The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-19
NH. DUCE TELLS AL.
ne Gives Full History of the Book Com
pany Check as He Knew IL.

| ''N eN"N'ii'u ID lOiiONSs
q. BY Mr.. Lecky: Mr.. Duce, you have
Deen on the witness stand on one other
occasion?
a. Yes. sir.
q. A fact that you will doubtless not
forget?
a. Yes. sir.
.. At that time you stated under oath
that Mr.. West told you OF a check for
sl25 that he had received from the Ameri-
can Book Company?
A. No. ! did not. / said | did not know
the amount Of IT. / understood It was
| for $50. but afterwards / was told by
| Mr.. West it was sl25
Captain Wise: Speak a little louder
A. l said ! understood the check was for
$50. but afterwards 1 was told by Mr..
| West # was Sl25
Q. BY Mr.. Lecky; Did you see that
check?
a. had cursory glance over IT,
q. Did you have any conferences or
talks with Mr.. West between having this
| cursory glance at that check and the time
! at which these charges were preferred
| by Major Brander in the Confederate
| Camp?
A. We alluded to it casually once or
| twice, and then we did not speak about
it for long time. until Saturday week.
Last Saturday week?
a. Yes. sir
@. Can you give US the benefit Of these
| casual illusions?
| A. They were quite immaterial: I don't
remember them: it was just two or three
| days after the thing occurred.
Q. Did you report the proceedings I'm
| the Sons OF Veterans Camp at the time
the Mahood resolutions were discussed?
a. Yes.
Q. That was the 9th OF September?
| a. Yes.
o. Who was the city editor of the Dis
patch at that time?
A. Mr. West was acting city editor.
Mr.. Woodfin was out Of the city.
Q. In your capacity as reporter. do
! you always have TO report to the city
| editor the news you gather?
A. I have TO turn in my copy to the
! city editor
@ Were You in the Dispatch Office that
| day. Mr. Duce?
A. Yes. sir.
Q. What time did you go on duty?
A. ] was supposed TO 20 on about half
| past 2: generally I would go on about
| half-past 2: on Mondays ] was supposed
10 go on at u.
@. Did you 90 on at that time on that
day?
a. 7 don't know the exact time; II was
| between y and I.
Q. Was Mr.. West in the Office when
| you reported Tor duty tndt DAY.
A. I don't remember.
THAT FISHING TRIP.
O. What do you know regarding the
| fishing trip taken by Mr. West?
| A. Any particular fishing trip? ! know
| Mr.. west has been on several fishing
! trims.
@. Did Mr.. West go on a fishing trip
| the 9Oth Of August. the Monday before the
| discussion of the Massey resolutions?
| .,rbo ho ~ M
Q. Did he tell you that he did?
A. know he certainly did not tell me
| that he did.
| Q. Did he tell you that he went fishing
the 9th day of September. the day the
Massey resolutions were discussed?
| A. Yes. he told me so.
@. Did he so alone, or did he have
| company?
A. He told me that he went with Mr..
| Folkes.
BY Mr.. Folkes: Did he tell you that he
went fishing with me. Mr.. Duce?
| A. Yes. he said so.
| BY Mr.. Lecky: At the time OF the
Introduction of these resolutions by Mai.
| Brander in the parent Camp. did you
| have any conversation with Mr. West
at that time? These resolutions were
| founded upon rumors. Did you have any
| conference with him at that time and
4
| bereGt Of what he told you?
A. Not at that time. The first con-
| ference / had with Mr.. West about il
| was on last Saturday week.
g. What did he tell you at that time?
A. | always go home early on Sat
| urday night. and on that night | went
out Of the Office a few minutes after
midnight, shortly after midnight. as well
as / remember. The rumors of this
investigation were going around. Mr..
West followed me out. and he said TO me
on the sidewalk in front Of the Dispatch
office: Have you told anybody about
that?' / can't remember his exact words,
but he alluded TO the transaction about
which l gave testimony when / was
last on the stand, between Mr.. Folkes
and himself He said: Have you told
onyone?" i said | was not quite certain;
that the question had never suggested
itself TO me. He said: MY God! II
you have done so, we are ruined. we are
all ruined We talked about it outside
of the Dispatch some time. and then
we walked up the street as far as Eighth
street. and stood talking at the corner
OF Eighth street for some time We
talked about the resolutions and the
probability of these Investigations and he
was telling me about the American Book
Company.
WOULD USE MONEY.
@. What did he tell YOU about the
American Book Company?
A. He told me the American Book
Company was formed OF several large I
publishing houses. and he said that he
ola not think the American Book Com
pany would permit this investigation TO
proceed. He said they were tremendously
rich and he believed they would spend
any amount OF money TO stop il.
q. Did he say how much money?
a. ! can't remember the figure
GO You are certain he said the Ameri-
can Book Company would not allow this
investigation TO proceed?
A. l did not say he used the word
"allow" He said they would take every
effort to stop it. l don't remember the
exact words. but that was the sense OF IT,
q. And that they would use money?
A. Use money TO stop 1t. yes
q. Was there any limit on the amount
they would use?
A. No. don't remember what figure he
placed. He gave me his reasons for IL.
He gave me statistics about the school
children or Virginia, and what the trade
in Virginia meant TO the book company.
Q. Did he tell you what books the |
American Book Company supplied to the |
schools of Virginia?
A. He said that the histories were not |
such an important item to the company |
as the other schools books that they sup. |
Piled that they did not care 20 much |
about TIE histories as the other books. as |
understood him.