Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-04
CAPT. CUssONs TO. GEN. HUNDLEY.
Continuation of the Controversy I'm
the Stubs Matter.

Continuation of the controversy In
the Stubs Matter.
We copy the following from the last
issue of the Times in order 10 make COM
plete our history of the Stubs investi-
CATION and Of the controversy thereon
between Captain Cussons and General
Hundlcy:
Editor of the Times:
Sir,-Letters are coming to me every
day asking If l am not going to answer
the three-column TRADE which General
George ]. Hundlev published last Sunday
on the Stubs Womack Investigations
and l can only reply that I have read the
Generals communication from beginning
TO end and can find in it absolutely no.
thing that is new.
There is the same old abuse Of witness
es, charging them with ignorance and
malice and all uncharitableness and the
same insistence that his client, Colonel
Stubs, was never given a fair opportu-
nifty to make an explanation.
o, If that had only been done, how diff
ferent everything would have been! If,
with the dawning of the first doubt, the
doubter had but frankly gone to Colonel
Stubs and related The nature of his mis-
givings, with what cheerfulness Colonel
Stubs would have explained away every
thing which needed explanation! But
that was denied. And hence arises. ac-
oording to General Hundley, the real in
justice of the investigation. His client
never got a chance to explain.
STARTLING VERSATILITY"
And yet, TO the casual observer. Colonel
Stubbss opportunities for explanation
seem to have been unusually ample. In
deed, it is doubtful whether there is a
case on record in which explanations have
been more abundant, or more Astounding
in scope and novelty and startling YER
satillty.
Colonel Stubbss first explanation was
that the Womack checks were forgeries.
This seemed 10 put the paying bank in
a rather awkward position, and 1t was
proposed that the bank should be called
on to explain. Then Colonel Stubs clear
ed up that matter by explaining that the
checks were genuine, but that for his
life he could not explain when, or why,
or by whom, or for what consideration,
they were given 10 him. The Examining
Committee urged him. for his own sake,
to recall. if possible. how he came by the
checks. But he could not remember any
thing about them. and so the committee
adjourned for the purpose or anorulns
MIN an opportunity 10 ltlitSil MS
ry, with a view TO obtaining fuller expla-
nations on the morrow.
Next morning Colonel Stubs appeared
with another lawyer. General Hundley.
as his counsel, and il was then hoped that
explanations would be forthcoming which
would still more exclusively explain.
The two legal gentlemen soon got 10
work and with Lawyer Hundley 10 put
the questions and Lawyer Stubs 10 an
sWer them IL was presently developed
no he reunion Colonel
Stubs chairman of the Confederate
History Committee. was the roommate
of Mr. j. w Womack. agent OF the
American Book Company. and of Captain
Henry. agent of the University Publish
ing Company and that the agents or the
rival publishing houses had got into
game of poker with Colonel Stubs and
that Colonel Stubs had won the money,
which was the consideration OF the checks
i'm question, from Mr.. j. w. Womack,
agent of the American Book Company,
but that ii was not from MT. }: W. w o.
mack as the agent OF the American BOOK
Company that Colonel STUDIOS had won
the money which was the consideration
of the checks. but that ii was from Mr..
J. w. Womack strictly and solely and eX-
cusively in his personal and individual
capacity.
and afforded fine illustration Of the
facility with which the trained legal mind
can evoke order out OF chaos. and turn
into living light all which had appeared
TO be so shadowy and obscure
STILL ANOTHER.
But. alas, there was another explainer
to be heard from.
The committee was about TO make us
final adjournment when there came a
telegram from Mr.. j. w. WOmack. sta
ting that he would arrive on The o CLOCK
train. and would explain all SO the COM
mittee appointed an afternoon session.
and Mr.. Womack promptly arrived ana
went on the witness stand. Ana then, 10
the dismay Of his colleagues and the inf
mite diversion or the spectators, ne VIII VII.
on TO unfold an explanation which fatally
crossed and blighted the explanation OF
Messrs. Hundley and Stubs. The S2O
check according to Mr. J. w. Womack,
did not represent gambling debt at an,
but was return OF money borrowed by
The agent OF the American Book Company
for the use of the agent OF the University
Publishing Company. who had been rob
bed at his hotel, and That neither OF tne
agents of the rival publishing houses could
use their own checks. because they were
strangers in a strange city, having gone
TO birmingham 10 meet friends whom they
had not seen for years. and that they.
therefore, applied for funds TO Colonel
Stnahs. who was their friend and room
r,ste and that he kindly lent the 800 TO
Wr Womack for Mr.. Henry's use. and
mat the Stubbs-W omack check for that
amount was drawn In payment OF the
loan thus made. and that il was paid by
NJ NVomack. and not by sir. Henry. be-
cause MIR. Womack owed Mr. Henry
Corresponding sum OF money.
Now these are the explanations given.
respectively, by Mr.. Womack, the drawer
~ The check, and by Colonel Stubbs. the
VI And so IL would seem thar instead
~ there having been too little of an OPP
o,a1rtunity for explanations, there was
prsaiIv too much. OF course, either OF the
accnaints would be perfectly satisfactory,
az considered In itself but even General
IIundley must admit that II is nncom-
monty difficult for any one to accept tho
two accounts in combination. IL Is law
in physics that two bodies cannot occupy
The same place at the same time Ana
4, "a no less true that the human MIND
is SO constituted that II cannot accord