The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-23
Views of the
Virginia Editors
Ite,iyed "Reminiscences.

hSNNcu "Reminiscences.
/ Jefferson Davis's lencncy in post
poning the execution of w. - Con-
man. a fiarrisonburS man brought
mere htty years ago To be hanged
Tor plotting and assisting Confederate
dtserters TO escape. arr with com
inunic0ting information to the enemy
ultimately saved the mars life, ms dur
ing MS incarccration here Hunter
made his Valley raid and set him free
nottman Was sentenced TO die just nifty
Years ago Yesterday. but when re-
leased by hunters men, after post
4 ponctncnt OF execution by order OF the
PRESIDENT of the Confederate States
because OF the appeal Of his lawyers.
! lac made u nippant remark to the few
Contc"cratc soldiers who were about
ana departed From tint day to This.
so far as known. Coffman has not
been seen in this section of tho co,in-
ny. ana 1t is supposed that he went
called by some OF Staunton's ol,ior
n,.lIIh ;ri, ny " parnsraph in the Rich
ears AGO To-Day" wordcd as fol-
~ T. cotf!fm;an,. who was tried by
'pilotin; and assisting Confederate dc
seriers 70 escape aud with communi-
( eating information to the enemy has
Friday"
John II SINNERS. of Glover I'M.
veteran whose memory OF the Com-
man Incident wus refreshed by The
'i'i''S- l'iSpNltu paragraph. MIR. sim
!ncrs was member OF tho provost
guard which had charge of Coffunan
and which brought him here.
Mr.. SINNERS was woundcd in battle
cartier IN the year and had been in
No!idcd home TO rccupcratc. lie re-
provost guard in Ilarrisonbur,: While
tn" provost marshal was waiting for
aprioNal IRON Richmond Of the court
ma GAL sentence, word came that "A
teneral force was on its way TO IIar-
riaonhurs from near Winchoster,
where the army was in winter quar-
ters The purpose OF the expeditions
II was said. was 10 bring about CoT-
pcaicd TO the Union authorities To help
him IN return for services rendered
the Northern cause
Not daring to take any chances,
the Confederate commander at liar
risonburg directed that Conman hc
removed To stanton. where a larger
southern force was stationed Avail
abIc men Tor the provost guard were
scarce. and Mr.. SINNERS alone was
assigned 10 convey the prisoner to the
made by stage coach, and the guard
was given orders that II any attempt
man should he shot. and MIR SINNERS
was TO take care Of himself the best
70 the Confederate commander here
ana later rcJoined the array. Ills rccOl-
lectons OF the tents surrounding tho
Conman case are clear. ana his
friends are calling on him for more
detailA.
city Clerk Newton Argenbrieht. also
reminded OF the CotfrIun incident, ~
inc CLIPPING, referred Leader re
porter to volume Of old records which
contained several columns OF news
paper clippings. Forty Years in
staunton." 10y. John smith 9lr. smith
told OF viewing the gallows erected
Tor Coffman's execution on property
then belonging To q Mr.. Stuart. ON tho
3 south side of Soars's iIill. Mr.. smith
- s4f II
Jail until juno 6. 1864, whom he was
released by Hunter departing for
parts MISUNDERSTANDING Lender
studying the nucr Question.
TIC University Commission on
KGhmdnd yeste dSy 1cT nf3drnodm met and u,
studying methods employed at tn
Will BE- In charlottesville It's closing
session Will be at the University Of
mission is to Investigate race condi =
tons in the South and 90 foster a
Scicntnt, IN contrast with liystcri O.
cal, app'cnch to N" study Of the race
= question as Il distinct southern prob
lem The membership OF the com
mission - made up OF rcprcsc ntattVeS
. rom tho faculties OF eleven Southern
, state universities.
10 subject under consideration IN
! tho South is OF more Importance than
that lich relates 10 the colored
people. thcir condition to-day, and
their outlook for the future. II repre-
seutativcs OF the Southern universities,
/ through their study and Investigation.
can devise u plan whereby q more as
surcd development OF the. race can
be brought about they viii make the
foundations OF Southern prosperity
stronger and its opportunities for
t growth more abundant.
The work, however. must not be
\ confined to u superficial or academic
I observations II must not be . cursory
glance ut Hampton or learned and
3 discussion 4
: educational establishments II must
! b" an earnest, patient and thorough in
; qulry, - dclving after accurate kuOwl =
4 edge, 50 that the facts. whether ugly
or attractive, can DC set forth To
/ ms cnd, the commission must go into
= The homes and lives OF the colored
people, into houses where they dwell,
: iind out what educational advantages
d they have. what sort or sanitation
?. marks their living. whether thev have
n water with which to hathc. water with
), which to make Their rooms clean.
baSc accumulated among them is re
moved frequently. and whether the
chances confronting them are for good
= or evil The commission must study
= the colorcd mans churches and his
n schools and, above all it must analyzc
- conditions that produce such deplor-
able decentralization among the women
y-unG and old, who so into service.
e rho subject IS vast. and failuro or
. success in it's solution is OF tremendous
d moment for every Southern commun-
i; ity. Millions of people in tho south
- and IN othcr sections, arc colorcd. and
= unless they can grow along lines of
y useful citizenship their presence must
prove 4 menace. The task OF iusurinp
their development is not alone foi
n thcr own sake; it is for the sake ol
The South and the nation.-iIoanollt
J. World.
Nhut Richmond's Citizens Are Doing
Richmond being Il progressive city
$ and not being satisfied with anytime
:: not ia keeping with progress and re
s. form is making bis fight for charter
* changes needed for the good Of TIN,
= corporation. Citizens Interested in the
= welfare of the city behind til,
movement, and have already mad,
: splendid progress towards the end the!
wish To attain.
No one need marvel that a city eoc!
ahead and takes first rank with cor
poratioms OF its size In the Unite,
States, with Il spirit OF this kind OK
ihibitcd by its citizens. 1t is but the
natural course Of events. and a powc
in the making of q city that cannot H.,
withstood. But Richmond has jas