The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-03
ARGUMENT FOR
COMMISSIONERS
IS CONVINCING.
Eppa Hunton Closes In
vestigation in Power
full, Eloquent Speech
CLERK UPSHUR is
SCORED BY CARTER
Says His Wounded Vanity and
Inordinate Pride Caused the
Unpleasantness.
HENRY FAIRFAX STATES
CLEAR AND CONCISE FACTS
Says if Lanier Had Been Innocent
He Would Have Been Dis
missed - Judge Crunp
Makes Privilege State
nent Regarding
Newspaper.

The Legislative investigation proceeds
ings OF tho State Corporation Comnlis-
sion, were closed yesterday evening.
shortly after six o'clock. when the COM
mittee having finished the examination
of witnesses and heard argument by
counsel, Messrs. Carter and Hunton, ads
journed until Monday afternoon, when
the matter will be considered in exe-
cutive session.
The end came sooner than any parties
in interest had expected, for 1t had been
stated that at least three more witnesses
would be examined and that others would
be summoned
1t was therefore n surprise when. Major
Lanier having finished reading "a sensa-
tional statement, charging Judge Crump
with having agreed to accept the pres-
dency of the Virginia Corporation Com
pany, il it were merged with another
company with a capital of 10000, Chair
man Byrd announced that the committee
was ready to hear argument.
Ex-Comnnissloncr Henry Fairfax had
been sworn, and had taken his seat on
the witness stand. when Judge Crump4
arose and requested to pc allowed TO
make Il statement
He said he desired to add to his ties.
timony the fact that he had never seen
the letter addressed by Mr.. A. B. WIZ
liams to Mr.. Royal, in which Mr.. VIII
iams suggested u settlement of the
Lanier incident. Continuing, Judge Crump
dsclaimed any intention of meaning in
his former statement, that he opposed
laws to govern the acts of the Corpora
tion Commission and in conclusion pro- I
fasfa irat thp 1irnc f,,s9 III
Times-Dispatch of Thursday, which
stated, that he had said, that he would
do 1t all over again"
Deeply Regretted Action.
Judge Crump insisted that his mean.
ing had been that he would act on tho
dismissal of Major Lanier in the same
way, and not that hc would have SUBJ
scribed to stock In the Virginia Corpora.
ton Company, which action, he said, no
regretted.
His exact statement to the committee
OH this point is given here in full
II think 1t incumbent upon mo to
ask to put upon the record a correct
tion OF what is certain a very grave
Injustice done mo. perhaps inadvert-
emily, IN n headline In our city
morning paper. 1t is to the effect
that made a statement that would
do over again exactly what ] had
donc--that being used or stated in
such n manner as to lead to the In
ference that had reference to what
had occurred between Mr. Lanier and.
myself. and my taking stock in this
company. | think can ask every
member of this committees and
every one who Is present in this
room. to bear witness to the fact that
nothing that l said could lead to any
such inference. / suppose that II
there is any fact that is known from
what have said or from what my
associates have said, and what my
friends have said 1T is that this was
a grave error on my part and ought
not to have been done. looking at it
from the consequences. OF course.
that is fact tina. i supposed was
we'll known, and stated, as the
committee Will recall, that the fact
that my lack of thought and my error
OF Judgment In this whole matter,
had led Into these things that fol-
lowed, was what had hurt me very
seriously indeed. desire for that
reason to correct any inference thnt
might be drawn from that headline.
and ask the committee to bear in
mind the statements which I made
on yesterday, that l acknowledged
tile fuct--most always have--that M
what was done, though no wrong was
Intended, and 1t did not seem to me
any wrong could have been done.
was done. SO far as 1 was concerned,
without any thought of the possible f
circumstances, but in view OF what s5s
had happened did recognize it as
arising from thoughtlessness, and a
grave error. as stated on yesterday,a,
Mr.. Fairfax's Testimony
Mr.. Fairfax then in a clear, concise
manner told OF the Lanier disniissal.
His testimony was almost identical y
with that given by Commissioners Henry
q. Stuart earlier In the Investigation.
except that lie related at length the Sin- 4
tcrview that Mr.. upshnr had had with
him when the chief clerk asked his ad-
vice regarding taking stock i'll I.anlers
company. isss
Mr., Fairfax said that he had told Mr..
J'pshur that II would be Improper for
any clerk In the Office to subscribe To-
stock, and that Upshur had replied that
he had no reason to tell him that.
Mr. Fairfax stated that he knew nothing
more of the company until the .charges''
were tlled. and thar It was not until MIR.
Royal told him that he knew that Judge
Crpmp was stockhol3er in the eom-
,pany,
His recollection os the questioning OF 4
I.sncr after the Charges" were fled
was the same as Mr.. Stuart's. but hs
added that he considered that Major La
nler had been very frank. and that ne