The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-01-10
\ REmARkAB CASE
A Forged Legislative Bill Turns Up ii A0rihs
Carolina and Creates a Sensation. IS IS
DIFFICULTY N uADOIAe THE ILlEsAL. AGT# il Il
The Enrolling ClcrIs ana PrincIpals
CIcrk of the Lower IHousc on TRIAL
The 0mcstion an Absolnt oil y Nesa5iI
Ono Lcgaliy-First Case OF eka
Kind I'm the World.

Raleigh, N. c., Jan. 9.-The trial OF a
very remarkable case began here to-.
uhy. II dates back to the last LeElsla-S
ture, Sr which j. w. Brown was enIoll.g
ing clerk, and S. p. Satterfield, principal !
clerk of the lower house. a bill was /
introduced ilt the instance of q lawyer
named Smith, who says he dictated it.k
me bill was In these words THAT ant
copditlon;tl sales, assignments, nort-g
cages, or deeds of trust which are exe.a
cutcd to secure any note, iciblIgatLoGl.55ll &
or bond, which gives preferences to any
creditor of the maker, shall be atsolute.S
~ void rs to existing creditors except
ih"sc given TO secure cash advanced ate
inc Time tf the execution of the same
or TO secure advancements for farming g
PURPOSES The committee struck QUIT
all after the word creditors" and re-,
ported the bill favorably. 1t Is stamped
fhbled III the tiouEe 1896" 1Nhe blllt.
never was before the Senate at ali. yetsi
when the Secretary of State began t6l
copy the acts for publication, after the i
Legislature adjourned, lie found thisi
act duly ratified and signed by ths !
Speaker of the House and President of \
uhc senate. prodigious sensation re-S
SUITED, as The act completely stopped (
thc giving OF mortgages on crops and
thus prevented farmers flt9m prccurinei
supplies from merchants GoyerniSrs
carr, acting as citizen, sued the Secre.f 1
tary of State to compel the latter to5
Siihiiifbtc tHtS iIauuulefNt ACT from tho
volume OF the acts of the Legislature.
There was no denial Of the fact THAT thu
| act was Il fraud. The question Hra5
hI-w to undo what had been Illegally
done. The case went up to the Supreme
Count. which said the question was On
| absolutely new one, that il the courts
| did not look behind the record, lobbyas
! lists and corrupt men would feel safeTJ
| In their attempts TO pervert the laws
while on the other hand ii the court
permitted every act to be inquired iE;os
| the Shate would be plagued With ay
ponderous tax of evils. Tine court fur
hher declared that this was the firsta
case on record In the world where az
fcrgar tried III, play law maker. ThreeS
of the justices OF the court decided thafsi
nherc was no power to so behind rat-s
| ihcItion, but that this act must be coma
! Strued us given above in It's integrity
| and not rs amended. Two justices dis
| sented, saying the court has I,.Nyer to
| go behind falsely obtained signa,turest
of the President and Speaker and de-
clared the act invalid. AT the last term
of Wake county criminal court true
| bills were found by the grand jury
| against Satterheld and Brown. That,
against the former was for negligentiyf
and wilfnlly failing to perform the du-S
ties of his office in that he delivered.
to Brown n bin entitled an assignment
act, and also with corruptly procurlngh
its enrolment. The case against Sat
terficld was taken up to-day. He had
four attorneys and several Witnesses.
The State had summoned Speaker Wall.
ser w. Smith. who dictated the bill,8
X. l.. Smith, the member who introduces 4
| ed the bill; W. Christian, Washington5
| correspondent OF the News and Observ-S
CT: w. II. liatchelor, chief clerk of tilea
Secretary of State, and ]. C. Ellington,5
| state Librarian. Enrolling ClefSsa
| Brown is also here with four lawyers
| and several witnesses The contentionn
Of the State Is that the bill ennolledA
is identical with the bill as amended
and that this proves that the original,
bill was the one from which the en-t
rolled hill was made. The defense conSe
tends that the original bill never leltS3
Satterfield's possession, and that a 1args
ed bill was the one from whicfa,the em-9
rolled bill was made s EssSSs