Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-25
NORTH CAROLINA.
NEWS NOTES here e. THERE.


Case-Coftop.
Especial telegram 10 the Dlspatch.l
RALEIGH, N. c., December "a
This afternoon all the public Offices
closed, the judges went home, the At
torney-General went to Asheville, and
Governor Scales will eat his Christmas
turkey at his handsome residence here.
The Governor, who is very hospitable,
is entertaining in handsome style.
Reference was recently made to an
important matter before the Supreme
Court for decision. 1t was the case Of
Barksdalc against the Commissioners of
Sampson county. The question in
volyed was the right Of the county to
levy tax for the support of schools in
excess of the limitation prescribed by
the poll-tax clause Of the Constitution.
The law says public schools shall be
kept open four months in each year.
1t also says that the taxes shall not ex-
coed fixed ratio. AS the sum raised is
too mesgre, the several counties have
imposed a tax in addition in order
TO maintain the schools. In accordance
with the mandate of the Constitution
there was an injunction by Barksdale
against the commissioners of Sampson
to prevent the sheriff from collecting
the additional tax. The late Judge
McKoy held that the additional tax
could not be imposed, and granted an
Injunction against the sheriff restrain
ing him from collecting. The COM
missioners appealed. Of course the
State Department Of Public In
struction was deeply interested in this
matter. The case, in the Supreme
Court, was argued by the Attorney
General for the State. The Court filed
its opinion to-day sustaining Judge
McKoy's ruling, saying that boards of
county commissioners cannot for school
purposes exceed the limitation pre-
scribed by the poll-tax clause of the
Constitution. 1t is an exceedingly
awkward matter, and will undoubtedly
hamper educational work in the State.
The law evidently needs amending so
as to give counties power to maintain
the schools perfectly.
An opinion was to-day filed in the
Supreme Court in another important
case. The Legislature Of 1888 passed
law known as the Dortch act, pro-
yiding that taxes paid by white peo-
pie for schools should be used only for
maintaining schools for whites. and
those paid by colored people for colored
schools. The law was so plainly UNI
constitutional that only two or three
counties attempted to enforce it, and in
each Of these the authorities were
promptly stopped by iDjunctions and
appeals were taken. The case has for
many months been before the Supreme
Court. Why this long delay in filing
an opinion is not known. The court
to-day held the act to be unconsttu-
tional. The case to-day was that Of
Puett against the commissioners of
CASTOR county.
A negro named Collins is solicitor Of
New belne district. Charges of incOm-
potency are made against him. He i,
in what is known as the black district,
and to prevent his reelection some Of
the papers ask for the appointment Of
solicitors by the Legislature.
Near Clinton. Giles Powers, a noted
negro thief, was pursued by officers.
lie took refuge in the cabin Of a negro
woman and attempted to get up the
chimney. lie stuck fast, and the OFF,
GERS had to do quick and hard work to
rescue him. lie was taken to Jail.
In the case of the State against
Smith, from Burke county. Yesterday
decided in the Supreme Court the ques-
ton of the constitutiOnality of the
drummers' license.taX (sec;ion - Of
the revenue act) was raised andargued.
The defendant was convicted below Of
a violation of the law and appealed to
the Supreme Court. That court
affirmed the judgment, thus adjudg
ing the constitutlonality of the law i'm
posing a tax; but the point not being
technically presented in the record the
court does not discuss the constitu-
tional question. The income annually
derived by the State from this license
tax being over $4,000 anything affect
ing the question is a matter Of great
public interest.
1t is alleged that in Lincoln county
there is cave once the home of Daniel
Boone. and used by him as a refuge
from Indians. 1t is in the side Of
hill. has six rooms, and in one of the
rooms there is . well of water. Boone
was born in Johnston county, thirty
five miles from Raleigh.
1t is understood that the falling of
in the cotton crop as indicated by the
receipts to this date will be fully one
fourth in the State. There is considera-
BILE depression in all the eastern coun-
tie, the only bright feature is the
fact that the farmers now have more
meat and grain than since the war.
There are also fewer mOrtgageS-the
decrease in the latter being quite note
! worthy