The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-09-05
yAnES Or NEGROES
WERE PUT ON LISTS

tcentinued from Firsr rage,)
am sure that all of us felt that we
were doing friendly act, in going
% Mr.. Briggs personally, and advising
him as to the law.
l am solely responsible for the let
ter published In The Nirginian. ] did
act refer therein TO Mr.. Briggs, nor
cast any rejection on any registrar
it was not reported to the ANTI
Saloon league by me, that he was re-
ceiving one dollar apiece for register
ing negroes. The Firginian made no
reference to this matter, and the Anti +
Saloon league could not have charged
him with X, stated in yoUr article
/ reported this matter 20 The VIZ
ginian for fear that a similar attempt
would be made elsewhere. and hoped
that the Anti-Saloon league might ala
In preventing It, and they did not pub
lsh my letter until they deemed fhat
circumstances demanded IT. ] did not
make a personal attack on Judge
Goodwin. but simply stated facts,
1usttfy!ng the conclusion that the
..iiouor people, were responsible for
She effort to register negroes. There
was certainly quite an effective ef-
fort n1adn- by some one. to encourage
the negroes 20 register. Such num-
her. as applied for registration to Mr..
Briggs has not made application at
any other time since the enactment
OF the new constitution. No one be-
Geves for a moment that the dry pee-
pie inst.Ested this movement. and the /
only question, in this election TO De
held In September, Is flor prohibl- /
zion" or against prohibition"
do not suppose that Jxdge Good !
Uvp denies that he liz the legal adviser |
Of the liquor people" and the recog-
Sized leader and manager of the wet I
eampaigu In Greenesvtiie county. He +
hsseeen VERY active during the cant
naign, working and distributing wet
literature over the county, ard per
eonsny urying people IN vote asa INST
Prohibition. l was reliably informed
THAT Jsa~~ GOODWIN admitted having .
raid the ueara, Sam B~il. or furnished .
money to him TO hire conveyance, To .
no out In the country and see certain
negroes who are airvady registered 4
In regard II voting wet, iSNf4- Was /
therefore isf Judge C4oedwyn's employ +
Now. II seems to be generally .
knowr that Sa n. Bell WAS buSils work !
ews among the negroes about tAfs :
time. both in town md out IN the ,
country. and no one who Is fni.y aF- .
uuainted with the facts. doubts that
he was the man who encouraSfd the
negroes 10 register and assisted them .
In doing So. Such efforts have been
made before by the wet people, ana .
she facts lust stated lead irrestsuhiN +
10 tho conclusion that they were re-
3 sso7Sible for the movement MADE In .
ftreenesville To register negro voters
s<peciaIlv in view ~ the fact that the I
Aurces sppearcd 70 be very well salts /
fed with the condition of affairs be- I
sa4a this question was agitated.
yanr article is therefore, incorrect /
when vnu state that personal at 4
TACK was made upon Judge Goodwin 4
His name was only mentioned because
] could not we'll recite the facts In the 4
rase without referring 10 one who 4
has made himsel. so active on hehalf
~ the liouor interests. I heard that
~ mad danied any connection with IT, i
and so stated In my letter.
Respectfully submitted,
fsigned) H l. TAYLOR.
Statement Of Facts
This ia the statement to which MT
September 2. 1914. +
Emporta. Greenesyiile county, VIZ
GINA
with reference to statements, con
tanned in affidavit made by w n. I
briggs, Jr., registrar Of Moss pre-
einct' Greenesvine county, Virginia.
dated August 81. 1914, and published
in the News Leader. of Richmond
Virginia in It's issue Of September z,
we. the undersigned citizens Of En-
poria agree that the following IL O
true statement OF facts: /
First That we were present at the .
meeting held in MIR. Tayiors office. to
which allusion is made in Mr.. Briggs .
AFFIDAVIT; that this meeting was not Il
1neet,ag Of ant.-saloon people, out
was for the express purpose or pre-
venting, If possible, the illegal regis /
tration Of negroes.
Second The report had been circu- !
lated In Emporia that Il large mum Der |
of negroes had applied TO Mr.. Brlggs
to be registered on the preceding day.
and il was thought that Il similar at I
tempt would be made al other pfe- I
cincts. There was great deal OF
interest manifested among the peo- I
pie, who are opposed to the indis-
crirninate REGISTRATION OF negroes, ,
some OF Whon We're disintereSted
parties. who are known to be against
Statewide prohibition. and there was
talk Of calling an indignation meet
ing The parties who met Mr.. Brlsss
In Mr. H. J.. Taylors Office thought
il best 10 see Mr.. Briggs personally.
II was thought that when the four
lawyers present fully explained the
law 10 Mr. Briggs IN the presence or
his uncle and some OF his personal
friends, that Mr. Briggs would COM
Dix with tht. law. ana further agita-
lion of the matter would be stopped
Dar only concern Was to see the law
compiled with, and 10 prevent the
registration of negroes VINO could MOI
stand the test prescribed by the con-
stitutieu
Third Mr. Briggs admitted that he
had registered four negroes out 81
six who had applied Ia him the pre-
ced!ng day, and stated that quite
number would apply the next Satur-
day He stated that the applicants
had written their applications in his
presence. and that several of them
were exactly alike, or nearly so But
he admitted that he did not subject
them to the further test required by
law.
Fourth Ne attack was made upon
Mr. Briggs az this meeting, on the
contrary care was taken To impress
upon him that no one present was
unfriendly To him for his action in
registering four negroes, out or the
sy who had applied to him for regis
t~.'to~ hut as he was yonnk and
s al