The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-03
A MERE POLITICAL DODGE
THE NEGRO A TOOL IN THE
HANDS OF FUSION MANAGERS.
CAPT. KITCHEN NEV RAT NEGRO'S HOUSE
He is Here and Demands an Investigation
The Object Of the Conspiracy was to
Furnish Pretext for Bringing
Federal Troops into
the State.

the State.
| The people of the whole State were
! outraged yesterday at the news that a
| bench warrant had been issued for Capt.
| W. H. Kitchin and other gentlemen at
| Scotland Neck upon the charge of com
| pelling negro registrar to resign.
Nobody in the State believed the
| charge. Capt. Kitchin, who was at Rox-
boro, wired yesterday that he would
come at once. and the other gentlemen
| are expected to arrive this afternoon.
| Some friends met Capt. Kitchin upon
| the arrival of the Chattanooga spe-
| cial," assuring him that all of Raleigh
| and other decent men We're outraged ut
| the attempt to make political capital by
| trying to smirch the character of hon
| orable and upright gentlemen.
You have heard of the bench war
| rant issued by Judge Montgomery for
your arrest, and the arrest of other gen
tlemen in your county, upon the charge
of forcing the negro Steptoe to resign MS
registrar" was asked Capt Kitchin at
2:30 this morning upon his arrival from
Roxboro.
''Yes, l read of the matter at Roxboro
in the News and Observer this morning.
and made up my mind to take the first
train for Raleigh and to ask for Il hear
ing as soon as could get witnesses
/ from Halifax county. l am now here
for that purpose
Is there any truth in the charge made
by the negro Steptoe against you?" he
was asked.
None whatever" replied Captain
kltchin. Il do not know this negro
Steptoe. ! have never seen him.
never was at his house and do not know
where he lives. And his statement is
| utterly and absolutely false so far as |
am concerned, and l am certain that it
is equally false as to the other gentlemen
named i'll the bench warrant They are
gentlemen of the highest character and
standing in their community
What do you think could have been
the motive of this baseless charge
against you?' he was next asked
1T is manifestly a conspiracy and the
negro is used as mere tool. and the real
| conspirators could have found one hun
dred other negroes who could have been
USED In the same way. for they are
ready tools in the hands of their white
manipulators.'
THE object of the conspiracy is to
| raise Il clamor about intimidation, for
the purpose of furnishing pretext for
bringing Federal troops and perpetuating
frauds in throwing out ballots and re-
fusing to certify the result of the cleo
ton if it shall be found to be against
their party. as it undoubtedly will. 1t is
well known that these conspirators have
for the last three weeks, since their de-
feat at the polls became patent been
engaged in concocting schemes to defeat
the will of the people as expressed at
| the ballot box.
There was never IL more infamous
falsehood and SANDER perpetrated upon
any man for base political purposes than
this attempt to injure my character. and
| the character of the other gentlemen
named in the bench warrant by prefer
ring against us this sanderous and out
rageous charge which has no foundation
| except in the fertile brains of the miser-
able raScaIS who invented if
Il am here to court and demand the
fullest investigation Of this charge and
to ascertain who instigated it to the end
that the Infamous author or authors may
be made to suffer the consequences Of
the SANDER upon my good name and
character
This statement settles it, Not even his
bitterest enemy ever dared to say that
Capt. Ktchn was not the soul of truth.
General Joseph Il. Sanger when ask
cd yesterday by the war investigating
subcommittee why the Quartermaster's
Department could not furnish articles
necessary for supplying the army. said
that the complex system Of furnishing
supplies to the army was at fault. If
there was one department to supply all
wants Of the army. complications could
not arise.
A Frcnchman has been arrested at
Dover, England, for attempting to enter
the big gun turret on the admiralty E,,.
there.