The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-18
ETTEMPTEDCOERCION
Mr.. Hood Resigns Under
Threat of Discharge.
YANKEE METHODS HERE
A Manly Young Clerk True to
His Convictions.
LET THE LAW BE ENFoRcEDl
The White People of North Carolina
VIII Not Become the Vassa's
of the Employers.


viii Not Become the Vassais
of the Employers.
Mr.. George A. Hood has been employ
ed as clerk and store-keeper by the
Langdon-Hennesy Coal Mining Com
pany for four years last August. lie
was in Raleigh yesterday. He tells us
that on last Saturday Mr.. c. + Pendle-
ton, agent for the receiver of the COM
pany, came into the store from his
office and said:
George, understand that you are
a silver man, and favor the election of
Mr. Bryan. am surprised to know
that" He stopped and studied awhile
and continued: II am really astonished
at YOU
Mr.. Hood replied: ''That is my prin-
ciple, and am inclined to vote that
way
Nothing further was said at that
time
On Monday following, about 4
o'clock Mr.. Pendleton called Mr.. Hood
up to his office and said: 81 have been
studying over the matter ever since
Saturday, and / can't stand it. / don't
want to discharge you, but ] will have
to ask you to resign. can't have
man at work in the Office with me of
different opinion, when | know it is
against the interests of himself, the
company by which he is employed, and
the country"
Mr.. Hood, who was very much sur
prised at this brutal attempted coer-
cion, said: Il will willingly resign, as
supporting Bryan is my principle, and
wouldn't change my principles for all
the situations. If / haven't always
given the company satisfaction | have
never heard anything to the contrary"
Mr.. Pendleton said: "We have moth
ing against your work at al"
On the next morning Mr.. Hood ten
dered his resignation by writing the
following note:
Cumnock, n. c., Oct ~, 90.
C. T. Pendleton, Gen. Ag't for
Receiver L. III. c. M. Co.,
CumnoclS, n. G.
Dear Sir: In accordance with your
request hereby tender my resignation
as store-keeper for your company, on
account of your asserted inability TO
work with me agreably in your office,
owing to a difference in our political
views. Hoping for yourself and COM
pany unbounded success, remain,
Yours truly,
GEORGE C. HOOD.
Mr.. Pendleton is a native of Pennsyl-
yania, and has been in North Carolina
most of the time for about two wears.
He is strong Republican, and has or
ganized Mckinley club. The news is
that he has told the miners that unless
they vote for Mckinley they will lose
their situations.
Mr.. Hood is young man only twen-
ty-one years old, and has never voted.
He is quiet, industrious and capable
young man, who has little to say about
politics. Last week he registered, and
it was then learned by Pendleton that
he would support Bryan. Mr.. Hood
is a son of Mr.. H. r. Hood, engineer
on the Raleigh and Western railroad,
who is a lifelong Democrat.
Mr.. Pendleton may have pursued this
line of intimidation with impunity in
Pennsylvania, where the great tariff
barons have made their wage-earners
their vassals, but he must understand
that in North Carolina he will be re-
quired to obey the laws. Mr.. Hood is
a young man of high character, of
trustworthiness of sterling worth.
He was glad to be employed by the
Pennsylvania company. He served it
faithfully, but when it demanded to
own him body and soul, and to compel
him to vote aginst his convictions,
Mr. Hood had the manhood to give up
the job. That's the kind of stuff the
people of North Carolina are made of,
and those who come among us either as
employers or employees, will soon be
taught that when it comes to voting
the intimidation and coercion that pre-
walls in Pennsylvania cannot be trans
planted to North Carolina. Make a
note of that, Mr.. Pendleton. Further
than this, buy a copy of the Code of
North Carolina, read the laws, and 1T
you want to keep out of the peniten-
fiarv, you would do well to stop your
attempt to coeree the thirty or forty
white men employed in the Langdon-
Hennezsy mines.
The people of North Carolina will
protect Mr.. Hood and every other citi-
zen in the free exercise of the ballot
A