The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-20

Scrlptl0n, even Wille peddler
! was taken before Matte to be ident;
fed. For various reasons they were all
discharged as not filling the description
During all of this excitement John
Evans was walking unconcernedly abont
the streets, and Was actually in tho
mayors office when several of the sus-
pected men were arrested and carried
before Matte Cole. Nobody arresteJ
John, because they were hooking for
yellow men with light muStache." John
Evans stayed about town until noon
trying to get work as Il brick Mason
and other employment, and then Went
leisurcly to his home in the country
where he was arrested nearly a wcel; In,
ter.
After every negro in town who an
swered the description had been arrest
cd and carried before Miss Cole, Susni
ci0n began to fall on a negro banjo
picker-an idle mulattO, who had been
frequently seen about town and knew
the habits of these girls about going 10
the factory. He answered the descrip-
ton to perfection, and was found and
arrested in MaXton, and brought by n
special train to Rockingham under mill
tary guard. Another yellow negro with
light mustache" was arrested in Monroe.
and was carried with the banjo pick
err before Matte Cole who said
that the "banjO-pickcr' looked like the
man. She told Major Cook, of Iamin-
burg, and others thHt she thought the
"Banjo-picker'' was the right one, and
that she would identify him positively
the next morning He was carried he
fnt hnTs
sent to Jail in Wilmington where he
was kept for several days even after
John Evans arrest.
The next one arrested was Ball AL
len, bad white man, who was seen
running out of the woods just after
the girls screamed. He was sent to
Jail in kaleigh, and kept there for seve-
ral days. Then followed Evans arrest,
and the rather unusual circumstances
attending his identification. He was
brought on the train to Rockingham.
and taken into the depot hand-cuffed
and tied between two policemen, before.
Matte Cole, who said That's the man.
John said mo, | aint," and was then
hurried back on the train and brought
on Raleigh.
Now, sir, / have gone somewhat length
lily into the circumstances surrounding
the identification, because on that point
hinges the weakness of this case. Mat
tie Cole is doubtless sincere in her be-
lief that John Evans is the fiend who
assaulted her sister. But young girl
thirteen years old, mt that time Of day
frightened as She was, is too liable to
be mistaken, especially as to negroes,
who look so much alike. But subse-
quent facts clearly proved that Matte
never was certain and positive as to
her idea of the man. For if she ever
said it was "a yellow man with light
or if for one moment, she
ever thought the "BanjO-picker" was
the right man--(who is an Octar0On of
the most pronounced typeD-and then
to identify John Evans. who is a gen.
uine Negro. black. slick and without
trace of MIXED blood in nina distinctly
face, broad, shriveed and
dished out: a nose. low, thick and fiat;-
lips, that stick ont prominently, and on
which there is scarcely visible a darken
streak 10 answer. for IL 'muStache." She
is simply mistaken and unable TO tell
who the man is.
One would hardly like to see n human
life taken on such incomplete testi-
mony.
Now, brieny as to the alibi, set up and
established by Evans. As said before,
if it had been amy other crime than
rape, tihis aIrDi testimony Of the defend
ant would have been of itself cOnclu-
sive and perfect as showing his innO-
ccnce. He slept the night before III nj
room in "a livery stable with four other
negro boys, some of whom saw him at
all times that night. and until eight
O clock the next morning. when he went
to the mayors office, and looked on in
mute wonder at the arrest of men for /
il crime for which he now stands senten-
ccd To he hung. But no did not have 10
depend entirely on the testimony Of his
negro COMPANIONS TO substantiatc his
alibi. He was seen by Mr.. Jas. NJ. Wat
son, a white man of 1inimpeached char |
acter, az he (Eyans) waS getting up and
putting on his shoes at six o'clock, while
the ASSAULT was committed ten minutes
before six--half mile away. On amy other
murder. That Testimony |
alone wOlI.d have acquitted John Evans. |
Now. sir, have given you my opinion.
somewhat lcngthily about this natter. 1
believe Evans is an innocent man, who
happened 10 stop in Rockingham the
night Of this crime, and by q fatcful /
of circumstances. has been
made the victim of some local iicnd's