The news & observer., 1897-02-11

can caucus resolved that the two ne
groes should be appointed. Hence these
proceedings.
MIR. SWINSON'S TESTIMONY.
Mr.. Swinson was first examined He
testified that up TO the 10Th Of January
he personally did all the work in the
Enrolling Clerks Office, and that nobody
suggested that anything was wrong about
his office until he refused to put on the
two negroes selected by the Republican
caucus. He began by saying that
Representative Dockery, who had de-
manded to have negroes appointed, said
to him when he refused to do so:
Il am preparing a dynamite bomb for
You and we VIII blow you up tonight"
/ answered: l have been accustomed to
be blown up by politicians.
He said, eve are going to put two
negroes ON you tonight"
/ said, put as many as you can"-then
walked out. l had privately stated to
several Rep. Pops. and asked them not
to put me in the position of having to
refuse to put negroes in my office as l
anticipated en- the latter part of the ses-
sion to have some ladies in my office /
did not want to be put in the position
Of having the political enemies Of the
P0pulist party point to me and say:
There is a Populist who voted for Nc
Kinley and Bryan and favored the min
orjty Populists for Pritchard who is now
posing as a POpulist leader in his county
after having placed in his office as En-
rolling Clerk negroes with lady copy
lists"
On january 25th there was presented
TO me by MIR. Spruill, / think, one of the
caucus nominees for clerks in my Of
fee list from the Chairman of the
Republican caucus certifying the names
of Arthur Spruill, First district: w. F.
Young, Second district; A. G. Lehman,
Fourth District; F. B. Winbish and ID.
" Carroll, Fifth district; Jno. b. Moore
and w. III. Quick, Sixth district; 2. A,
Cummings, Ninth district In the morn
ing before | received this hist, Senator
Whedbee said to me: "A man by the
name of A. Berry, to whom he introduced
me, had been agreed on in the place Of p.
A. Cummings, and for me to put MI. .Ber-
ry IN my Office instead of Mr.. Cum
nlings as Mr.. Cummings was on the
engrossing force, and it would be perfect
ly satisfactory to his caucus. Mr.. Ber-
ry went up in the office with me and
remained there until made a certificate
certifying Arthur Spruin, r. b. VIM
bush, d. v. Carroll and A. Berry 10
Mr.. II. E. King, Chief Clerk Of the SEN
ate. In a short whiIe after, Mr.. Rey-
nolds came into my Office, asked me whom
had certified / told him. He sand
/ must not certify Mr.. Berry, as 1T would
not be agreeable to his caucus. He
said 1 might certify Spruin and Young.
/ said, Il will not certify Young. He
said certify Lehman" Wimbush said
| had gone back ON him. We saw Gov.
Reynolds who said: You may certify
Wimbush as the fourth man. / had al
ready taken my list certifying three. Mr..
Dockery came up and wanted to know
why had not put on w. II. Quick (col.)
l told him that l had already certified
four Republicans from the list furnish
ed me and that / would not put on more
till l needed Thin. He demanded to
know whether when / needed them /
would put on Quick. | told him / would
not put on any negro as a clerk as
long as | stayed there. He replied
'I'n be damned if you shant. III
introduce a resolution in the House to-
morrow and see if they can't make you
do it," l walked off.
"a few days after that Mr.. DOckery,
and Mr.. Hancock came up into my of
fee. Hancock stated they had come as
a committee from the Republican caucus
to wait upon me as there seemed to be
some differences which he wanted adjust
ed before they had gone too far told
him l had four Populists and four Re-
publican clerks. l gave him the names
of the Republican clerks. He demanded
TO know if l would appoint Young and
Quick / told him / would not appoint
any one else till l needed them. He
replied That is an eyasive answer
remarked to him: If you have further
questions to make, put them in writing
and l will reply the same way. He said
he would do it and walked out.
On Friday thereafter / went home,
leaving the keys of my office with Mr..
Maxwell, one of my clerks ] returned
on Monday and learned that a statement
had been made to Speaker Hileman that
/ had been certifying clerks in my Of
fee down direct to the Auditor / visit
ed Mr.. Hileman, told him the rumor, and
denounced 1T as false. He said he
would take charge of the office, and had
agreeti with 1t. Gov. Reynolds that they
would put a special representa-
tive i'm the Enrolling Clerks office:
10 or y days previous Speaker Hileman
uniformed me that Reynolds had consult
ed him as to the advisabihty of putting
a special representative in the office for
their protection and for mine | told
him at that time it was not necessary
as there had been very little work, but
if 1T became too burdensome / would
have no objection
On Feb. 3rd, 1t Gov. Reynolds and
Speaker Hileman came into my office,
and asked how many bills had been tn the
office, l turned to my books, and found
that | had received 20 bills from the
Senate and 10 from the House-thirty
IN all. Reynolds stated upon that in
formation that they had decided to take
charge Of the office and they would put
IN Reynolds brother and j. NJ. New
borne, l told them l would not certify
airrbA Akoxr