The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-12
HOW OLLIE GOT It
Had to Endorse Daniel l..
and Joe Braam.
A POSSIBLE
CORRESPONDENCE
NO WORSE TO WRITE "DEAR
JOE" THAN TO AFFILIATE
WITH NEGROES.
OLIVER H., JR. VERSUS OLIVER H., SR.
The Old Man Scid Russell Cheated him Out Of
The Nomination and that he Had More
Brains in his Belly than in
his Head.

For some time it has been an open
question that Oliver III. Dockcry, Jr. who
holds down Il $1,000 desk in the revenue
office. desired the nomination for soi-
citor in the Fourth district. Nobody
else would have it and Young Dockery
seemed to have an open field for annihi-
lation.
There was one thing in his way. Joe,
Braam (col.), the Governors third as
sistant private secretary or messenger,
was the head of the Wake county dele
cation. and his support was necessary
to secure the nomination. Now Joe Is
regarded as, next to Loge Harris ana
Jim Young, the pet of the Governor, and
trusted lieutenant of His CussedncsS.
There was an old feud between Dockery
and Russell. 1t was partially patched
up when Cladius was made chairman
of the penitentiary scandal breeding de-
partment. but the breach widened when
Russell and o. I'll. Jr., had Il row Owe,
the matters growing out of the rape of
the white lady in Rockingham by Dock
ery's client. Evans. Dockery felt that
the Governor reflected upon his integrity
and there was much bitter feeling.
Having this feud in mind and know
ing that Joe Braam entered fully into
all the Governors feelings. Dockery SCI
about to conciliate Joe and obtain his
support How could it be done? Joe is
a very good friend and loyal supporter,
and Dockery knew from the first than
unless he would endorse everything done
by Russell from cussing out the negro
Howe to foisting John II. Smith on the
Agricultural Department, he could not
get Joe's support. 1t was a long time
before he could summon courage to swal
low it all, but finally the hope of getting
the office was too much for him and so
he probably sat down to write to Joe for
his support thus, if his action in the
convention may be taken as the basis
for an inference:
Hon. Joe Braam, Executive Mansion,
Raleigh, n. c.:
Dear joel am a candidate for solici-
tor in the Fourth district, and write to
solicit your support. 1t may be that you
do not know / am a resident of your
district, and / inform you that | have
elected this as my residence. There are
so many of us Dockeries in the Sixth
district wanting office that | have deci-
ded to cast my lot with such patriots as
yourself, Jim Young Pat Massey, e. II.
Hagans and others of the Fourth. | want
to run for solicitor. and 1 want to run
bad. Now. dear Joe, cannot / depend on
you to help me?
Sincerely,
OLLIE.
The reply to Olie's request / have not
seen, but / guess it was somewhat
after this order:
Executive Mansion,
n III Rnfa i,vh n
Internal Revenue Bureaus:
Dear Ollie:-Your favor to hand. II
will nominate you for solicitor if you will
endorse our administration. Me and
Daniel l.. are determined not to give
our support unless we are fully endorsed
for everything we have thought. done or
said, including the cuss words which
Rev. Baylus says he does not hear.
Yours conditionally,
The logical reply would have been
something like this:
Internal Revenue Bureau, Raleigh, n. G..
Hon. Joe Braam, Executive Mansion.
Raleigh, n. c.
Dear joel thank you for your tender
of support, and ] pledge myself to endorse
fully and without reservation everything
you and Daniel l.. have done, thought
or said. If there is anything else you
would like me to do. please advise mt
and l am, Yours to command,
OLLIE.
If this correspondence was not con
Quoted in this strain the confabs be-
tween Joe and Ollie in the convention
and the subsequent proceedings show
that Ollie not only swallowed all that
Daniel l.. and Joe Braam have done.
but he actually, after eating the dirt,
stood up in the Wake county court
house, and swore that he loved it!
/ confess | was rather surprised AT
Dockery's euogy Of Russell and the
State administration until | learned of
Joe Braam's fine work for ME and
Daniel L." In his speech in the con
vention accepting the nomination, Dock
cry said:
'.The Democrats expect Republicans to
run away from the State administration.
They think we are afraid or what 1T has
done. l am going to plant my number
tens and say i am going 10 defend this
State administration loud applause ~,
Joe Braam and others.) The Governor
has his faults as big as his body. but
there is not but one man in the State
who has ever said he was dishonorablc,
and that was a man in the Sixth dis
trict few days ago 1t compares favor
ably with any other State administration
Joe Braam appauds vociferously)
What more can "A Governor do than re-
move man whom he mas appointed
when he is found unworthy? We can de-
fend this State administration from top
to bottom"
AS I heard this eillOgy of the disgrace
full. dishonest. scandalous and indecent
administration that Russell and his gang
have put upon the State. my mind went
back to the talk of the Dockerys in
May and June, 1896. when they were
all swearing that Russell had stolen the
nomination. and was quite as bad as he
has turned ont and I called To mind