The age-herald., 1897-10-15
HIS WIFE INNOCENT SAYS COY. ATKINSON Tells the World of Prosecutions by Black
 mailerS WHOSE MEAN PRACTICES And Threats of Exposure Could Not Shake
 His Confidence IN THE ONE HE LOVED AND WEDDED Camden SOmers, Through Whose Instigation the Indictment For Forgery Was 0btaln- ed, Reiterates His Statement
 Conspiracy to Defraud.
WHOSE MEAN PRACTICES
N THE ONE HE LOVED AND WEDDED

Greenville, ". Va, Oct. 14.-Gov. At kinson. who has hitherto kept still about the trial of his wife, has made a state ment, of which the following are the principal points:
 "I have hitherto said nothing for pub hcation in this case, except to merely state that know the prosecution was actuated by malice and hatred. It was a family quarrel, and the public knows that they are the most bitter disputes. I have heard every sentence Of the tes- timony given in the case. Indpendent of the Jaw, which, in my judgment, does not class this case aus a probable forg- cry, and independent also of the fact that, in my opinion, 1t was an error to admit testimony on other matters which cannot be directly connected with the crme set cut in the indictment, I am clearly of the opinoin that several wit nesses, and, indeed, all the real testi- mony upon which the case hinged, had been induced to testify for considera- ton. I am led to this conclusion by the demeanor of the witnesses while tes- tffying on the witness and and by the circumstances connected with their tes- timony, coupled with the further fact that offers were made to other witnesses or their representa- tives to pay money ito them or to be given lands without the payment of money thereafter, provided they would testify against the defend ant, Mrs. Atkinson. 1t is therefore, evil dent that there was an effort being made to sulborn witnesses and I am thor oughly convinced That two or more of
 them were absolutely purchased. I cannot believe that I am mistaken on this point
 1.-The evidence brought out in this trial also shows that Mrs. Atkinson, prior to her marriage to Judge Camden, received an anonymous letter warning her not to marry said Camden; that at the time the win of Judge Camden was about to be probated various other letters were written to her threatening newspaper publica tion unless a large sum of money was paid and which, if paid, it was promised nothing would be said or pub lished relatve to her; thalt prior to her marriage to me ano ther similar anpny- nous letter was sent to her threatening her with other troubles, including news paper publications, which would be thrown across her pathway. The de- mands made in these anonymous black maillng letters were not acceedeid nor complied with and the result was the Nlest of vile publications against her in the newspapers
 "In my honest. unbiased judgment, she is guilty of no crime wha tever, and most certainly the crime of aiding and abet- Ming in utterng the forged papers charg- ed against her bn the indictment was in mo sense proven in the trial of this case"
 Camden Somers made this statement Tor puDllcatl0n.
 q have no comments to make con- corning the merits of the case, beyond that in my former statement regarding the matter prior to the present trial whereby interruptions counsel and wit nesse for the defense tortured, twisted and lied about me. I will hereafter studiously avoid giving them even a shadow of an excuse to resort to similar tactics when the case again comes up for hearing.
 q have been actuated in this matter alone by desire to protect the estate of my grandfather from the merciless grasp of conspiring mercenaries and to prove to the world that Judge Camden in his declining years, instead of losing that sterling sense of justice and love of his children which had always char acterized the life of this noble old man. was the pitiful victim of misplaced con fidence of those by whom he was sur rounded in his old age and that his men, tai integrity, which he retained until the last, compelled a resort damned forged papers to blacken his fair name and steal the birthrights of his chill dren. "I think the world knows this"
 Re-Elected old Officers |
 iRFchmond, va.,Oc 14.-The Norfolk and Western railway, at its annual meeting at Roanoke today, reelected the -<x~ l