Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-09
BEGIN THE INQUIRY.
GRAND CAMP INVESTIGATING COM
MITTEE STARTS ITS WORK. 1
EVIDENCE TO COMMENCE 9O.DlY.
The COMMITTEES VIII SIT with Open
Doors-A Letter from Captain Cus-
sons to BE the Basis for the I.-
vestigation.

The Grand Camp Investigating Com
mittee, consisting OF Captain Micajah
Woods as chairman and Captain o. n.
Morgan, Colonel w. A. Smoot. Captain
Washington Taylor, and Judge Berryran
Green, who are delegated to investigate
the grave rumors which have been iu
circulation for some weeks seriously re-
fiecting upon the loyalty of members of
the Grand Camp History Committee. as
sembled here yesterday and spent aImoss
the entire day in secret conference. prs-
paratory to the investigation, which VIII
commence this morning at II O'clock, In
Lee Camp Hall.
All of the members OF the committee
did not reach the city until yesterday
morning, and the first conference was
held at 10 o'clock In Room 32 OF Mur-
phys Hotel. There were present. be-
sides the members OF the committees
Captain Thomas Elicit, Adjutant- General
of the Grand Camp. and Majors Norman
V. Randolph and Il. A. Brander.
THE EVIDENCE GONE OVER.
These gentlemen submitted all the cvis
| dence that had been gotten together
| and the committee carefully reviewed IT,
| and made out list OF witnesses as they
| went along. The list was turned over TO
| Captain Elicit with instructions TO issua
| summons to the gentlemen designated.
| and IL was determined to begin the in>
| qury promptly at IL o'clock this moGn<
| ing.
| Several members of the General AS
| sembly had suggested to the COMMITTEES
| that the investigation should be held bes
| hind closed doors, and this suggestion
/ was given careful consideration by the
| gentlemen OF the committee, who finally
decided that as the public was greatly In
| terested in the proceedings the inyesti-
| CATION should be, open TO them.
The committee adjourned for dinnep
| and at O'clock the members once moro
assembled, and this time there We're no
outsiders present. The abstracts OF the
! evidence expected to be adduced were
again gone over and number OF letters
from prospective witnesses were read
and considered. The principal matter
considered by the committee was a long
letter from Captain John Cussons, which
It is understood will be made the basis
of the investigation. This letter was
written by Captain Cussons I'm RESPONSE
TO a letter from the Adjutant-Generals
sent at the suggestion of the committee,
| be remembered resigned from the History
Committee, tells all he knows concerning
the actions OF that committee. without
| reservation.
CAPTAIN CUSSONS TALKS.
The members of the committee are 10th
to discuss this letter. though Captain
Woods says 1T will be made public In
time, and that Captain Cussops will him.
self be placed on the stand TO give tes-
timony. Captain Cussons was seen by
| q Dispatch man and asked what he would
| testify to. but this, he thought, 1t would
be unwise for him to speak OF now. Ho
| admitted, however, that he would have
: | something to tell the committee. al.
said he would cheerfully testify before
them. When asked IL be would not as
cribe n reason for his having resigned
/, | so precipitately from the History Com
mittce, he at first declined, but when
, the reporter suggested that his action
| was based on the knowledge he had OF
| some of his associates thereon, he laugh
, ingly said: II resigned because / knew
! either too much or too little"
WILL BE SENSATIONAL.
Chairman Woods, OF the committee,
when seen by a Dispatch man and asked
as to the probable result of the invests
| cation, said that no whitewash would
be used, but that the committee would
90 directly to the bottom OF the matter.
"Do you think" asked the scribe, that
the investigation will be productive OF q
sensation?"
81 do, indeed" was Captain Woods's
reply al mean, though, by sensation.
that the DEVELOPMENTS will be such as
will prove very unpleasant to the pubIic.''