The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-09-22
CAPT. 0PIE SURPRISED
IN CONSOLVO INQUIRY
DID Not Write Editorials That Led 20
Investigation of PaymaSter General.
10Th MOND V 6

D'N NVe UEite EOltOrialS mat Led TO
Investigation of PaymaSter General.
r c II MO n ID, V A.-Special.-
Before the court OF inquiry. which
convened in the officers room OF the
armOry of the Richmond Light Infan-
J try Blues this morning. for the pur-
pose OF inquiring into the manner of
the payment Of the Virginia troops by
/ Lieutenant Colonel Charles II. Con-
so!vo, paymaster general of the Vir-
gina militia, Captain Opie of the
StauntOn company, stated that he was
| not the author of the editorials in the
Staunton Leader, which caused Colo
inquiry.
Il did not write the articles" stated
Saptaln Opie and did not know that
they were going to be written. L
nave been absent from my newspaper
once most or the time since the en-
campment at Gettysburg, and my
duties have been filled by Mr.. r. ID.
Haislip. the associate editor
Had known that the onus of this
lnVestigauon was TO be placed upon
me, L would have had Mr. Haislip
here to speak for himself. as to the
editorials in question, and 1 would
| also have had other witnesses to tes-
Try as to the delay in payment of
the troops after the encampment"
Was Hard TO Find.
Captain Opie testified that in camp
at Gettysburg he found it difficult to
get into communication with the pay
master general, failing on at least
three occasions to find him at head
quarters when he desired Information
| in regard to his pay rolls.
He also stated that although the
company commanders were instructed
| on the first day of the encampment
/ TO prepare their rolls immediately. the
| rolls were not called for until July
| 1th. His rolls were delivered on July
/ Sth and they broke camp on July 9th
Il never until the opening of this
court heard that the Onus of this in
uqiry had been placed upon me-"
stated Captain Opie. Asked if he did
not read the Richmond newspapers.
| he stated that he had seen none bear
! ing upon this court.
! The court was organized shortly af-
i ter 10 O'Clock, with Colonel r. f
Leedy, of Luray, commanding the
| Second Regiment, as president the
other members being Colonel A S.
| Perry, of Lynchburg, and Lieutenant
/ Colonel r. f. Craighill, of Lynchburg.
| Lieutenant j. Randolph Tucker of
the Richmond Blues. is acting as re-
corder, which corresponds to judge
| advocate i'm court-martial.
Colonel CoDsOlVOs Side.
1t was decided that Colonel Consol-
vo should present his case first and
| then Captain Opie could reply. Colo
mel ConsolvO made a clear statement
| of his dealings with the office of the
| AdjuStant GeneraEand the War De-
partment in reference to getting the
money for the troops. While he had
been advised by the War Department
| that $4,000 would be placed TO his
! credit on July LIST. il was not placed
to his credit until July 18th.
| The Government checks. which
| have to be used in making these pay
ments. were not received by the pay
master general until July 26th. and
| then only after the paymaster general
| had telegraphed several times for
/ them. The payment of the 500 men
was made within nine days after the
| checks were received.
| Major G. l.. Wright. Of Norfolk
| testified that he was acting paymaster
! at the State encampmenJ at the
| jamestown Exposition. He stated
that he received the money for the
troops on July I. 1907. did not get
| his checks until July 22d. and the
/ payment was not completed until Au-
| gust 10th. The amount paid out in
| that instance was $32. $50.
Thought He Acted Quickly.
Captain David Leary, of the Rich
| mond Blues, who was disbursing Of
/ ricer at the Chickamauga encamp-
ment, stated that. in his opinion. the
| disbursement by Colonel ConsoiVo was
| done very quickly. At Chickamauga
the money had been placed to his
he paid off in cash on the grounds.
| He stated that il requires about FIVE
| days preliminary work to get the pay
rolls in shape. The payment in cash
can, of course. be made much quicker
than by check, he stated.
1t developed from Captain Learv's
testimony that the method OF secur-
ing the money from the Government
is for the Governor 10 make requisi-
ton on the War Department in ad-
vance of the encampment. Colonel
Consolvo was advised before the en-
campment that the Government
would deposit $4,000 10 his credit in
! the National Bank of Commerce of
Norfolk on July LIST.
Relying upon this. Colonel Consolvo
made arrangements for TRANSFERRING
the money from the Norfolk bank to
bank in Gettysburg. The money not
being received in Norfolk. necessi-
lated colonel ConsolVo'S returning to
Norfolk.
General Vaughan COmmends Him.
General G. G. Vaughan. in his tes-
umony. commended the paymaster'S
office for the speed in disbursing the
money after ii became available He
stated that at the encampment for Of
Ilcers near Petersburg in June. the
tunds for paying the officers were NOT
available, and Colonel Consolvo per
Sonally secured loan of $4,000 with
which the officers were paid off. COT
onel ConsOlVo was not reimbursed bv |
the Government until forty DAYS at |
forwards.
a number of witnesses remain to |
be heard. The verdict of the court |
VIII not be announced for sometime
9TH RFFIIAH ~