Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-10
DIR. JONES ON THE STAND.
The Confederate Chaplain and His
torfan Tesfifies Mt Length

| e commemorate thapiafn ana His
torian Testifes at Length.
Rev. DIR. J. William Jones was on ,h.
stand for some time. lie told first OF hi.
interest in and association with Confed..
rate organizations lie has been chan.
lain-general OF the United Confedsrat.
Veterans for three years, r. a membe-
OF three local camps. and has ATTENDED
two session of the Grand Camp. He had
never been member OF the History Com.
mittee, and had no knowledge Of ang
member Of the History Committee OF ths
Grand Camp OF Virginia having been IN
the employment, directly or indirectly. ID
any book company. DR.. Jones continued
l have heard OF no rumors except what
have already been brought out I'm the tes-
timony. / heard these rumOrs suhse.
quent 10 the meeting OF the Grand
Camp. That would not be-. ] am
but 1t seems to be free
range. and perhaps IL might be- proper
FOR me to state. as one Of the witnesses
mas brought up ymewhat nay connection
Grand Commander and the chairman OK
the History Committee think my
friend. Major Randolph. slightly msun-
derst0Od at least the phraseOlogy 81 what
occurred. We were In great state or
confusion here: Captain CussOns persisted
in wanting him TO serve But after he
said so emphaticaily and positively That
he would not, under any circumstances,
serve. / set myself 20 work. as a sort ~
harmonizer and peacemaker, 10 see N
we could not elect a commander. and not
adjourn without selecting one / saw
Captain CussOnS and he was firm I'M the
matter: and then / saw him Afterwards
and said To him that my actions were not
antagonistic 10 him at all. and II seemed
IN mo general q
IL he could be gotten 10 serve as chair
man OF the History Committee, the camp
would be willing TO accept his reslgna-
ton az Commander.
purpose Of bargaining. or even suggesting.
that he should be elected Commando.
but Just telling him what the feeling was
He said. very promptly, If ! am eleciel
Commander / will appoint Captain Gus
sons chairman OF the HiStory Commtiee
Captain Clssons: 1 never heard Worl
Of that.
NO PROPOSITION TO sTUBBS
The Witness: No. we didn't tell y0u
that: we were afraid you would resign
before we appointed you, / want 10 say
that | made no proposition % Colonel
Stubbs at all. | thought everybody was
In favor Of his election. We were al ln
4 very pleasant frame OF mind. re-elect-
ing everybody generally, and | thought
hat was the idea OF the camp. 20 elect him
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES II, II AulitttH 'AN7tfti'
would not accept. Under these circum-
stances l nominated Colonel Stubs. and,
so far as / remember, he was elected
without a dissenting voice Whatever
opposition there was was private. That
IS all / know about il. IL never once Oc-
Cured to me that this trouble would
come up. l acted candidly and sincerely
n what / supposed 10 be the interests OK
he Grand Camp.
Q. Something was said about Fields
interrupts
A. That conversation with Major Ran
iolph l do not distinctly recollect. and 10
5 not surprising | should not, because 1
I'm very found Of talking when / meet
With my comrades, and DO a lot OF T.:
talk around a good deal. OF course. !
ny to talk IN a proper way ! do n0t
ecollect having any conversation With
MAJOR Randolph, either here I'm this room
" at his place OF business. But n he
II, / have no doubt IL Is cor
ect.
Major Randolph: will swear TO II.
AS TO FIELDS HISTORY.
Or. Jones: have no doubt IL is correct
did not attend the meeting Of the His
DRY Committee. but previously I spoke 10
wo or three members about different
Joints in their report: and i'm the course
Il that conversation, II remember g0r-
ectly. he (Stubbs) asked me about This
history. My reply was: Fields History
; written by Miss Field. OF Arlanta
ghom know very we'll She Is an ex-
client lady. and a good teacher. 10 Is
fairly good book. but IL Is full OF mis-
axes, as | ventured to tell Miss Field
lyseu and she replied that she would
q glad To correct them. but the contract
'as such Qt Was then published in At
inta by printer there), that she would
ave TO correct IL at her own expense,
nd she could not afford IT," l do not
, ,ssSlIct distinctly whether Colonel
shed by the American Book Company.
whether had that impression before
az anyhow we had a conversation about
Ia new edition. / said / had not seen
lat, and / couldn't say about that. that
was about the old edition I was talk.
*. confess ! was little surprised
hen the report OF the committee came
lt that the policy which had been
iopted for some years previously.
-. In this conversation with Colonel
tubbs about Fields History, did I'm.
arstand that he made any request 81
ou to recommend II 10 the History Com
ittee?
A. l really don't remember about that
)int. i am quite sure he did not request
e TO make any recommendation. and u
as just pleasant conversation about
)oks. that was all: and IN the course
II he spoke of Fields History IS
aving been revised and improved. Ny
ply was that l had not seen Il.
y. AT that time II was the property OF
Ie American Book Company?
A. Yes, sir; il had been bought ~
lem.
This conversation, DR.. Jones said. was
IL same evening as the meeting olet
hich DIR. Mcclure presided-the nlgA'
fore the Grand Camp met
Q. BY Chairman Woods: VIII yel
ate how contracts are made Tor booAs
the State OF Virginia?
A. i think the present contract was 70
in for four years. and expires, II 1 un-
rstand it. the LIST OF next July.
q. II seems that Hansell and Shlnh
stories have been placed on the llst ID
irginla?
A. Added TO the list.
q. Under the contract between me
hool officials OF Virginia and certain
iblishing houses. was II practicable 10
Id more than those two?
ADDED To THE LIST.
A. think, sir. the situation as ] ~,
ember it--because | was approachti
the subject by several parties tho
Iuation was this: There had been cor,
ierab.e stir about the matter % senior
stories. and the State Board had rul,u
have no doubt. according 10 law-thtt
had no power TO put on any additional
stories. except with the consent 81 tio
blishers who Published those airfaus
!. and inasmuch as the American pvvn
'mpany and the University Pubiruuls
'mpany were the parties with wnoin
ey had contracts-the American boeA
CONTINUED ON THIRD PAGE)