The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-02
TOOK AWAY THE BOOKS
AND REFUSED TO RETURN THEM
TILL FORCED TO Do SO.
PROSTlTUTING SCHOOL MATTER
A Record of Usurpation and Petty Par
tisan Wrong Doings Showing How
Our Schools Are in the Hands
of Unworthy Men.

of Unworthy Men.
Wilson, n. c., July 1.-tSpeciaD-Re-
lief has come at last The people have
long desired to welcome the relief that
has been promised by the great "refawm-
ers' in such glowing terms as to make
the heavens kind and painted the politi-
cal sky with all the varied hues of the
rain bow. The tired farmer who was
sick at heart over FIVE cent cotton and
turned to the patriots who were raised
I'D as a Moses was, to lead him out of
the wilderness of debt and worry into the
broad light of plenty and contentment,
has at last beheld the glory of his work.
The hard working laborer in Wilson
county who has contemplated the gross
Injustice that has been done the honest
la boring man until his soul was full Of
righteous indignation and had turned
with hope beaming in his countenance
and joy filling his heart to the reformers
for relief-must be happy.
Shout for joy. BEAT upon the tom-tom
sound the hew gags-blOw the bugle-
let joy be unconined. Rejoice for the
deliverer is at hand-relief has come
and the heart of the people of this coun-
ty beats with joy unalloyed.
On June It'll the Board of Education
of Wilson county met at the court house
in Wilson for the purpose of electing a
School Board. The Board of Education
is composed of Clerk of Superior court,
Register of Deeds and the Board of
County Commissioners, the latter of
which is composed of three Populists and
two Democrats. The Democrats were
appointed by Judge Graham in Nov.
1895. and have since acted as commits
sioners. but on May 31st, 1897 the Popu-
list members of the Board passed a reso-
luton under the advice, i learn of Soil
citor Bernardo refusing further to re-
cognize the appointees of the judge. AT
the meeting Of the Board of Education
the three Populist members refused to
participate and the following School
Board was elected: George Conner,
Nathan Bass, S. H. Wick. The Board
is composed of two Democrats and one
Republican The Clerk of the Superior
court, Register of Deeds and two county
commissioners voted for those elected.
About an hour afterwards, the three
Populist county commissioners voted and
declared elected the following as the
School Board: A. B. Boykin, John Moore,
M. Fl. Aycock-all Populists.
Mr.. B. S. Clark is chairman of the
Board of County Commissioners and the
three commissioners ordered the Register
of Deeds to put upon the records an ac-
count of the meeting of themselves and
none other. Mr.. Clark claimed that the
Register voted against this motion, while
he denied voting at all, and refused to
record himself in the minutes of the
meeting as voting at all. Thereupon, Mr..
Clark, by strategy, secured possession of
the minute book of the Board of Educa-
ton and refused to return the same to the
Register of Deeds, the rightful custo-
dian. An action has been instituted
by the Register of Deeds against Mr..
Clark to recover possession of the book.
Under Section SO of the Code, he has
been examined before the Clerk of the
Superior court yesterday and to-day and
he was required to produce the book in
court. The Register of Deeds is a Re-
publican and he and Mr.. Clark were
both elected ON the fusion ticket last
year. The Register of Deeds is repre-
scented by Judge HI. G. Conner, ex-Con-
gresham F. A. Woodland, and Col. Job
+. Burton, while Mr.. Clark is repre-
sented by ex-Solicitor John Il. Woodland.
In his remarks before the clerk yes
terday Judge Conner said that not since
the time when a military despot was in
power in North Carolina had such thing
been possible as was presented in this
case.
The action Of Mr.. Clark and those who
are with him in this matter is severely
condemned and considerable feeling has
been aroused. The people feel in the
words that Henry Watterson ascribed to
the poet Milton, that things have come
to a hell of a pop" if the relief that
they are to receive is only to relieve
the custodians Of the public records OF
the books that contained the records of
the acts of public officers, and to ''re-
lieve" the administration of justice from
its appreciation to those who have climb
ed the pinnacle of fame and become
savior of the people-and incidentally the
recipients Of the Offices and the emolu-
ments thereto appertaining.