The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-06
THE GROWING ACT OF GOV
ERN0R CARR.
(Elizabeth City Econornist.)

tEllZabetn city EcOnoTnlSL.J
Among the last acts Of Governor Carr
OF North Carolina, was to annul, repeal,
nullify and overtum judicial act Of the
last term of the Superior court Of the
First judicial Circuit of North Carolina
which was an outrage upon justice, an
outrage upon the good order of society,
an outrage upon the good name Of North
Carolina upon the purity of the ermine,
and stigma upon the learning, integri-
ty and honor OF the bench.
At the last term Of the Superior Court
Of Chowan county, Charles J Pratt an Of
ficer Of the police force of Edenton, John
Harris and William Leggett, were ar
rested upon the complaint Of Neil Skin
ner, for assault and battery upon Skinner,
q VIGOROUSLY lawless and desperate ne
gro Of Edenton, and for using unneces-
sary violence in his arrest. A store had
been broken into in the town, the bur
glar was driven off, and Pratt was in
formed that Neil Skinner was the guilty
party. Pratt soon found Skinner near
by, and knowing his desperate charac-
ter, he summoned John Harris and Will
liam Leggett TO assist him in the arrest.
Skinner, who had a name as negro
bully, defed them and resisted the ar
rest, giving Pratt a terrific blow and Sc
verely biting Harris. The fight was
rough one, and the policemen had to use
their clubs to make his arrest and prevent
his doing further injury to them. A me-
gro mob riot was imminent, and by au-
thority of Governor Carr, Mayor Vann
called ON the Elizabeth City NAVAL Re
serves" who arrived PROMPTLY quiet
ed the threatened violence
The officers were soon arrested, upon
representations of Skinner and were
tried at the last September term of court,
convicted by the presiding Judge without
allowing a jury to render a verdict, and
then sentenced Pratt to the county Jail
for - months and Harris and Leggett
for 6 months.
We are glad we do not know certainly,
what Judge was holding court at the
time, but whether he was our political
friend or not, he was a disgrace to the
honored judiciary of North Carolina, and
should have been arrested by order of
Governor Carr, if he had authority,
stripped of his judicial robes and put in
the county jail for life. We hope he was
one Of those raccoon judges that were
appointed by the Last hybrid Legislature
of North Carolina.
Governor Carr did not drag that JEFF
fries from the bench, but he did next
best Upon petition from the citizens OF
Edenton, he OVERRIDE the Judgment of
the miscreant who sentenced faithful Of
ficers OF the law to the county Jail for
doing their duty, pardoned the faithful
officers of the law, and in doing so, com
mended their conduct in these words:
They were only doing their duty as
they knew it. In my opinion it would
be little less than public calamity for
these men, who thought they were doing
their duty, and would undoubtedly have
been censured and punished had they fail
ed to arrest this man, should now suffer
humIhating punishment and the alleged
felon go free, under the direction of the
court. The crime OF resisting an officer
in the discharge Of his duty Is much too
frequent. a complete pardon is hereby
granted the three officers"
We thank Governor Carr Honor to
whom honor is due. Praise to whom
praise is due. And gratitude to our
Chief Executive for the crowning act
OF his excellent administrati on.