The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-23
He Gives Out a Letter from
Capt. a. B. Cuigon.
8HENRlCO'S AIR is
FULL OF CHARGES
All Kinds Are Made, but Only One Of
Them is Of Serious Character.
Different Views in Reg ard TO
the CIerkship---A Fierce
Figh, for the Office Of
County Treasurer.

One OF the chief features OF the political
f compaign that is now stirring Henrico
county TO the depths Is the string OF
charges brought BY opponents against
many OF the prominent candidates. In
one or two cases the allegations are de-
( cidcdly sensational In their character. and
when they arc made in open meeting. as
now and then happens, they create 40 c.al
Of q stir. &3'
Among the iato developments in this
connection Is the issuance by Judge r.
Ashby Wickham. candidate for the House
OF Delegates. OF an address to the people
of the county making flat denial OF GER
tain reports circulated concerning him..
X 1t seems that capital has been made out
Of the statement that the Judge advised
the Passenger and Power Company to
place armed men on the cars during the
strike. E
Since much resulted from the presence
OF these armed guards and since the
questions OF la " invo.fcd we're grave ones,
Il the charge was serious. Judge 'Wickham
denies 1t absolutelys@le says:
" 10 the People OF Henrico COunty:t t.5
3zsI wish to deny emphatically. as bcl,s
x without any foundation in fact the report
y which. am Informed, Is now being cir
culated in the county, that l at any time,
or through, any OF the officials. advised
the Richmond Passenger and Power Com
pany TO place armed men upon Its cars
The only conversation had on this mat
Ter with any official OF the company was
with ar. Guigon. What passed between us
on this point Is substantially and accu-
ratcly stated in his letter below.
Letter From Captain Guigon
Following the above. which is signed by
\ Judge Nickha m, is letter from Captain
Guigon:
Dear Judge.-I understand that It has
been stated In the county that upon the
hearing OF the charges against Sheriff
Solomon. I testified substantially to the
effect that you had advised the company
2 TO place armed guards upon It's cars In the
county, and that the idea was so abhor-
rent to the officials of my company that
4 It at first declined to follow your advice.
6 make haste to assure you that
gave no such testimony, nor. so far
as r know, ,tdId any one else. Indeed l
have never heard In any OF the confer
ences that the officials Of the company
have had any statement to that effect.
AS matter OF fact. the only reference
i to your name in my testimony. SO far ns
! can now recall. was when was asked
IL had any conferences with YOU In
regard to- any anticipated disorder IN the
y county. replied that / had had several
conferences With you on that subject prior
to the strike. was then asked II Sheriff
Solomon was present on any or all OF these
DECISIONS, and l replied tht he was not
present on any occasion, whereupon that
branch OF my examination was dropped.
and am sure your name was not fur
ther mentioned by me, could not have
testified In the way Indicated, because no
such conversation ever occurred.
II had been permitted to testify !
would have stated the facts coming within
my knowledge. as follows:
Several weeks before the strike. ana
seeing that u seemed unavoidable. ]. as
one OF the law department OF my COM
pany, went to see you to ask the appoint.
5 nent of number OF guards as special
police agents. stating to you that, IN view
Of possible disorder at the heands or the
lawlegs element of tho community, and me
comparatively limited resources OF the
county, it seemed to us desira BILE that our
guards should be duly constituted law
officers and conservators OF the peace,
90 that the moral effect OF their presence
would be Increased and possible disorder
and bloodshed prevented. ~
You replied that you were willing to ap'
point as police agents any but few
Of our own regular employees, and you de-
cllned to appoint any OF the guards as
n requested. You limited me, at the time, TO
some six or eight and afterwards de-
cllned to appoint more than six at that
time and those appointments You SUBJ
sequently made You stated that 1t would
he impossible. with the limited resources
OF the county, for 1t to supply guards for
our cars IN transit over our lines. but
assured me that the county authorities
would afford the fullest possible protec-
ton to our barns and other property sit
uated in the county; and after talking
over the matter very fully, you said that,
In your opinion, the best pain for the COM
pany to pursue would be for lis to place
discreet men to guard the company'a
barns situated in the county, and arm
them so tina they could repel any attack
that might be made, until the sheriff csuld
summon sufficient officers to give ample
protection.
I Very truly yours,
A. B. GUIGCT, assistant Counsel
A Serious Charge.
This is hut one OF many OF the rumors
that have been set In motion. The air Ii
: full Of them, and as gthel primary draws