The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-04-05
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

Whereas in the recent trial of thu
case of n. l.. Mills against me Co.
damages claimed by him for loss sns-
tanned "a alleged by the said Mills bv
reason OF the failure on my part 10
pay olm Tor one wagon l2nd harness for
-FOUR mules there has been published in
me fredericksburg newspapers a re-
port oil the trial and proceedings in said
case, which does not fully. from nv
standpoint IN the case. give the pubIic
the information upon which TO base n
1alr and honest opinion as to the treat
inent accorded me i'm said matter and
TENDS 10 leave the impression 20 the
business public that had TO be forced
10 llve up TO contract which | dis
claimed.
Now TO make the case plain. / will
state that on Sunday. the 9th dav Of
March. 1910, | called Mr.. Mills over tho
phone and we discussed together for a
few minutes a deal for one wagon land
harness Tor four mules,) Mr.. Mills stat
ing that he had two wagons. either of
Whicn could accept; the harness men
TONED was the same harness used by a
col0red driver formerly in the employ
OF Mills. l declined to make any bar
gam or deal on Sunday, and the CONVEX
sation was dropped with the under.
standing that Mr.. Mills was TO call me
up on Monday morning: this ne did. and
he set price of $50 for the choice of
two wagons and the harness formerly
used by Jno. Glasgow on the mules he
(Giasgow) drove for Mr.. Mills. | on
my part agreeing to either come i'm per
son or send man down to inspect the
wagon ana harness and to take the
same at $50 II found 70 be satisfactory.
later the Hnxr I a.
colored man, JnO. Glasgow, 20 down To
Mr.. Mills home and wait there for me
or my foreman; at the same time
gave directions to Mr.. Walker Dayen-
port, white foreman in my employ. to
proceed to Mr.. Mills house and exam
me the wagons and harness. and if
found satisfactory TO take them, other
wise to call me up at Spotsylvania {.
II. and report | learn that the colored
driver reached Mr.. Mills house some
twenty minutes ahead of Mr.. Daven-
port: that Mr.. Mills was using one wag-
on at the time and the cOlored driver was
told by Mills to get the harness out of
the stable, while Mr.. Mills proceeded to
get the wagon he was using dismant-
LED. At this juncture my foreman, Mr..
davenport, arrived; asked to see the
Two wagons TO select the best one:
- '''AS@ih SN ny MI Mills lndt one OF
the wagons mentioned would not do
Mr.. Davenport then looked over the
wagons offered and found same not in
satisfactory condition: he also exam
ined the harness. which he found like
wise IN unsatisfactory condition. being
snort one collar and one bride. Mr.
MINIS Offering las to these) to put an
other collar and bride in their places.
tins was not satisfactory to Mr.. Dav-
EXPORT Mr.. Davenport next proceed
ed TO call me mp over phone at Spotsyl-
wanna {. H. and reported the condition
OF the wagon and harness and acting
upon my orders declined TO take same
These are about the facts.
Next act in this drama was a war
rant issued by Justice p. c. Goodloe al
the instance of Mr.. Mills. Claiming
damages in the sum of $1,000. / claim
that II owed Mr.. Mills anything AT
all II was the sum of $50. 90; that I am
responsible, as Mr.. Mills knows, and a
valid and binding contract of mine il
not voluntarily complied with conld
be enforced by law. do feel aggriey-
ed at the proceedings in this case and
propose that the public shall know lust
the manner of treatment given me
justice L. {. GOOdloe and myself had a
personal difficulty short time previous.
ana not only did believe, but the pub
lie generally believed that could not
get justice in his court. /, therefore.
objected TO his sitting in the case for
the reason stated. and requested that
ne designate some other Justice to act
In his place; this he declined to do. and
he selected two other justices of his own
choosing TO sit with him, a son of one
OF whom married a sister of the plain
tiff, Mills.
l am informed by counsel that there
Is no appeal from a Justices court
when the amount is $40. 90 or less. So
you can plainly see that the amount
was put at $1,000 for the express pur-
pose OF preventing the hearing Of the
case IN higher court. Justice p. C.
Goodloe, having had the personal diff
Guilty with me, from sense of pro
priety. If nothing else. should not have
SIT In the case, but should have turned
the case over to some other Justice.
who would have selected the associate
justices.
l.. r. Colbert.
April l, 1910.