Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-31
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
LIBEL SUIT RESULTS IN 4 COM
PROMISE.
@. A. Stevens Makes Full Apology to
Representative John +.
Rixey. .ist1

Special Correspondence Of The Star
ALEXANDRIA, Va, October 81, 1905.
The libel suit of Representative John F.
Rixey against G. A. Stevens in the United
States court. Judge Waddill presiding, for
damages in the sum Of $4,000 for defama-
ton of character terminated yesterday af-
ternoon shortly before 8 o'clock in COM
promise. In a formal letter the defendant
offered full apology and absolute retraction
for the charges he had made and circulated
against Mr.. Rirey. This letter was discussed
by the opposing counsel during a recess
and the offers therein contained were &C.
cepted by Mr.. Rixey. When the court con-
vened again 1t was announced that an
agreement had been reached. The letter be-
Ing presented to the court Judge Waddill
directed that an order be entered showing
Its acceptance and that the paper be en-
tered upon the records of the court 1t was
also ordered that all the costs of the case be
paid by Mr.. Stevens.
The letter addressed to Mr.. Rixey by Mr..
Stevens was in part as follows: IT have
heretofore written and circulated sundry
letters, some of which were addressed and
sent to Alexander Hamilton, sheriff of
F'auquier county; William Kidwell and Ma
than Bickford Of Washington, D. c.; James
Taylor, foreman on my farm in Fauquier
with instructions to the latter to show the
same to his neighbors); 8. Russell Smith
of Cuipeper, the Times-Dispatch of Rich
mond. Va, and also letter to you, in all
of which made statements rejecting upon
your character and conduct, on account of
which statements contained in the said let
ter to the Times Dispatch and Alexander
Hamilton you are now suing me IN an ac-
ton of libel which is pending in the United
States circuit court for the eastern district
of Virginia.
Il am convinced that none Of the
charges. statements or insinuations In ref
erence to you contained in any Of the
ve-mentioned letters are true and that
l have therefore done you great injustice
and wrong. Accordingly I amnow willing
to make such apology. retraction and rep
arat1on as is In my power. and therefore
withdraw each and every charge Of mis-
conduct made by me against you, and
hereby not only retract but apologize for
having made the same.
Il VIII send a copy of this communica-
ton to every person to whom 1 have sent
or mailed the charges indicated, and espe-
cially will 1 instruct my foreman, James
sent to him to every person to whom he
exhibited the letters containing the mat
ter alleged against you. I will pay all
costs in the said action; including your at
torneys' fes, and 1 will ask the court to
enter this retraction and apology upon it's
records and make such order as may be
necessary to carry 1t into effect"
A similar letter was addressed to Mr.. G.
Jones Rixey. whose suit for the same
amount and on the same ground was set
for a hearing at this term of court On
for the plaintiff the court ordered that
this also be made part Of the records
The order was similar to the one made in
the case of Representative Rixey. The
suits were Herewith dismissed. The
amount of the costs was not stated in the
court but 1t is reported that the expenses
in all will reach $4,000 or $4,000. AS be-
fore stated, the cases arose over the writ
ing and publication of certain charges by
Mr.: Stevens against Representative Rixey
and his brother, Mr. c. Jones Rixey, con-
oif,er ", fro,, {n,, n1oft
a valuable tract of land in Culpeper coun
General Matters.
Preparations have been completed for the
republican mass meeting to be held this
evening at s o'clock in Lannon's Opera
House, when Secretary Of the Treasury
Shaw will be the principal speaker. The
occasion will be enlivened by music furnish
ed by the Naval Gun Factory Band of
Washington. The hall will be prettily deco
rated and seats Will be reserved for ladies.
Short addresses will also be delivered by
Mr.. William B. King of Loudoun and Mr..
John B. Henderson, jr., of Alexandra
county, republican candidate for the house
of delegates.
The progressive euchre given last evening
at the Young Mems Sodality Lyceum Hall,
on Duke street. under the auspices of the
Woman's Auxiliary of the Lee Camp, Con-
federate Veterans, proved a gratifying sue
cess. The hall was filed to it's capacity.
It's use was donated to the auxiliary by the
lyceum association. Seventy prizes, all OF
which were donated, We're awarded.
The case of Mason Downs, a conductor
on the Washington, Alexandria and Mount
Vernon railroad, charged with assaulting a
boy named Albert Harrison, was dismissed
in the police court this morning. By spe-
cial arrangement Justice Pelton presided IN
the hearing of this case instead of Justice
Cation. whose father and law partner, Mr..
James r. Cation, represented the defendant.
1t was testified that the boy had injured
his legs in falling from a car, and 1t was
charged that the accident was due to an
attempt on the part of the conductor to run
the boy off the train, but this was not sus-