Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-10-15

Democratic speaker was ex-Congressman
A. NJ Waddell of North Carolina. A large
portion of his speech-delivercd in every
part of Vermont-was devoted to glowing
account of the political affairs of his State.
Peace reigned within its borders and justice
was equal and exact, according to MIR. Wad
dell the blacks enjoyed full measure of
civil and political rights, and both races were
working out the salvation of the State. The
whites had accepted every result of the war
in the best of faith; they fully acknowledged
the citizenship of the negro, and were jealous
in their guardianship of all his rights under
the law North Carolina was really in
fair way to become Ctopia. But
now comes an observer with an en-
tirely different report from that given by
Colonel Waddell, and one which, though
by no means pleasant reading, deserves
careful perusal from men of all parties. MIR.
Howard Carroll of the New York Times,
well known as one of the most careful and
trustworthy of newspaper correspondents,
has been on tour of investigation in North
Carolina and he finds the relations of the
two races the direct opposite Of what they
were represented to be. Mr.. Carroll brings
a strong indictment against the courts of the
State for the shameful determinations made
in the punishment of persons convicted OF
crimes He shows that black man has no
rights in court when arraigned on charge
OF crime Of even the pettiest sort that, con-
victed upon testimony of petit larceny to the
extent of few dollars-only an old spade is
mentioned as one instance and box of sar-
dimes in another-he is sent to the peniten-
tiary for term Of years, hired out to do
work in the chain gang for contractors, and
cruelty of service extorted under the lash
or shot gun worse than than that of the most
Internal slavery of former times while on
the other hand hardened white criminals are
let of with little or no punishment, while
the blacks are thus numerically dealt with,
and often worked and punished to death.
We select few instances from the many
given by Mr.. Carroll
Some time since colored man named
Green Gilchrist was tried in Greensboro on
charge of having stolen 75 cents. The evil
dence showed that he had found the money
lying on the floor of a room. When ques-
toned in regard TO it by the owner he adj
mitted frankly that he had found it as de-
scribed. and had spent it. For this he pro-
fessed sorrow and promised TO return the
money. His sorrow and his promises did
him no good. He was tried before Judge
Kerr, one of the bitterest Democrats in the
State. This judge would assign no counsel
to defend him. He had no money to pay
lawyer. There were grave doubts as to
whether his offence was larceny under the
State statute, but he had no one to raise the
question in his behalf. In less than five
minutes he was tried, convicted and sentenc-
ed to the penitentiary for five years.
At the fall term of the Guilford superior
court, held last year, a negro named Crutch-
field was put on trial, charged with stealing
a spade, the value of which is not given in
the record. The evidence was of such a
character as to induce Judge MckOy, who
was presiding, to charge in favor of the pris
oner. In spite of this, the jury brought in
verdict of guilty" The judge, notwith-
standing his own charge, at once accepted
the view taken of the case by the jury, and
sentenced the prisoner TO the penitentiary for
two years. The judge, il may be well TO
add was an aSpirant for the office of Gov
ernor, and most anxious to stand well with
| his Democratic friends.
During the same term of the same court
a white man named Pickney Tatum was
placed on trial, charged with assaulting
colored man with deadly weapon. Henry
Willis, respectable and trustworthy white
man, being sworn, testified that Tatum at
| the time of the assault was armed with
double -barrelled shotgun, both barrels of
which were loaded, and that he would have
killed the colored man if the witness had not
| prevented him. Tatum was white Demo
crat. lie was set free on payment OF costs.
| The sequel to these two cases is interest
ing. The colored man, Crutchtield, who was
| s~ute...cd tho p~uito..ti..rr for two ye..Is
upon charge of stealing an old spade, was,
under the peculiar convict system of North
Carolina, put at hard labor on the Cape Fear
and Yadkin Valley railroad. Shortly after
ward the white man Tatum was, through
his Democratic influence, appointed to the
position of guard over the convcts on the
same road Two weeks later Crutchfield at
tempted to escape Tatum shot him dead.
The law expressly provides that those who
| stand guard over the convicts shall shoot
only those who may attempt TO escape while
| serving cut sentence for crime which is
punishable with death. Despite this, Tatum
was not punished for killing Crutchfield
| There is no evidence that any effort was
made to bring him to account for the crime.
At the Spring term of the Superior Court
| of Wilkes county white man named Shoe
was convicted of sheep-siealing. The case
was an aggravated one, and it was expected
that the sentence would be severe. Just as
1t was about to be pronounced the prisoners
lawyer rose and stated that his client had
been brave and deserving soldier in the
Confederate army. Upon this ground he |
asked the clemency of the court. Col. w. |
III. III. Cowes, the States Attorney, who him. |
self had been gallant Confederate officer, |
had the manhood TO Indignantly protest |
against this appeal. The judge paid no at |
tcntion TO him, but stated that in view Of
Shoes fine record US a soldier he would give |
him the lightest punishment the law allowed. |
The sheep-stealer was then sentenced to the |
comfy jail for four months-a punishment |
which is merely nominal.
At recent term of an adjacent county |
court, a black man, who had for some time |
been suspected of being Il thief-it is stated |
by Southern Democrats that all negroes will |
STEAL vet negroes very frequently are placed |
in charge of all the worldly possessions of the |
same Democrats-was at last convicted of |
stealing box of sariines. No one denied |
that he stole them. lie was sentenced TO |
seven years in the penitentiary.
AT about the same time the bleeding corpse |
of IL negro, who had evidently been murder
cd, was found on the steps of what is known
us the Mozart saloon, in the thriving little /
city of Charlotte. A young white man, a
student in military academy, WAS Cener-
ally believed to have done the killing. |
He left Charlotte. Then, when sufficient
time had elapsed to give his friends an oppor-
tunty of interccding in his behalf, he return
ed, surrendered himself to the authorities, |
admitted that he had killed the negro, and
stated that he had done 50 in self-defence. |
He was taken before Judge Schenck on a
writ of hd5eH corpus. The judge discharged |
him from custody. lie was never put on |
trial for the killing.
Such are some specimens OF North Caro- |
lima justice. A petty offence by negro |
brings upon him the penalty of years Of ser
vitude, while the white criminal gets oil with |
little or no punishment The cases given
are, Mr. Carroll SAYS not isolated ones it |
seems to he the rule rather than the eXcep |
ton TO let white Democratic criminals 20 free |
even when they are charged with the gray
est offences while blac. Republicans are
made to suffer out of all proportion 10 the |
nature and extent Of their crimes. And yet |
North Carolina is regarded ms the most libcr-
al and enlightened State in the South. Is it !
safe 10 commit the Government of this Ma
ton to the control of L confed,racy in which /
such State occupies such Il position:
fnmou. Victory.