don't know.
@. Have you any information on your
own account. or direct knowledge. or have
you received any information from others
which would lead YOU 70 think that any
other members 81 the History Committee
have any connection with any publishing