The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-24
FRUITS OF FUSION
There Has Been a General
Increase of Crime in
BERTHE County.
NEGROES ARE
MORE ASSERTIVE
AND MANY OF THEM SEEM TO
THINK THEY ARE AT LIB
ERTY TO COMMIT CRIME.
EIGHT NEGRO POST MASTERS IN COUNTY
One Assistant Convicted of Robbing the Mails
Negro Magistrate Plead Guilty Of Stealing
His Mortgaged Crop Another Me-
gro MAGISTRATE Skipped County.

The following letter giving in detail
the condition of affairs in BERTHE county
has been received at Democratic Head
quarters:
There was complete fusion in this,
BERTHE county between the Populist and
Republicans in the last election and
they elected every man on their ticket.
The following represents the number
of negroes appointed to office and elect
ed by the people since January 1st, 1895:
BY the Legislature of 1895 five JUS
tees of the Peace. including one for
Windsor. the county seat.
Elected by the people in 1897. eleven
Justices of the Peace. In Merry Hill,
Roxobel and Woodville, there are three
negro Justices. local
Appointed by Governor Russell, one
notary public who is also postmaster at
Lewiston.
Elected by fusion board of commits
sioners. one member of the county board
of education.
Elected by fusion board of education;
eighteen committeeman, two for each
township.
Elected by the people in 1897, three
constables, one coroner.
Appointed by fusion, sheriff. one jailer.
Appointed by the Postmaster General,
eight postmasters, including Windsor.
county seat, and Colerain and Lewiston,
important towns.
SCANDALS IN BERTHE.
Cicero Urquhart. colored. was elected
IA la of NVan1yilla faupcbin M
vember. 1896. In December 1896. was
arrested for stealing seed cotton from
William Hardy. colored. and bound over
to court. At May term. 1897. he was
tried. and owing to Il hung jury, eleven
white men for conviction aid one ne
gro preacher politician for acquittal.
a mstrial was had. During the trial
he fled and forfeited the bond. which was
mortgage on his home. Was captured
in Norfolk. Va. a year afterwards and
at May term. 1898. was tried and con
victed The cotton stolen was worth less
than twenty dollars and under special
act he was sentenced to work on Ber-
tie county farm for one year. He was
the leading Republican in the township.
On Saturday. during court. bnt after the
discharge Of the grand jury Urquhart es
gro and chairman Of the Republican
Executive Committee. He is still at
large.
Armistead Wilson. colored. was elect
ed Justice of the peace in Merry Hill
township in 1896. In 1896 he mortgaged
his crop and disposed Of every dollar of
it. He was indicted for disposing of
mortgaged property with intent to de-
oh nut aln
the fall term, 1887, Superior Court.
Lenber Wynne, colOred. assistant to
the postmistress at Powellville, was
money and was convicted at the fall
term. 1897, of the District Court at
Raleigh 1t was generally thought
that her sister was implicated. AT any
rate she resigned and another negro has
been appointed in her place.
The fusion sheriff of BERTHE is now be-
ing sued for $500, for making false
return on a civil summons. The suit
is brought by leading Republican-Pop-
ulist politician.
NJ. l.. Wood, white man, has been
apponted Deputy Collector. Look on
page 60 Of Tooth North Carolina Re
port. case of Gossler VS.. Wood. and you
VIII Uilu l1ltTF Will IL jury ~ l'Ni tit
county people think Of him. 1t was a
case i'm which Wood, and his crowd swore
positively to one state of facts and Goss-
Ter. a rich Yankee, swore to the CON
trary.
There has been a general increase OF
crime in the county since fusion took
charge The negroes have become more
assertiye and they think they are at
liberty to commit crime.