Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-12-11
THE sTUBBs INVESTIGATION.

uelu ySSGoTues, mas pdCASV Will speC-
tators.
General George ]. Hundley, when
the investigation was resumed, said he
was present to act as counsel for Mr..
Stubbs; that ne was there to see justice
done his friend, and without expec!a.
ton of reward. By reason of this in
vestigation, said Gen. Hundley, Col.
Stubbs would be forced to disclose Sec
rets in his private life which he would
gladly not have disclosed. He asked
that Mr.. Greer Baughman be placed on
the stand as the man who first came in-
to possession of the two checks paid to
Stubs by Womack. He asked Mr..
Baughman to state from whom he re-
ceived the cancelled checks. Mr..
Baughman declined to answer.
The committee ruled that the checks
had been placed in evidence and nc.
knowledged to be genuine, and that
should close the matter. Mr.. Stubs
then took the stand and said that
when he pronounced the cheeks for
geries Thursday he though they were
drawn in 1896, but now he recollected
that in 1894 he had gone to the Con.
| federate meeting in Birmingham. He
met Womack at that place and treated
him as any other gentleman. After the
| book scandal two years ago he had
| nothing 10 do with him. In B!rming-
ham, wect On Colonel Stubs, in the
summer of 1891 be, Womack and
Others had engaged in game of cards,
| and be was forced to admit that the
checks were 10 consideration of losses
sustained during such games. In these
games, said Colonel Stubs, were him.
self, Mr. George Booker, Mr.. Womack,
Captain Henry and others There
had been number of games there, he
said, and he had won money from Wo-
| mack. ave were all having good
lime" said Colooe! Stubbs, land we
| did play cards good DEAL"
In answer to question by General
Hundley as to whether he was addict.
ed 10 the game of poker, Col. Stubs
said that it was one of the pleasures of
life in which he frequently INDUCED.
He played quite frequently, he said,
during sessions of the Legislature.
Colonel S.ubbs said that it was often
the practice in games of poker for the
PLAYERS to keep memoranda of their
losses, and checks were often passed
which did not state any consideration.
The witness challenged any man to
show that he had ever encouraged any
particular book concern to come to
Virginia. He emphasized the fact that
the cause of the delay in securing
good history was largely due to the
fact that it had been impossible to Sc
cure meeting Of the history commit
tee. When asked if he knew that Wo-
mack and Henry were agents of book
companies, Mr. Stubos replied, VI did
sir" When asked how it was that he
happened to receive two checks for diff
ferent amounts on the same date, Col.
Stu5bs said that it might have been
that Womack gave him one and he
put it in his pocket, and that they then
got into another game and he beat him
again, forcing him to draw another
check.
Colonel Stubs said he was utterly
unable to recall which check was given
him first, nor could he remember what
amount Womack owed him at
the conclusion of the series OF
games in Birmingham. Colonel Stubs
sad he had played several dozen
games of poker with Womack, some
times winning and sometimes losing,
but that on he final result he came out
winner. It was their custom, he said,
to keep o memorandum Of winnings
and losses to be settled at some future
date.
The chairman then quoted from the
stenographic report of Thursdays pro-
ceedings, when Colonel Stubs mad de-
clared he had never been intimate with
Womack. Col. Stubs said that be had
played cards with Womack ut intervals
through period of probably ten
months, but he did not consider that he
was intimate with him. He had play
ed cards, he said, with people whom ne
would not invite to his house.
Chairman Woods then Intercepted
Col. Stubs as to whether it was custom
airy for poker debts to be paid months
after they were due. In reply Colonel
Stubs said that parties owing such
debts paid them when they were able.
You have no idea," he said, "how
sweet and indulgent we poor mortels
who love to play cards are to each 9th.
er. I'll never indulge again, though"
be added, soto voce. Colonel Stubs
then said that he had in the past, across
the gaming board, both given and re-.
ceived checks, that his weakness in this
respect was now known by his friends,
but that in the future he would endeav-
or to reform and would refrain from
those delightful games. In con
clusion he reiterated that he had
never received any bribe from any
book company, and would 60 to his
grave with the knowledge that he was
innocent of such charge. He then
left the stand,
A telegram was read from ]. w.
Womeck, dated Washington, saying he
would be in Richmond at o'clock, and
asked that the committee wait for him.
The committee then adjourned until
$50 o'clock.
Mr.. J. w. Womack, the agent of the
American Book Company, went on the
stand and testified at length, and there
were many discrepancies between his
testimony and that of Stubs. He said
that be ADD Col. Stubbs, Capt. Henry
and Mr.. George Booker played poker
in the hotel at Birmingham until four
o'clock in the morning, and when they
quit be owed Stubs fifty dollars, and
Mr. Booker was five dollars to the good.
Rainp tired out 81 went IN he'd in the