The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-01-11

He testified that Satterheld did not
examine the records. Il did that my
self
Wasn't it your business to enter
that bill in the journal as tabled?"
II don't know that it was. NY see
ing the bill lying there wouldn't have
been proof to me that the bill was
not reported in the journal. / expect
there was generally a dozen things.
bills left out and such mistakes, and
the members would call attention to
it when the journal was read the next
morning. There might have been Il
half dozen left out and / never would
have known it,"
What became OF the bill after YOU
saw it on that tablet"
1 don't know. / suppose it was prop
erly placed in the clerks ROOM
THE DEFENDANT ON THE STAND.
Clerk Satterfield himself then went
ON the stand. He said his home was in
Person county, where he had lived
since 1878, and went on to tell of the
many high offices he had held, from
revenue collector to register of deeds.
and representative in the Legislature
from his county.
~
for enrolment the bill known as the
Assignment Act"
As clerk of the House his principal
duties, he testified, were to supervise
the other clerks in the office. and to
stamp or endorse the various bills as
thy were acted upon. In the last Ley
islature he had five assistant clerks.
During the sessions of the House he
remained at his desk in front of the
Speakers desk, and after the session
adjourned he was in the offices, look
ing over the work of his clerks.
If the bill was tabled it should have
gone into pigeon hole so marked He
thought the bill was under considera-
ton on the 18th, but it might have
been on the 18th. The volume of bust
ness was so extensive that it was hard
to keep up with.
He explained the difference in the
date on the bill and the time it was
tabled by saying that the volume of
business was SO heavy that the bill
might have gone unstamped until the
next day. He remembered meeting
Mr.. Smith either on the night Of the
18th or the 18th, he thought. Smith
had been frequently asking about bills.
II remarked to him that I had some
of his bills in my hand. He said: One
of my bills has just been tabled He
took out the assignment bin and
said that / would put it in its proper
place. That occurred at the door of
the Speakers Office"
Regarding Mr.. Smiths statement
that he said he was on his way to the
Ill L. 4 GsV
think Smith is mistaken about that,
in all probability. But he may be cor
rect"
''The bill never left my hands to 20
to the enrolling clerk" he said vehem-
emily.
He testified that his Office was always
open TO the public, and that sometimes
lobbyists came there to inspect bills
eve tried to be courteous to the pub
lie at all times" he said, 'and they
had access to the Office
He said he was present at the time
the Assignment Act" was found after
the search by Librarian Ellington,
Congressman Pearson and others. lie
said, in fact. that he found the bin
himself. The reason that he had recOl-
lected this particular bill was because
1t stayed on the calendar so long
WANTED TO MODIFY.
Didn't you write a communication
TO The News and Observer" asked
Solicitor Pou, as he began the cross
examination.
He acknowledged that he had writ
ten a statement of the case to The
News and Observer.
The paper containing his commune
cation was put in his HANDS.
Are there any changes that you
now want to make in that statement"
queried the Solicitor.
Yes; Smith of Stanly' is here call
ed a Republican. He should have
been put down Democrat"
"Are you willing to stand by that
statement, now?"
Satterfield then took the paper and
read the article over again, this time
aloud
This statement that it did not go
out Of my Office / would modify a lit
tie: 1t is possible that the bin could
have been stolen from there"
rs there any other statement that
you wish to qualify?"
GSs 4 L0lbh J1lhb III dA1 pLOud D34ll}
there was bill or two lost in the
House; and it is possible that the AS
signment Act was tabled on the night
of the 11th."
Mr.. Pou--Aren'tyou bound to correct
your statement that the bill was
promptly stampede
Mr.. Saterfield-No. 1t was prompt
to be marked by the next morning.
lie said he sometimes penciled Oh
lie bill tabled" and afterwards
stamped it; but he acknowledged that
there ere no such peacil marks on
this hi.
He said no man, with his knowledge,
took the bill out to be enrolled.
He said positively the bill had never
left his office. And continues; Il
feel a great delicacy in contradicting
a lady. But the bill remained in my
office. ] think the lady is mistaken. "
He said he knew when the legisla-
ture adjourned that the bill was
tabled, but when the Solicitor pushed
him as to his reason for not telling
Smith and Pearson and the other