Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-15
HE SHOOK Mr.. WOOD.
MAJOR DERBysMRE ARREsTEu
on THE CHARGE OF ASSAULT.
ALLEGED CIRCULATION OF 4 REPORT.
Taken to n Statement
Charged as Having Been Made by
the Gus Inspector Led the MiIftarv
Officer to Make the Attack.

Major j. ii. Derbyslilre. OF the First
virginia Regiment. and general south.
ern manager for the Domestic sewtng-
Machine Company, was arrested yester.
day on the charge preferred against him
by Mr.. William w. Wood, OF having al.
saulted him.
AS soon as the, war rant was served ON
Major Derbyshirc ne went to the Third
Police-Station, where he was released on
his own recognizance. with the under-
standing that he will appear in the Po.
lice Court this morning to answer To
the charge. The case will not be gone
into, though. .as Major Derbyshlre VIII
plead guilty to the charge and accept =
fine.
Mr.. Wood Is one OF the assistant gas-
inspectors, and he was approached by
Major Derbyshire while In the Domestic
Sewing Machine Office, where he had gone
for the purpose of taking the state OF
the meter.
RESULT OF A DAMAGING REPORT.
The attack grew out of a report which
had been circulated concerning Major
Derbyshire, in which the name of q WELL
known lady was involved, and which was
attributed TO 1Ir. Wood and his son,
stephen. The report first reached tho
ears of Major Derbyshre some months
ago, having been communicated to him
by one of his warm friends, the husband
Of the lady i'm question.
AT once the two gentlemen attempted
to trace tLe report back to its founda-
tion or author. and Major Derbyshirs
became satisfied in his own mind that
Il emanated from Mr.. Wood. lie there-
upon communicated with that gentleman,
and asked for his authority for making,
the damaging assertion This Mr.. Wood
declined to give. ard bad blood was there-
upon engendered.
MIR. WOOD, JR., INVOLVED.
Subsequently, Major Derbyshire was
informed that Mr., stephen Wood had
circulated the report, and he invited that
gentleman to meet him in the Capitol
Square, which he did. Hot words passed.
when Mr.. Wood declined TO give in.
formation concerning the report. and the
TWO gentlemen almost came TO blows
Indeed combat was only averted by
the timely arrival of a third party
Thus matters stood, when on yester-
day, Mr.. Wood, the elder, entered the
sewng-machine Office. He proceeded di.
a memorandum of the state OF the
meter, and as he returned to the Office
floor he was confronted by Major Der
byshire, who demanded OF him informa-
ton concerning the report about him.
self. Mr.. Wood promptly disclaimed
any knowledge Of the matter, where.
upon Major Defbyshire grasped him
roughly about the shoulders and after
| giving him a severe shaking, pushed him
along the room to the door, where he
forced him out upon the sidewalk.
NEITHER GENTLEMAN ARMED.
Mr.. Wood claims that Major Derby-
shire was armed. and the Major makes
the same declaration concerning Mr..
Wood. Both gentlemen however, deny
| that they had q weapon.
Mr.. Wood was greatly incensed at the
treatment accorded him, and imme-
diately swore out the warrant. as re-
lated above. Both gentlemen were seen
| by Dispatch man. and their versions
| of the af1air, the substance of which is
| given i'm the foregoing statement OF the
case. do not conflict irr any important
| particular. Mr.. Wood and his son both
| deny having circulated the report
about Major Derbyshire and having only
heard it in a private conversation. de-
| cline 10 say from whom they heard II.