Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-07-20
JAILED AND DRIVEN FROM
HOME.
A CoLORED NORTH CAROLINA RE
PUBLICAN TELLS OF DEMO
CRATIC PERSECUTION.

Under the above head the following
article appeared in the philadelphia
Press" as stated by Edward H
Sutton-a dirty negro who left
}Edenton some months since and who
is now in Philadelphia. Read the
article:
Edward H. Sutton, colored. ex-
member of the North Carolina Leg
islature, has arrived in town and will
tell some remarkable stories of the
treatment of his race in North Caro-
lima during the coming campaign.
Mr. Sutton has come North because
of the illtreatment he has received
from the Democratic officials of
Edenton, Chowan county, where he
was Republican leader in the county.
The colored vote of EdentOn was
large enough to send Mr.. Sutton to
the Legislature for one term in 1883.
and while in the capacity of repre-
sentative he was most outrageously
treated by the Democratic party, who
had him arrested on three different
false charges. convicted and sentenced
to prison for ten months, only because
he was Republican. When Mr..
Sutton had served his time he wrote
a book entitled Three Times in
Jail
He says in regard to the writing Of
his book: i did it, not to show that
l hold any malice against those who
prosecuted me for my Republicanism,
/ cherish nothing but the warmest
feeling for them. Their persecution
certainly made me smarter man
than if had been out of Jail. / was
twice in Jail before was elected to
the Legislature. and, strange to say,
have yet for the first time to hurt
any man in Chowan county. The
public know too much of the suffering
of the Southern negro, but / can tell
them a thing two that they Go not
know, and | am glad that [ am in 1;
State where 1 can express my
thoughts and knowledge without
being sent to prison.
While in prison Mr.. Sutton received
a letter of sympathy from Gen. John
A. Logan. Mr.. Sutton will place
himself in the hands of the Campaign
Committee and do anything in his
power for the ticket. He is compelled
to stay away from his home and
family in North Carolina owing to the
hatred Of the white politicians against
lim. Since he has been away from
~howan two of his children have
lied"
sUTTON'S STATEMENT DENIED.
The following is an extract taken
rom a denial Of Sutton's statements
sent to the Philadelphia Record"
On Tuesday last in answer to the
above article. 1t was written by
one of our best citizens, who knows
we'll the character of Sutton and |
lays, in the interest of truth, SuttOn's |
should be corrected. He
Jays further:
''Sutton is an eX-member of the
legislature and has been three times
" more imprisoned in the common
all of this County, further than this.
here is no truth in the statements
made by him. His first imprison
nent was in 1877. He was then
for melting to riot a mum
yer of ignorant negroes and leading
hem to commit violent assaults upon
White and black citizens. The first
'bject of the riot was to FURNISH a
legro who had voted the Democratic
icket; his arrest was ordered, and
preliminary examination had
'efore Republican Magistrate He
vas tried and sentenced by Repub
lean Judge, Hon. Jno. w. Albertson.
ne of the Republican nominees for
he Supreme Court Bench in North
in 1886, and five of the
lrors who convicted him were :
egroes and one a white Republican.
His second imprisonment was in {
$50, when he was convicted for
isturbing a congregation Of his own
olo- worshiping at the A. N. Z. )
ion Church in Edenton. The COM
laint against him was made by the
olored preacher in charge, the Rev.
tewart, and the only witnesses
yainst him were colored men.