Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-23

said Mr.. Guigon. rDo brave men resigr
In face OF n charge? Do Innocent mel
resign In face OF rumor? The fact tha'
the commander OF this camp, from peint
strong advocate OF the Mahood- Massey
resolutions changed in one week TO an
equally earnest opponent OF them; the
fact that he doesn't remember emerging
from the house OF Mr.. Massey with any
one: the fact of his conduct on the
stand-all convince me OF his guilt and
think that they convince you, my com
rades. The commander OF this camp, the
members OF the History Committee, aye
the members OF this camp, should all be
Ike Caesars wife-above suspicion We
must do our duty and that duty Is to
do as his (pointing to Rev. Mr.. Cook
Master did-drive the money-changers
from the temple.
II say that 1t is our duty to see the
youth OF our land taught the truth of
that great struggle. in which our fathers
fought so bravely and so manfully. Day
by day does II become more important
that our skirts should be clear; that our
hands should be clean. II we let the camp
be contaminated with suspicion, and let
such offences as this go unpublished, j
say the days OF our camp. ana or the
cause which we cherish, are numbered.
If Mr. Folkes is ruined, 1t is he who has
done IL, and not the camp. i say II IL our
duty to purge this camp OF such men.
Our duty is plain; let us perform 1t"
DUTY TO TRY HIM.
Rev. C. NJ. Chumbley followed Captain
Guigon. He said:
THE camp need to go very slow In this
matter. 1t has been well said that we
have reached a great crisis. Are we going
to sustain oGr committee or set its ver-
dict at naught? No man can say that
these comrades have not done their fuli
duty. and no man can say that full JUS
tice has not been allowed all those who
were In any way involved in the invesu-
cation. They do not by their report say
that the comrade shall be expelled. They
say that the camp must prefer the
charges against him, and recommend that
he be expelled. We must vote to sustain
or reject this report. If we do not sus-
tain II we will have granted a pardon to
the accused 1t will be saying to him.
we will not try you. though you have
done wrong IL is our duty to accept the
report. and then try Commander Folkes.
Unless we do we will be fostering I'm our
midst a man whom the world knows has
gone astray, and the camp will at once
lose its prestige"
THE REPORT is ADOPTED.
Mr.. Cook again contended that TO
adopt the report was TO expel Mr..
Folkes, as it would also adept the clause
eXpelling him. A lengthy discussion en-
sued as to the rules governing the camp
committee, and it was finally decided that
the acceptance of the report did
not necessarily expel the commander,
and the document was put upon its pas
sage. A standing vote was taken, and
resulted in its being adopted by a vote
of % to Q.
Considerable discussion followed this
vote as to the laws Of the camp with
reference to courts-martial, 1t having
been suggested that the only way the
camp could expel was by court-martial,
and on motion of Mr.. Stuart, a COM
mittee of five, consisting of himself as
chairman. Captain Guigon Mr.. Cook,
Mr.. Chumbley, and l.. w. Brander was
appointed to prepare charges and speci-
fcations against Mr.. Folkes for conside-
ration by a courtmartial
Before this committee retired how
ever, Mr.. T.. A. Catlin arose and sug-
gested that in adopting the Investigating
Committees report, the camp had acted
irregularly. Colonel II. +. Pollard rose
to a point OF order, asserting that Mr..
Catlin was speaking to a matter that
had already been acted upon. and Mr..
Catlin replied that he only rose with
view to having the camp reconsider their
action, but no motion was made 10 this
effect. and after a good deal of discus
sion as TO court-martial regulations, the
Committee on Charges retired. recess
being taken for fifteen minutes in order
TO await the report.
THE CHARGES PREFERRED.
The committee remained out, however,
much longer than the time allotted them,
and when they finally returned, sub
mitted through Mr.. Stuart the following:
The committee respectfully submits inc
following charges and specifications:
Charge-That the said Minetree foiKes
was guilty of conduct unbecoming
gentleman and a comrade in this
Specification l. That the said Nj. folKes'
while commander Of this camp, and on
the goth day of August, 1897, gave TO
newspaper reporter. Clarence Werner.
the original Mahood resolutions against
Massey, contrary TO the wish OF the
camp then expressed.
Specification 2. That the said Minetree
Folkes did receive the sum of $50 Tor op-
posing on the floor of this camp the
Mahood- Massey resolutions.
Specification 3. That the said Minetree
Fokes did endeavor to procure appoint
ment on the History Committee OF the
Grand Camp, Sons of Confederate Nete-
rams and accepted same while in the
employ of a publishing company.
Specification A. That the said Minetree
Folkes did conceal the fact Of his said
employment from the Grand Commander,
who held the power of appointment
Specification s. That the said MlEetree
Folkes did swear falsely before the In
vestigating Committee that he had not
delivered the Mahood-Massey resolutions
to Clarence Werner, reporter Tor the
Times newspaper. but that in his opinion
the said reporter had 'swiped them
Specification g. That the said Minetree
Folkes did swear falsely before the In
yestigating Committee that his inter-
view with Massey on the evening OF the
defeat Of the Mahood-Mas9ey resolutions
September 6, 1897. was In public room i'm
Mr.. Massey's clearinghouse, and that
no other person was present at that in
tervew or on that occasion, whereas on
the contrary J. w. Womack. well known
to be the representative of the American
Book Company, was present In the room
i'm which the said interview took place,
and left the house in the company OF the
said Minetree Folkes
Respectfully submitted.
j. L. B. STUART.
Chairman.
TO GO OVER THE EVIDENCE.
These charges were turned over to a
committee Of five consisting of Messrs.
j. w. Lockwood, Jr., G.. NJ. NJ Gregory
w. l.. Eckles, II. w. Gardiner, and j. S.
Kosher with instructions to carefully go
over the evidence and ascertain If the
charges are founded on fact, and to re-
mort TO the camp at its meeting next Mon
day night. when the body will sit as a
court-martial and try Mr. Folkes. The
committee will meet in secret session to-
night in Mr.. GARDENERS Office and will
push their work through as rapidly as
possible.
Commander COx's Action.
Commander Cox, as soon as he received
the report from the Investigating Com
mittee yesterday, issued the following
orders, which were sent to the meeting
10 nj