Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1895-04-18
HOW THE LEGISLATURE IRE
LIEVED" THE FAITHFUL.
Raleigh News and Observer.

doubtful prOpflety were passed
without hesitation and almost
without discussion. Thousands
of dollars were voted out of the
Treasury TO afford some persons
''relief." Men were authorized
to become guardians without Civ.
ing bond Sheriffs, tax collec-
tors and treasurers were relieved
and their liabilities extinguished
without even the form of an in
vestigation. The acts, when
printed will be found to contain
numerous acts of this nature,
and much Of this will prove to
be vicious legislation. Some re
lief bills failed, but whenever il
was shown that application had
been previously made to Demo
cratic Legislature and refused,
the bill was certain to pass. One
instance will serve to show how
this was done.
Act No. 266 is entitled "an act
for the relief of A. L. Byrd,
late treasurer Of H arnett county. y
The facts are these:
In 1890 Byrd was elected trea-
surer of Harnett county, aud
took charge OF the public school
moneys. In the summer Of 1892,
he became imbued with the idea
of reform and became a Populist,
and accepted the Populist nomi-
nation for treasurer. Byrd made
a canvass of Harnett county, en-
deayored to corral the negro
vote, was liberal in his expendi-
lures, land put on much style
He drove nice horse and buggy,
banged his hair. parted it in, OF
near, the middle, and wore a blue
polka dot neck tie. His hair ap-
peared to have been annointed
with oil. He was something OF
a dude, and by many was con
tsidered beautiful. Harnett is not
a rich county and the compen-
sation of treasurer is not very
great.
In October 1892, we we're in
formed, that a young lady teacher
of Harnett county, presented for
payment a school order or war
rant, properly approved. BYRD
put off the payment, giving some
excuse for his delay. On Nov
ember s, 1892, the election came.
Byrd was beaten and a Demo
crat named Sexton was elected
in his stead. Sections term was
to begin on the first Monday in
December, 1892, and on or before
that day Byrd would be required
to settle and turn over the funds
to his successor.
On the 18th of November Byrd
decided to take trip to Fayette'
vile. He left the school fund,
$500. 90 in box in his trunk in
his house, and his father and
other members of the family re-
NAMED. During that night armed
and masked men entered the
house, and in the presence OF
the family, Except, of course,
Byrd who had gone to Fayette-
ville,) took this trunk, carried il
out Of the house and to the front
gate, and then, in the dark and
without light, broke open the
trunk and took from it the small
box containing the money, and
also another box containing the
vouchers paid since Byrd's last
settlement. Nothing else was
disturbed. No other part of the
trunk was broken. No light was
used and all was done at Byrd's
front gate, members of the fam.
lily were in the house, and hac
been awakened. No shot was
fired and no resistance was made
It is only just, however, to state
that Byrd's father was an invalid
and bed-ridden.
No person has ever been ar
rested for the crime These
facts were developed before the
Senate Committe on Finance il
February, 1893, when Byrd an6
his attorney applied to the Leg
islature for relief. All these
facts relative to the robbery
were proven, and few if any, O
them were denied by Byad Or hi.
attorney, and it was not though
| that case. meriting relief hat
been made out. But it wa
thought possible for Byrd's state
ment to be true, however sus
picious might be the circum
stances, or however unreason
able had been his conduct. Th
Legislature, therefore, declinet
| to relieve him absolutely, bu
| authorized the Boards of Com
| m;ssioners, Education and Mag
istrates of Harnett county t,
hear his case at their meeting il
June of tfat year, and if the.
should think he had made out
case for relief, a majority of eacl
board so voting, he should stan,
free and exhonorated from al
loss. It was thought fair to Civ
him a trial before his own pee
pie. On the boards we're a mum
Der of Populists. His cas-
went before the boards in June
|, 1893, and only four votes wer
cast for his relief out of fifty o
, sixty entitled to vote.
i Suit was brought against hir
and his bond. He paid some
, thing on it and commissions wer
| allowed, SO that he owed whe
: the last election came, about $37(
For the recovery of this none