The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-09-13
THE WEST-COCHRAN AFFAIR
Mr.. K. 5. Cochran Gives His Version OF
The Encounter.

In your issue Of September aprear
TWO interviews. purporting To be- the
statements OF Mr. & T. West and Of Mr.
Maxwell Nyeth. respectively. ia reference
- my personal encounter with 4. e.
vest at Mr.. Wyeth'- home on the morn
ing OF August %. These interviews have
oten widely copied in the press of this
state.
= Immediately after the appearance Of
these interviews il for Il time looked IA il
there might develop furthur unpleaennt-
hess on account Of certain parties. not
previously Interested in the difficulty be
coming involved in it, discussion For
tui7 reason have delayed until now
duy statement IN contradiction. and J
nope my friends will pardon me for bav-
Ing seemingly ahu.ci their patience
l wish to- say. tirstof all. that nreVious
occurrences had more TO do with NV ar-
uons than did the one fact Of Mr. West
having wrecked the vehicle OF whirh my
We was one Of the occupants. while re-
turning from the Warrenton HORSE
SHOW. the evening If August Is. had
heard from reliable sources that several
weeks previous Mr. &. G. West had driven
his tour-.n-hand over man on horse
back. breaking the mans arm aud other.
WISE iuluring him; that ON his occasion
a. was alleged, he had not stopped his
team after the occurrence. and that he
dld not later investigate the matter.
had heard that West made n practice ol
reckless driving on the public highway
and that numerous accidents had been
narrowly averted, solely by the abilit,
OF Others in getting out Of his way.
hen West tried to pass my wife,
wagon the driver of the wagon used his
Lest Efforts to make room for the heav,
coach. but West completely cut of one o.
the rear wheels. and the three Indies
~ere precipitated ia a heap. lt il trp,
thar. miracul0usly none was hurt Ii J.
true that Me Wyeth. as did West AND
Others ol their party. nlighted promptlv
and offered assistancc 10 the ladies auc
mnue all the apologies possible Ny WIFE.
however. knew how / regarded West
and the ladies very properly declined TO
enter the coach which West was driving.
All the above my wife related to me on
her arrival home after the accident Th.
following morning went alone To MFR.
Nyeth and called for West did not al
low West the opportunity to explain
hnt attacked him with "A heavy whip
and punished him severely. \ friend ng
NJ est rushed to his assistance. and Will.
confronting the two Mr. Wyeth tripped
me. coming up behind me aud throwinp
me tull length upon the ground. MIR
Nyeth did this SO as To put an end to
the struggle, and after he bad thrown me
he did not allow any further blows.
Later in the day. through a friend. of
iered West the opportunity to finally set
tie the difficulty, but he declined.
have expressed 20 Mr.. Wyeth nv re-
grets that the incident occurred with
West at Mr.. Nyeth's home Mr.. Wyeth
has accepted my apology for this in the
spirit in which it was given
la letters 70 me from Mr.. Wyeth. since
the appearance of his alleged interview
as reported in your issue OF September >
Mr.. Nyeth emphatically denies that he
has been correctly quoted in this inter
view, iurtber than to deny that he or his
party had been rude TO the ladies on the
occasion OF the accident Mr.. Nyeth in
sists that he made no other statement
and that mention OF my name or criti-
cism ofany of my acts was not authoriz
ed by him in any interview. Again in
his letter Mr.. Nycth assures me that he
entertains for me none other than the
most friendly feeling and the highest re
gard. In speaking to my friends can
only say that no man could have acted
more fairly, courteously or honorablv
than has done Mr. Wyeth throughout
this exceedingly unpleasant affair.
Respectfully,
r. ) Cochran (in Baltimore Sum
The Plains, Va, sept. 8.