Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-05-08
Virginia Slate Debt
Hearing Lacks Excitement.
COUNSEL WERE CONTENTIOUS
Little Actual Progress Made--West
Virginia Accountant on Stand-Ex-
animation impeded by Wraneling
Among Attorneys.

RICHMOND, VA. May 7.-Dull, dull
dull excruciatlngly dull and at times
almost soporiIer0us in It's monoton
GUS repetition of wearisome facts.
That is the way to describe this
mornings session of the inquiry Look
ing to the settlement of the debt
question between Virginia and West
Virginia.
Somehow or other there was no way
of injecting in,eres, into this dreary
,rS cedure which all this week has
ratified The dry bones of the past
| Everybody looked bored and every
body actually was bOreG.
West virginian on Stand.
Thomas Bird Dixey. the chief ac-
countant of West virginia, went TO
the witness chair promptly at 10
O'Clock, TO resume his testimony in
chief, which followed as the result
Of questions asked by Attorney
McClntic. He was interrogated as to
the sources of his information for
various items in his exhibits, some OF
which had been drawn from books
OF original entry and some from other
reliable data.
Mr.. Dixey did not make rapid pro
gress Counsel on each side got to
disputing about various technical de-
tails bearing on the schedules, and the
inquiry was much delayed. Nobody
4 - ~
, Jus could tell just what was going on,
and the spectators who had dropped
INTO witness the proceedings seemed
Supplied
Special Master Littlefield. did his
| best to keep the record free from
dazzling complications, but he had
tough Job of it, The great difficulty
arose as to the correctness Of proper
| Nv assessments in West Virginia just
prior to the war. Mr. Littlefield eX-
planned that he would have to make
everything plain 10 the United States
Supreme Court, and therefore want
ed the record as clear as possible in
advance.
/ Virginia Counsel Cross Examined.
Shortly before noon, Randolph Har-
rison of counsel for Virginia, began
the cr-ss examination of Accountant
Dixey, who was questioned closely as
10 certain entries bearing on bonds
| in connection with the James River
and Kanawha Canal company
Gift to George Washington.
Incidentally Mr. Dixey was asked II
he had taken note of 20 shares OF
stock in the canal company which
the State of Virginia had offered TO
donate TO George Washington and on
which it guaranteed $4,000 year.
The immortal George declined
this $4,000 gift, but intimated that
while he would not accept it himself,
he would like to specify some educa-
ticnal object TO which il should go
! He suggested that the gift-or rather
the income from it-be applied to
Liberty Hall Academy, afterwards
Washington College and now Wash
ington and Lee University.
PAYMENTS Are Continued.
This Virginia consented to do, and
4
For nearly a century this annuity has
been allowed by the commonwealth
land in order TO make it perpetual. Viz
ginia has given Washington and Lee
a $4,000 bond as an evidence of the
debt.
But history aside. Mr.. Dixey, the
accountant, answering the lawyers
question said he could not recall hav-
ing made a note of this item-at least
he did not recognize the appropria-
tons in that form.
Mr.. Eixey was closely pinned down
TO explain the differences between the
figures in his schedules and those
presented by Mr.. Potter. the Virginia
accountant. The interrogaiories huri-
ed at him were so technical that
these not directly concerned in the
case could hardly grasp their signifi-
canoe. while the answers we're equally
iacomprehensible.
Iittlefield Becomes Wearied-
Mr.. Litilefield. becoming wearied
by this dOlefuI business, said the
accountants OF the lawyers would
have to get together and reconcile the
DISCREPANCIES between their state
ments. as far as possIo'e. For MS
mart. he could no; give his time O.
such details. This was agreed upon.
Just before the O'Clock adjourn
men. for lunch. Mr.. Litlefieid an
J nounced that Il was his purpose 20
try 10 finish the lneuiry-ai least 50
far as the examination OF witnesses
was conccraed-todsy and the there
fore asked the lawyers II they were
willing 10 agree 10 a night session.
All expressed themselves as ready
to follow this plan.