The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-19
Como PICK FROM HALF A HUN
DRIED PLACES.
MADE BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
None But Republicans and Minority PopuIsts
Need AppIy--Capt. Smith Objected
But His Objection Didn't
The fat has gone forth.

Gratis must go forth from offices in the
penitentiary.
"PoIitical Pie by the Wholesale" might
well have been the sign hung out on the
Administration Building in the penlten-
tiary grounds yesterday afternoon wheh
the Board of Directors met.
More than fifty offices now held by
Democrats were declared vacant on the
first of next month.
"None hit Republicans and Minority
Pons. Need Apply might have been
f++;nr Communion piece for the first
motto above.
For only the two first classes have so
far heen recognized in the distribution of
ME. and no others, l am told, will be.
Rutler is here. but he and his crowd are
simply not in it.
Rut what of that? Is it not all the bet
for for all those who are? The shorter the
division the more chances has PIE
hunter of getting what he seeks.
And fifty offices made at one fell
swoop is no small thing. Capt. John
r. Smith. the superintendent, rebelled
against it. He pointed out that he was
Diminishing Democratic officials as fast as
he could to maintain the efficiency or the
institution: that to foist half hundred
new and incompetent men upon him at
one time would all but swamp the Whole
layout. He asked to be allowed some latl-
tude in the matter.
But his prayer fell on hardened ears.
What cared Chairman Dockery, who was
leading the fight for the pie brigade, and
his Ieutenants, Hughes and Cannon, for
efficiency. or for good management! Let
Smith look out for that Was that not
the object for his being made superln-
tendent? flake care of the hungry
horde of place-hunters," was their motto
-sIet Smith and the penitentiary take
care of themselves"
The pie brigade won.
Supt. Smith was mad. He was more
than mad. He was furious. lie SAID:
Gentlemen, do as you like. My wishes
and recommendations seem to count for
nothing. I'll not trouble you longer" And
he took his hat and walked out.
Only one director-Gen. Cotten-had
stood by the superintendent and opposed
running over him rough-shod.
The fight had lasted nearly three hours
from 4 to z o'clock, and being satisfied
with the slaughter they had wrought in
one short day, the Board adjourned to
meet again at o'clock last night.
The objetct of the night session was to
fill some of the places just made vacant
THE NEW OFFICERS.
Only the Supervisors of farms are Sc
leeted by the Board. The guards and
overseers, of which there are about ten
on each of the five old farms, are to be
selected by Superintendent Smith. The
following were chosen supervisors by
the Board last night:
LEWIS SUMMERILL, of North
ampton county, supervisor of Northamp-
ton farm, at salary of S71.50.
PETER HUGHES, of Alamance, SUI
pervisor of Halifax farm, salary $71.50.
T. e. M'CASKY, of Martin, supervis-
or of Caledonia farm, No. 2, salary
$71.5O.
w. r. DIXON, of Greene, supervisor
of Caledonia farm, No. /, salary $71.50.
J. J. WOOD, of Halifax, supervisor of
Castle Hayne farm, salary S71.50.
r. p. RHEINHART, of Catawba SUI
pervisor of Arson farm, salary S71.50.
After electing the above officers the
Board passed a resolution saying that
it was the sense of the Board that the
Democrats now in the service of the pen
1lculldIS ItpldNCu ny Competent
Populists and Republicans as soon as it
can possibly be done without detriment
to the service.
This simply means that Capt. Smith
is instructed to get rid of all Democratic
officers on September /, and earlier if
possible.
1t seems that the Rev.Dr. T. w. Babb,
who wanted to be chaplain of the peni-
faO+iopu harn b11f W. 4IIrpo1 down OF
the last minute on account of the News
and Observers exposure Of him, now
wants to be chaplain on one Of the
farms. Indeed he has recently been of
floating in that capacity. The matter
was brought to the attention of the
Board and it was the unanimous senti-
ment of that body that the Rev. DIR.
Babb was not the proper person to pray
for the convicts: that his services were
not desired in the capacity of chaplain
and that the superintendent be requested
to dismiss him at once
MAY IMPEACH SMITH.
Another man who wanted an office
hut failed to get it was Mr. J. G. T.
Harris. He wanted to be made attor-
ney to the Board at a salary of $500.
The Board hasn't yet been able to see
its way clear to creating a new office for
a man who already has a score or more
of places, and an influential member Of
the Board tells me that they will never
do so.
The displaced Democrats are Super
vsors McIver, of Caledonia farm, No.
2; Rhem, of the Northampton farm:
Bradshaw, of Halifax farm, and about
fifty overseers and guards. Clerk Ber-
nard and Warden Ledbetter will also
go out September list. Their successors
were elected at a former meeting: F.
A. Winbish. of Granville, succeeds Ber-
nard and Tom Russell, brother of the
Governor, succeeds Ledbetter.
Before going into the wholesale pie
A 4