The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-15


to do so because the Attorney for the
Commonwealth moved to dismiss the
proceedings against me immediately
upon the conclusion of the testimony
for the Commonwealth.
Il do not know how much of these
drugs it takes to run the hospitals in
this city, because ] have no accurate
means Of knowing how many persons
addicted to their use are treated in
them, but i affirm 1t as fact that
one confirmed user of any of them
will take enough to supply the re-
quirements OF from fifty to 100 peo-
pie who use it only for proper medi-
cal purposes. and. therefore, it is inn
possible to form any idea of whether
or not this portion Of your article was
true. Whether true or false, how
ever, the impression created was that
| had been engaged in the sale Of
these drugs for mercenary purposes,
and was in a class apart even from the
ordinary cocaine vendor. because |
had prostituted high and honor
able calling To the basest purposes to
which it could he put
1T is not necessary at this day for
me to deny the charge against me to
those who are informed of the facts,
but there are many to whom the ac-
cusat'on has become known, who do
not know the subsequent develop
merts in this case, and for that rea
son ] am writing to ask that Won will
in a public and prominent manner
make the only reparation which you
can for the injury which. however un-
Willingly done. has caused me the
most painful suffering and done much
TO injure me in profession In which.
with due modesty, i claim to believe
l was doing much for a class of I'M
fortunates for whom others are doing
very little.
Il have devoted nearly fifteen years
OF my life to this particular work, and
though hampered by small means and
the lack of hospital facilities. | have
the consciousness of knowing that /
have saved many, who. but for my eff
forts, i believe would be either dead
or suffering what is worse than death
treated in private homes at my own
expense, others | have treated at the
City Hospital and many others
have treated who were able merely
to pay the expense OF the nurse and
the drugs without one dollar of re-
Enumeration to myself: while in nu-
merous instances ] have treated those
who. though willing to pay. have
been as yet unable to do so. In ad-
dition to this the prescriptions which
were the basis of my arrest were
practically charity prescriptions, most
Of them given to people In destitute
circumstances, who were DESTROYS Of
becoming my patients and whom 1
was treating until such time as they
could make the necessary arrange
ments to take the treatment.
II am sure that could easily have
convinced any inquirer that my in
come was not sufficient nor my style
OF living of a character to indicate
that I was receiving any large sums
from any source whatever. although
/ am busiiy engaged in the practice
Of my profession. ano that the state
ment that great profits were derived
from this traffic, SO far as they ap-
piled TO my case. were absolutely IN
true. I have been for thirty wears a
resident of the city of Richmond
Prior TO that time | was a resident
OF Hanover County. and lived there
until I moved to King william Coun-
", where ! practiced for some years.
later moving TO Hanover County. and
then TO Richmond. Ts,ring the war.
from 1882 until 1864 l was a student
at the Medical College OF Virginia,
and along with others. was detailed
by the Secretary of War to serve In
the hospitals around Richmond. which
| did until my graduation in 1854.
after which ] returned to my home
in Mathews County and engaged In
the practice of my profession. ] give
this brief history Of myself In order
that il may be known that / am "A
native VirgiH.an, imbuei with all the
Virginia ideas and traditions. and not
some one who has drifted into this
State 10 ply here an Infamous bust
ness for the purpose of making mon
ey, and / do ii for another reason.
| have given my residences for the
whole Of my }ife for the purpose OF
enabling you. II YOU desire IT, to in
vestigste the following statement.
namely that. although I am now
seventyfve years old. | have never
in the whole course II my life. un-
III this time been accused OF violating
any law; and as far as I know have
never even been suspected Of any
conduct involving moral turpitude in
any degree.
Under these circumstances. TO be
accused of spreading for mercenarv
gain an evil which | have devoted the
remaining years of my life to eradi-
cate. was not only "a wrong bur an
outrage l know. of course. that
your paper was not responsible for
this outrage, think therefore. thar
GU SIN'l4b 40 me kilt Justice. not To
say the kindness TO make as promi-
nent this sta ement from me as was
the accusation against me, not only
in justice to my feelings. which have
been tremendously involved but In
order that the injury which has been
done TO me in INV profession may he
corrected and vhas NV usefulness may
not be impaired when, AS | believe
Il is SO sorelv needed.
II wish IT Ia be known that have
not only not violated the law. as was
shown by the testimony Of the only
physician. who was one of the Com
monwealth's witnesses. who actually
testified at the trial, but by the active
and unsolicited support which has
been accorded To me bv other ND
eminent physicians of this citv. whose
names are OF themselves sufficient to
guarantee that one who has their
commentator, is himself above the
reach OF successful aspersion.
Very truly Yours.
y w WILLIAMS NJ n.
Richmond Va March s 1915"