The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-01
MAJOR .[AN|ER
sues. .M|R. U.P'SHUR:|. } 6 /
Declaration Filed in Law and
Equity Court Yes
terday.
THE DAMAGES TEN THOUSAND
Messrs. Tyler and NeWby Dis
missed By Corporation
Commission. 81

The suit for $4,000 brought in the Law
and Equity Court by Major A. s. Lanier
against Mr. John A. Upshur, following
the removal OF Major Lanier as first
assistant clerk by the Corporation Com
mission: the dismissal OF MIR. "A. M. Tyler
additional clerk, and Mr.. Joseph w. New
by, stenographcr, BY the Corporation Com
mission on the grounds Of the promotion
or public service ~ and the discharge
in the Police Court OF ajorf Laniers and
OF Messrs. William crump Tucker and
John 3. Light foot, Jr.. nephews Of Judge
Crump, charged with being about to
commit q breach Of the peace. were the
events OF chief interest in the Lanier-
Upshur matter on yesterday.
Suit was brought and q declaration was
filed at midday inathe Law and Equity
Court by Messrs. George c. Gregory ana
William l.. Royall,$ counsel for Major
Lanier The declaration Is practically q
condensed statement OF the publication
made by Major Lanier in the newspapers
OF the early part OF the week.
Spicy Declaration.
After setting out that Major Lanier
and Mr.. Upshur had been upon friendly
terms, the statement Is made that the
Corporation Commission found that MT.
Upshur, chief clerk. was OF little n any
Importance to the Commission" and that
therefore there a special department was cre-
ated, over which the plaintiff (Lanter)
was placed, giving the plaintiff IS per
cent, of all the management OF the az
fairs OF the clerk and causing the de-
fendant (Upshur) ITO become cipher.
d "This gave deep offense to the defen-
dant, and engendered in his mind SEN
timents Of hostility to the plaintiffs.
It is then set out that the plaintl1,
some time previous, hit upon plan OF
organizing corporation company, aWi'.Sn t,,a
would not only bring business to the
state. but would tighten the duties OF the
commission, That Judge Crump, chair
man OF the Corporation Commission. ap-
nroyed the plan and gave It his sanction,
and that the defendant also gave 1t his
UNQUALIFIED approval" That the plain-
tiff then organized the Virginia Corpo-
ration Company, incorporated" !" and ald- aid
ed It as far as his official duties per.
mitted, the defendant approving. s.
THAT after the special bureau was IN
a1p,rated over which the plaintiff was
nlaced. the defendant became hostile to
tha nlaintiff "He established q sys-
tenn Of espionage and surveillance upon
the plaintiff, and kept memorandum
~ Mi his movements and his words re-
garding the Virginia Corporation COM
pany Incorporated ana thas ll'lany s,,a., ~
presented to the Corporation Commission
ers "wrItten charges, charging the plain
tiff with having made q corrupt use Of
his official powers and authority as first
assistant clerk OF said Corporation COM
mission. to further his private interests
~ giving the Virginia Corporation Com
pany, Incorporated; information that y
was not authorized BY the law TO nave
and that 1t could not otherwise nave op'
tained,''
Charges Withheld.
That no more detailed statement could
be made because both the members OF the
commission and the defendant refused
to furnish the plaintiff with a copy OF
the charges made by the defendant,
"That in writing the paper and delly-
ering 1t to the Corporation Commission
the defendant composed, wrote and pubs
lished a false, scandalous and malicious
libel upon him. 800 and he further
AYERS that in doing so, said Defendant
tolf I,.,1 no1