The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-09

Lieutenant Governor Eliysou yes
trr6nv laid before the Senate a corn
nunicadcu from several railroad rep
re.aDtsrives in connection with Jhe
statement Of Senator WendenouIs
m. n7u taxes had tncn raid 10y Fa1
companies in this cts with the
dsfcaftnr him. such commu-
-...-- requesting that sucn
charge he made specific rather IMAM
general
Tba communication was read, ana
Senator Wendenburg, rising 10
question OF personal privilege MAG
= reply IN which he adhered TO ms
statement and proceeded to give "l-
dit!onal information on the sneJe[''
mentioning the names ef Fritz Slf-
+a~s,nr v}ce-president Of the Virginia
Railway and Power Company, as IHe
man who had paid the money.
Senator Wendenburg said.
II wish to state that the report
that the railroads paid taxes 10 oe.
faat me Is inaccurate. sWhRt ] did
mav was that one Of the railways paid
poll taxes fer the purpose OF defeat-
ing me. This railway was the "
xtrta Railway and Power company,
which had it's inspectors for several
days paving the poll taxes Of It's EN-
ployes at the treasurer's ONCE IN
South Richn ond as well AS the treas
urer's office In the city Of Richmond
Some OF these employees whose taxes
were SO paid came TO me and INFORM
ed me that they had been instructed
or advised to vote against me
After the election / informed one
OF the vice presidents that was sur
nrisad that his company would use
the
poll taxes of its employees. and he re-
b piled that the company had not paid
these taxes but that he had paid
them himself. This official was Mr.
Fritz Sitterding."
The communication read TO the
Senate at the direction Of President
Ellyson was as follows;
Richmond. Va. March 3, 1915.
Hon. J. Taylor Elyson,
''Iaeutenant~Govern
Senate Chamber.
"Sir,-In the Richmond newspa-
pers OF today a speech made yester-
day in the Senate ny Wendenburg Is
reported In part as follows;
Last year the railroads In this
CITY spent ST 900 IN paying poll taxes
Of their employees to defeat me hu'
they could not defeat the Will OF tht
people
1T would have been frank and fair
II Mr.. wendenburg had mentioned
the railroads 10 which he referred
but. as his charge was general, II
becomes necessary for as, the repre-
sentatlves of the railroads operating
in this city. to take cognizance OF hts
statement Speaking, therefore. for
these railroads. we say with hll ths
emphasis we can command that moi
one cent was contributed by them
or either Of them. towards the pay
ment OF the poll ta&ea of employees
or any other person In the city oi
( Richmond 10 defeat Mr.. Wenden-
burg or for any other purpose; and
II Mr.. Wendenburg had in mind any
~ them he should name them
promptly and without reservation.
AS the charge was made openly
on the floor Of the Senate, we ask
that this communication be read tc
the Senate so that IL may have the
same publicity
Respectfully,
WILLIAM b. McILwAIHE.
For Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
and Southern Railway Company.
Il L, SCHERER,
For Chesapeake and ohio Railway
Company.
H q. BUCHANAN,
For Norfolk and Western Railway
Company.
''E RANDOLPH WILLIAMS,
FOR seaboard Air Lane Railway
Company
w. ID. CARDWELL.
For Richmond, Fredericksburg md
Potomac Railroad Company.
"WM s. BATTLE, 1R.
FOR Norfolk and Western Railway
Company"
n0RAnhhli0hI min