The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-10-11
THE CRISM0ND CASE
LETTER FROM MIR. INNS o.
HARRIS.
He Explains His Connection With
ltaua Gives His Testimony at the
Justices Trial.

ltand Gives His Testimony at the
Justices Trial.
Spotsy lgsnia. Va, oct 7th, 1901
To The Free Lance:
In justice to myself az well IA 20 the
plhlIr. | feel 1t my duty to call ynur AT
tention 60 the rticle which appeared IN
Thursday's issue Of The Free Lance IN
reference to the trial of L ii Crismond
before j. d. va Ter, justice AZ Sp0tsJ J.
vania c. II Tuesday for taking n pair oi
shoes from the store OF llarrls Frazer.
In the article am represented a. hay-
ing testified and stated before Justice
Waller. IL did not desire to prosecute
MIR. Crismond and that there was sdouot
As To the intent of sir CrismOnd 10 com
NIT the theft. and for that and other rea-
sons | wished The matter dropped, and
that ION this statement Justice Nalltr
dismissed the case Now. | desire 10
say that made no such statement. !
testified before the magistrate and stated
that " hich / knew about the ease /
persume this statement was cOniused
with the remarks made by Mr. Cris-
mond'- counsel + " Coleman, who said
that did not wish 20 prosecute tris
mOnd and that had doubt As 10 his in
tent 10 rtlsl (feferriug to Mr. Crism md
and that II Harris a Frazer had deg red
10 prosecute MIR. Crismond they would
not have waited for the grand jury to
have taken action. but would have pro-
cured a warrant for the purpose
| wish 10 make "A further abatement
I axtN tN.4ur.. n
the Crismond case.
The ease came up before Justices Jack
ID. Waller. Nj. l. Young ana Jas. l.. Mni
ier. Mr. Graves made IA statement that
owing 10 certain circumstances be dl1 not
wish 70 at IA prosecuting attorney. and
would ak Mr ButzAer attorney 70 pros
cute the vase
Mr.. Bnizner asked ms some quertions.
which answered and told him possibly
II would be better for me 20 make a
statement. aud he lButznrrl told me 70
20 ahead My statement was as follows;
On a certain day during the camp
meeting, Mr. Payne asked me 1t nad
sold pair of shoes out of q certain case
told him did not think had; he re
marked 10 me that be had sold only one
DhlT ilI Oh rhlN fftrtt Auu nc SbAH AhD'N
10 Howard Payne.
remarked to Mr. Payne. let " look
around" ard in doing so | came across
the pair OF miss0g shoes, in the rear end
of wareroom. wrapped Ia newspaper
left the pair of shoes there, and Mr.
Payne and myteli moved part OF the
shoes then 10 the wareroom into the
main storeroOm aud cesed up the re-.
mainder. Later in the hfternOOn went
around in my fathers barry ard. and on
nv return / saw Mr. Crlsmond going
across the Court HOuse yard with "A
pack age under bis arm. and | was led
20 believe il wss the pair OF shoes when
had seen wrapped IN newspaper 10
Harris 4 Frazer's wArerOOm. In a short
while met Mr Payne and he remarked
CO M. There 60 the shoes. " | went to
the WarerUum and found the pair oi
shoes missing.
After rejecting moment or two
made up my mind 10 ask MIR Ofi@mnnd
about the matter. was indeed very
delicate matter, and panied me hey ond
what | can tell. | walked the ware
room floor and prayed earnestly that
God would give me the courage TO speak
TO MIR. CrismUnd about the matter. i1r
did not want anything on my mind and
hesrt about my fellowman that | would
not be willing TO tell him.
Mr.. CrismOnd remained in Clerk = office
some little time until my father closed
fne office Then he (Mr Co.. Mr., T. )
Colem An and MIR Clayton TOrreoce came
out and sat down on the mason WORK
around Clerks office door. They sat
there some little time and then walked
about hall the distance between Clrrk's
office and the steps leading 10 Harris d
FrRzer's store. These gentlemen stopped
there Il while and talked; then Sir. CrlH-
mond started home, and az be was go
ing over tue steps by the jail | called to
him. He laid the box of shoes down on
the steps and met me, ! supPuse, some
fifteen or twenty steps from the JAIL
| remarked, "Mr. CrismOnd, DO you
think you are doing your Christian
duty p" He (CfismOnd) says, why
said, "Mr. Crism0nd. where I'D you
get those shoes from why be s8i1,
Il got them out Of your wareroom.' J
said, "Mr. Crism0nd. but why did you
out them back in the renr end Oi ware
room ?" He said ~ saw the shoes and
liked them and put them upon shell
among buckets aud am going TO tshr
them up home and try them on, and i
thew fit me | will come beck and pay
YOU" He remarked, 'lnnis, | am sorry
Il you are laboring under the impression
that meant 20 beat you out Of them
said to him, 81 did not care about the