The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-13
NEWS OF south RICHMOND
J. r. Crases H. trssa

John A. Curtis. which appeared in The
Times Dispatch OF SUNDAY last In re-
ference to bill introduced 10y him in
the House of Delegates prohibiting
menhaden fishing in the Chesapeake
Bay, etc, at the session of 1910, |
desire to state that near the close OF
the session, In O conversation between
Mr.. Curtis. Mr.. T. A. Jett the delegate
from the counties of northumberland
and Westmoreland, and myself, on the
floor of the House. remarked to Mr..
Curtis that his bill did not seem To
be making much Roadway. He replied
that it was not his bill, that It had
been handed him by a friend for whom
he had introduced 1t. In addition To
this bill, which the journal shows was
introduced on February S, MIR. Curtis
had introduced q bill on the 25th Of
January. which seriously affected the
fishing industry of Virginia and may
have Included both Of the Curtis bills
In what / said in regard to his not
making much Roadway. Mr. Curtis
went to his desk. near which we were
standing, and returning Immediately
said, My friend Cardweil gave me
the bills. and | introduced both of them
for him" Nv recollection Is that he
said his friend Cardwen gave him both
of the bills and that he introduced
them for him. but / am absolutely
positive that he said Mr., Oardwell
gave him the bill prohibiting the tax =
ing OF menhaden fish i'll the Chesa =
peake Bay, etc j have asked Mr.. Jet
for his recollection as to what was said
upon this occasion He does not re-
call that both bills were mentioned.
1t 10 his recollection that Mr.. Curtis
only referred in what he said to the
OH promoting tne oatchihs OF men
naosiI hsil III Tue ,hesapt'ahe BsJ, etc.
i0 i0,'s asi ees VIZ nie 'hat -ar. Cur
We 7"'u t'te ,tH 49, Ho li''foouCed'
plp'iiuithis tiie ,ahihs ~ hiehhaueh
ISL 49, "as ~. HAa "i1i' a'o tiiat u
. 80 ~ etS M ooas os nun at tHe
" .i.' ,it ,,.s.a,,s re,
$50 IL, e.. "a ,a11 M
80
oar. wexford. In tue ahoNe state
niet~ mas correctly SET iofth my fecoi-
elton "t "hat was said ny M; LUZ
sis !" the conversation 10 "hloh ne re-
'e's ,r,-r-
~ 'I l.
Nr. Shinns statement
warsaw, "a. May y, lsIl
HON w "A. Jones. house OF Represen-
tstiVes. ashington. H.. e.
Dear MIR. Jones,-Mc attention being
called To the letter OF Mr. W. II. Card
we'll. published in the Times-Dispatch
OF May Z. in which he makes the
statement that j employed him TO as
sist me in opposing a certain bin IN
troduced at the last session of the
Legislature by Hon, r. Carter Well
ford, 10 prohibit menhaden fish fac
tories from emptying refuse into pub
lie waters. | will briefly state my cons
nection with the matter.
Some time in January. 1910, T hap.
pened to 20 to Richmond on profess
sional business. and. upon my arrival
in the city. found Already there GER
tain gentlemen imposing the execu-
tive committee of the Virginia Fish
ermen's Association, for which l was
and am general counsel as well as
several others interested in the men
hsden Industry.
! was informed by these gentlemen
that they were in Richmond for the
purpose of opposing ths, bin which
had been introduced by Mr.. Wexford
and that they wanted me to appear
before the committee on the Chesa-
peake and It's tributaries. to which tn .
bin had been referred, at the hearing
which was to take place the following
day. and represent their Interests.
They also Informed me that they had
been urged IN w MrI1- Lee commits
sioner of Fisheries. 10 employ ". D.
Cartiwati To represent Them because
of the influence which he alleged Mr.
Cardweli possessed with the legisla-
t,lre. There was some discussion
among them as TO whether or NOT II
would be necessary to .mplov .sper3ai
counsel, but one of the sentletn an
present stated that " Mr. Cardweu
was not EMPLOYED by the association
he would do SO himself. and II was
finally determined to follow Mr.. Tee's
advice. was thereunon inytrurtea 70
see MIR. Cardweu in regard TO tbe maj.
ter. and afterwards mad an interyjsv
with him in the basement az the cant
toll when | asked what he woria
charge for his services. He sa,s ,hat
his fee would deuend pnon wn.thar
the association wished him Ia renra
sent IL in all Legislative mattars af.
fecting the menhadeu fishing interasts
that nigh, co,r1e before he legss1a-
ture during the session. or only wish.
ed 10 employ him to opnose Mr. yyali-
ford's bill. / then asked what his To-,
would be in either case. and he s,,,ad
t1rat he woiild represent the axs e,eJ;,'A
ton in all sueh matters iurinr TIA
session for s1.ho0 mr. wonid -
$3.50 for simply opposing The hill IN
q uestiou.
A F. IA