The news & observer., 1897-01-09

above ali else that high protective tar
i9 Senator be chosen.
But have good reason to believe that
no one of these really constituted Brown
lows business here. Aud there are others
who thought the same thing So strong
ly did they think it that Mr.. Brownlow
yesterday afternoon suddenly concluded
that his health demanded a change OF
climate, and so he left on the afternoon
train. l am not at liberty just now to
state who induced him to leave or what
was the inducement offered. But he has
gone.
Does his spirit and influence still I'm
ger with us? Perhaps Mr.. NJ. l.. Wood,
Of Bertie, who masquerules as Popuist
and really thinks he is fooling somebody
can answer that question Mr.. Wood, it
is said, was brought here, to create a sen
timent for Pritohard. UP to the time of
Mr.. Brownlow's arrival he was offering
bets OF to | on Pritchard. After Mr..
Brownlow left he said he would offer Iu
to l.
SOME QUESTIONS FOR SKINNER.
asked Mr.. Skinner to explain these lit
tie matters and CALLED his attention TO
the charge made in the News and Obser
yer that Hanna's barrel is in Raleigh.
Col Skinner said that he had observed
the statement and that he wanted to say
to the News and Observer that if it would
furnish him with evidence that such is
the case and that il is being used for cor
ruption purposes, he would in an instant
become the assistant Of the News and
Observer to defeat Senator Pritchard.
However, such charge without
some evidence to support it, he said,
"will not deter me from my support of
pritchad'
In such an investigation, the News
and Observer desires to put Mr.. Skinner
on the stand as the first witness and ask
him the following questions. After he
has answered them perhaps the task he
has set for this paper viii have been ac-
complished;
/. Has Col. Skinner been promised
anything. either in an Office for him
self or patronage for distribution
among his constituents?
,. Has he not said that in case
pgItchard is elected ali the p0stmas-
ters III Eastern North Carolina will
Be populists?
3. Has Col Skinner promised any
patronage 10 anybody, either direct
" or indirectly. If they would vote
for Pritchard?
I. Does Col Skinner know that at
least one member of his black list
assigns as his reason for bofting to
vote for Pritchard. that such
course would insure part of the Fed
eral patronage to the Popufists and
he thinks they are entitled to a por-
ton of il?
5. Has Col. Skinner not heard of
members who are promised offices if
they will support pritchard and who
are going to vote for him?
@. Is Col. Skinner not aware that
there are members here who were
approached in Pritchard's behalf,
during the campaign, with bribes i'll
the form Of office, but refused the
offer?
7. Does Col. Skinner not also know
that there ere men who were nomi-
mated for the Legislature and would
have been here had they not been
taken down because they refused.
either under threats or offers OF Of
fee, to agree to vote for Pritchard?
s. Is Mr.. Skinner aware that
bribe of 5000 was offered to man
last night for his vote, and will the
Colonel now be true to his word and
help the News and Observer defeat
Senator Pritchard?
A SAMPLE or THE CHARGES.
1t is hardly possible that it will be
necessary to refresh Col. SINNERS mem
ory on some of these points. If it is, he
ought to have been in the Populist eau
Gus in the Office of the Railroad Commis-
sion Wei" sday night. They do say it
was r@IJ .uch after the fashion of an
Methodist experience meet
ing. And some secrets were there told
that ought to make even Abe Middleton
blush.
One man said a proposition had been
made to him that if he would support
Prtchard he should have an office that
would pay him Sc, 600 for two years. To
secure him in this deal it was proposed to
give him a mortgage on certain lands
and town lots to that amount.
Another said he had had a similar pro-
position made to him-he was to get an
Office paying SIS day for four years.
Others told similar stories. Some knew