Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-01-28
The Exodus Explained.


The testimony gwen before the Eyo-
dus Committee on Saturday, by ]. P.
Dukehart, Southern Passenger Agent
Of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company, throws a great deal Of light
on the cause that have led 10 the recent
largo colored emigration from North
Carolina. Capt. Dukehart testified
that he had made several visits to
North Carolina in the interests of his
company to secure as large share as
possible of the exodus travel, and that
he effected arrangements with the local
promoters of the movement by which
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad obtain
ed the transportation of all the colored
people who have up to this time, since
October last, emigrated from North
Carolina to Indiana. The through rates
from Golbsber rough to Indianapolis for
these emigrants was s16:65 for each
person above the age oftwelve years,
half fare for children from five to twelve
years, aud younger children free. In
all these arrangements the company
agreed to pay z. Taylor Evans, OF
Goldsborough-a colored man, who
"worked up" the emigration-a draw
back of 81 per head TOR each full fare
passenger, and so cents for each hall
ticket sold.
This was q well-known standing in
ducement held out by himself and the
agents of competing roads 10 men like
Evans and Perry and Williams to get
up as large an emigration as possible.
Evans told the witness that he COM
menced working up the exodus sixteen
months ago, by means Of mass meetings,
secret secleties, &C., and the witness,
while in North Carolina, had seen many
Of the circulars asserting that the color
ed people would find plenty Of work in
Indiana at wages Of 81 to $3.50 day.
Perry and williams, also, circulated
report that the emigrants on reaching
Washington would be provided with
new clothes and transportation to In
diana or Kansas. The circular referred
to were largely made up of editorials
from the Greencastle Qnd.) Banner,
and also included what puIported to be
certificates from number Of the North
Carolina colored people, who had al
ready gone to Indiana, that they had
found work, and advising their friends
to follow. Perry left the State sudden
ly during the winter, on account OF an
Indictment for forging school certificates,
and had not returned; but Evans and
others were still at work, and, IN the
opinion of the witness, the exodus
would continue just as long as the COL
ored people could raise money to pay
their fare, or until it was checked by un-
favorable reports from their friends at
the other end Of the line. In this event
he would 60 out to Indiana and try to
secure them as passengers back over
the Baltimore and Ohio lines.
1t is possible that this explanation
will not prove satisfactory to stalwart
IRepublicau organs, and that they will
still endeavor to persuade the people of
the North that the exodus is not pro-
bable that they will be able to break the
force of Captain Dukebart's testimony,
or to give fresh vitality to this exploded
political sensation. The exodus is now
proved to be the result ofthe precise
causes to which the Democratic press
ascribed it in the beginning, and the
Republican party Is cruelty deprived OF
its latest device for firing the northern
heart.-BaH. Bulletin,