Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-15

they had this supposed evidence sga,nst
colonel Stubbs and none against any
,, olner, why old they not name him in their
ara speciEcations2
had they been In pursuit of a common
chlcken-thief they would under the laws
" ,he land, have been compelled to fur
niSi 'he supposed thief with Information
~ 70 charge upon which he was TO be
arraigned. As their comrade Colonel
Stubos was entitled To this, and more
tnan thls, apart from the fact that he
,v,, Ms tnen their Commander, he was en-
utIeu 10 tneir brotherly and most tender
consideration. He was entitled to infor-
nation as to the charge, TO an inspection
OF the suspicious checks, and the amplest
usppoItunlty 70 explain tnem and II. as II
mas turned out, the explanation disclosed
q weakness and fault In that brother.
they should have walked backward and
cast over his nakedness the mantle of
secrecy.
WHY DID THEY WAIT?
Why did they wait, by their tacit con-
sent. TO say the least TIL the man was
elevated 10 high position with the pub
nc gaze upon him. and then suddenly
make him the target of this dreadful
masked battery? Did anybody, anywhere.
nave an interest In destroying this man
VINO had served his country In war and
IN peace constantly for thirty-six years?
L trust. for the sake of our common hui
manity. that this cannot be true; but
these are ali grave questions that the
public are asking and must have infor-
nation upon before they will even listen
10 this hue and cry" raised against
Commander Stubbs | turn now from the
lnsugators and promoters OF the inves-
tigauon to the investigators themselves
or. rather. l should say, TO their rulings
and judgment
For them as individuals Il Is unnecessa-
ry to say / have the highest repect. For
one of them, Judge Green / feel the
fri 4
not wound his. or. indeed, any mans
feelings, for the world. / shall be careful
not 10 do so. but their rulings and judg-
ment are legitimate subjects Of criticism.
cannot refrain from that, IL / would, for
the only thing in this case to be feared is
the weight which the character of these
gentlemen give to their judgment. If can
show. however, that their rulings and
conclusions are erroneous, then the latter
are entitled to no weight whatever.
EVIDENCES OF WEAKNESS
In my opinion, the very phraseology or
the report bears evidence of its weakness.
In other words, the child of this strange
and abnormal parentage, launched upon
a troubled world by these distinguished
accoucheurs, bears within it the seeds OF
early death. l had TO read the report
over twice before l could believe the evi-
dence of my own eyes. 1 was thunder
struck. and / am not able to fathom the
reasons for that singular repor even
now.
Not being able, apparently, upon the
evidence before them to pronounce Colo
mel Stubs guilty of the charges insin-
uated, not preferred, in the resolution,
under which they acted-to wit, the
charge of having been, and then being in
the employment Of the American Book
Company, and of having received COM
pensation for such employment" they pro-
ceeded forthwith TO pronounce against
him the severest punishment known 10 the
laws Of the organization from which
they derived their authority, save the
slight additional incident of drumming
ed, speaking metaphorically, that this high
official be publicly stripped Of his uniform,
his epaulets torn from his shoulders, ana
his sword broken.
Can there be any more dire punishment
than that for an honorable soldier? And
what veteran is there now. living or dead,
who deserved the name Of soldier, who,
IL he could choose, had not infinitely
to the wall, and shot TO death with
musketry? This awful fate. by the
Judgment of the committee. hangs over
him. Is it any wonder. then, that he
appeals to the Grand Council of Nete-
rams, and that his counsel is forced to
present his cause to the great final arbi-
ter in this world--an enlightened pubic
opinion? Let us scan the judgment OF
the committee closely. / cannot describe
Il in any other words than these:
judgment by innuendo. 1t is clear that
the evidence did not justify direct con-
viction OF the charge insinuated, and so
they convicted him by innuendo.
WHERE INNUENDO APPEARS.
Here is the clause containing the in
nuCndO.
THE undersigned further report that no
evidence was adduced in the course OF
the investigation tending directly or inol-
rectly 10 reflect on the conduct or chaI-
acter Of any other member or the Elstory
-. ElhE a
that any other member of the said com
mittee had ever had any Improper oeal-
ings or intercourse with any puDllshihs
house"
the accused is guilty of the charge IN
sinuated is contained in these and simi-
lar words "That no evidence was au-
duced tending directly or indi-
rectly to reflect on the conduct or charac-
ter Of any other member Of the History |
They state. also. that the conduct, as |
sociation. and relation or Commander
Stubbs with the agent OF one OF the
great publishing houses OF the countIg |
render him unfit for the positions which
ne holds Now, the evidence upon that
point discloses simply these facts: Ihat
Colonel Stubbs met Mr.. Womack at Ddh-
VILE. on the train, as he was JourneyIng |
10 birmingham to attend a meeting OF the |
Grand Camp Of Confederate Veterans;
that upon arriving in that crowded httle |
city they, with Captain Henry ana MT
George Booker took a room together IN
a crowded hotel, where they played sun
dry games OF poker together, and on re-
turning to Virginia Mr.. Womack gave
Colonel Stubbs two of his indlvlduai
checks. for different sums, dated on the
same day That is the whole of IT.
NO ATTACK ON MR.. WOMACK.
Now, bear in mind that at that time
over three years ago-no suspicion had
been cast upon this gentleman (Womack),
and neither / nor Colonel Stubbs nave |
meant or now mean 70 endorse any OF tne
accusat tions against Mr.. Womack. | am /
not given to joining in the hue and cry /
i'm such cases by inclination, education,
and practice / am induced to be content
10 await proofs, and in the mean time TO
he charitable With these accusations L
bsve nothing TO do. 1t does seem, how
ever. TO be thought sufficient in some
only to prove the fact that a
man has associated with Mr.. Womack 10
condemn him without any other PROOF.
II this be true, and If every man VINO
has taken any of his checks in business
/ suppose We would nave
enoueh Investigations not only to lass
Inc lifetime of all living veterans, put OF
i'the Sons" also. To my mind, IL Is not
ar All strange that Mr.. Womack should
have attended the meeting or Vete-
rams and that he should have sought 10
mpress on the History Comnlttee
the merits of his books, or that the chair
man should have treated him courteouSy.
Mat ne should have dared to play poker
with the chairman was certainly repre-
In both, but i suppose there are
nlenty of stones lying around loose III
mis- city and i am watching with con-
sidevabie interest TO see who picks them
crIrRPS WAS PITIABI.E.