Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-19

NoelS udflce, MI buSci
| A. No; 1t was not until the day be-
| fore this investigation that told Mr..
| woodin about the matter.
| O. You told Mr. Woodfn7
| A. Yes. Mr.. Woodfn assigned me 10
| this investigation matter. He came over
| and told me something that had been
| told to him, and then / told him what
| knew.
Mr.. Lecky: Is that the extent to which
| you followed Dir. Noel's advice?
| A. Yes.
| O. You reported IL TO Mr.. Woodhn?
| A. I did not report II exactly. Mr.. Wood
| fin came over and told me that Mr.. Wo-
mack had been and explained what Mr..
West had done with this check.
O. That Mr.. womack had been and ex-
planned to Mr.. Woodfin what Mr.. West
had done with this check?
| A. What the check was for
| Mr.. Lamb: When did that happen?
| A. / think II was the day before the
| investigation, when / went down to my
work in the afternoon. II was In giving
me my assignments that Mr.. Woodfin told
me this and 1 told him what / knew.
| Mr. Lecky: Were you given the assign
| ment OF the Investigating Committee;
were you assigned to report the proceed
| ings of this committee?
Witness: On Friday?
Mr. Lecky: Yes, sirs
Witness: No, sir.
Mr. Lecky: Mr. woodfn had charge Of
the assignments?
A. Yes.
Q. At the time that he made this state
ment about the check and you spoke TO
him, then he assigned some one else TO
take the place?
A. That was the day before the investi-
cation.
@. on Thursday?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you have any conversation with
Mr.. West on that day?
A. oh, yes; had several conversations.
Q. Had he seen Mr.. Womack2
A. 1 don't know.
@. He didn't tell you that?
A. No
Q. What did Mr.. West tell you that day?
A. 1t was all the same-along the same
lines-that I would have to testify that
l was entirely mistaken.
WALKED HOME WITH HIM.
Q. Now, that takes US up to what time
on Thursday-Thursday night. II o'clock?
Did you have any conversation with him
on your way home from the Office Thurs
day night?
A. walked up with him Thursday night
as far as his house, on west Grace street,
and stood outside, talking with him for
some time.
Captain Wise: Which Thursday night?
A. Just before the investigation.
Mr. Lamb: Tonight week?
A. Yes.
Mr. Lecky: Mr.. Duce, what did Mr..
West tell you that night?
A. Well, l all along argued that / had
told the committee so much in fact,
that / had seen a check that l under
stood was for three members Of the
camp, and had mentioned Mr.. Folkes's
name in connection with 1t. We just
talked along. l was under the impress
sion from what had been said to me by
members OF the camp that the investiga-
ton was not going to be pushed very
vigorously; that the camp merely de-
sired to "clean their skirts" as Mr..
Cox expressed 1t, and that they didn't
expect much trouble or excitement in
doing It.
Q. That takes you up to Friday morn
ing?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you on Friday carry out any
of Mr. Noels advice?
A. didn't carry out any OF Mr.. NoePs
advice. When I got to the office on Fri
day afternoon Mr.. West came TO me and
said that 1t had been decided that we
had to make affidavits. and none OF us
were to go on the stand.
Q. Were you a party to that decision?
A. No. sir; Mr.. West told me that IL
had been decided.
O. Didn't tell you who had decided It?
A. He said that he had seen Colonel
Cowardin, and Colonel Cowardin thought
it best to make affidayits.
Q. That he thought it was best to do
what?
A. To make affidavits and not to tes-
tify.
NOTHING TO BE KEPT BACK.
Mr. Lecky: Mr. Chesterman, / want to
be perfectly fair right at this point.
Mr.. Chesterman: hope you will be.
Mr. Leclky: There Is a conference here
between the employees of the Richmond
Dispatch. Now, we don't want TO bring
this out IL you object as a member of
the Dispatch Company.
Mr.. ChesteYman: don't object to your
bringing out anything in the world.
Mr.. Lecky: understand that Mr.. Duce
is not employed on the Dispatch at this
time?
Mr.. Chesterman: He is suspended; he
has not been dismissed; neither he nor
Mr.. West-just suspended.
Mr.. Lecky: Now, Mr.. Duce. Mr.. West |
best to have affidavits?
A. Yes.
O. Did you sit down and write an afh- |
davit?
A. 1 wrote an affidavit. Mr.. West told |
me that, and then he said he was going |
to dinner, and that he would be back |
at the office al o'clock.
Q. Is that the affidavit you filed here?
A. No sir.
Q. Mr.. West was to come back at
o clock?
A. Yes, sir.
@. Were you there to meet him?
A. He came back before O'clock He |
telephoned not very long afterwards and
asked me II Mr.. Woodfin was there. /
said yes" He said he would come
right down.
Mr.. Lecky; @. Mr.. Duce had You any
conference about this affidavit after Mr..
West had told you that Colonel Cowardin
had decided to have one. before o'clock
that afternoon, when Mr. West was to
come back? Had you had any conversa-
ton with any one on the subject OF this
A. Yes; submitted the affidavit that
wrote.
ADJOURN TO LEE CAMP HALL.
This Soon Filled, and the Examina-
tfon Goes Ahead.
At the request Of Mr. Chesterman. the