Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-30
THE RALEIGH PEOPLE SURPRISED
Not Pleased with Presidents A.
tion--Cnsc of John Evans.

RALEIGH. n. c.. March 29-(SpeclsD
The almost universal comment here an
the part of officials and Of the general
public as regards the President acre
and recommendations concerning fb.
Cuban crisis is most uncomplimentary 10
him. The harshest expressions are used
mingled with surprise at his course
The appeal Of the Bell Telephone Com.
pany against the reduction Of rates by
the Railway Commission will be- heard
before Iredell County Superior Court
A Federal prisoner from Georgia ar.
rived at the penitentiary to-day.
The Council OF State to-day took m
the matter of the life or death OF John
Evans. the negro convicted OF criminal
assault at Rockingham. J. A. sImms
who was sent by the Council 10 talk with
two negroes who were I'm Jail with Evans
at Rockingham, says he talked with John
Hines and Jim Peterkin, and that they
said they heard Evanss counsel tell him
in his cell not to tell certain things. that
il he did he would surely be hanged. this
advice being after Evans had made the
statement that on the evening o.. the
outrage he had gone TO see his sister.
and passed by the place where IL 0c.
Cured. Evanss counsel arrived here o..
day with afiidavits for the Council q
State. One was from John Hines. who
SAYS he was In jail when oliver Dockey
talked with Evans; that he and PetcrNn
we're in a cell together on the opposite
side OF the Jail; that he did not he's oh
word of what Evans said; that later
PeterkIn asked what Dockery had said
about Evans getting his neck broken.
that Peterxin Is an ex-convict, and that
he would not believe him on oath. ami
that he so told Mr.. Simms. ID. B.
Brown. another prisoner, says hG was in
the cell with Evans; that he heard Evans
swear 10 Mr. Dockery that he did not
take breakfast with his sister that
morning. and say he did not know where
she was staying; that Mr.. Dockery said
he would not touch the case unless
Evans was innocent, and that Evans
swore he had not seen his sister since
August. .
LIVELY TINE IN COUNCIL
Several affidavits as TO the good char
acter of those making aliidayits were also
filed. A transcript Of the record Of Rich
mond county was hled. showing that
Peterkin. one Of the negroes, who made
the charges against Dockery, was sent
IN the penitentiary for larceny, was ln
iai for assault with a deadly weapon
and Is now wanted in South Carolina Tor
burglary. The report OF j. a. Slmms
was read TO the Council OF state ana
the above affidavits, together win Two
others from Claudius and q. II. D0ekefl'
making emphatic denials OF the Whoe
story. were considered. The Counclls
session lasted three hours. Ihere was
a lively scene between Oliver DocKefy
and Governor Russell. Dockery SAID
Simms had been sent 70 get inc evidence
because he was bitter towards negroes
The Governor spoke quite SHARPLY o
this, and DOckery replied IN klha. Ihe
Governor requested members OF the NoIN-
ell 10 say nothing TO any one 'eie-
gram announcing the result was Sent 20
Rockingham. and IL was announced that
tho result would only be given out from
there. But il was quickly made clear
that the decision was unfayoraole 20
Evans. and that the latter Will be nansel
next Friday. This appears 10 emo one
NJ the most interesting casa on record
IN North Carolina. Governor husseA
had twice said, within six days past
that Evans would be hanged.
State-Auditor Aver. who was IN 40
Populist State chairman, has letters
from Congressman Pearson, dated 10 Az
gust of that year, saying he was un-
alterably opposed to the single go1
standard. In a letter 10 Congressman
Martin Pearson said: am squarey
against the gold standard and q warm
friend OF blmetallism."
The much-talked-of suits by the state
against officials Of the Southern railway
and the Seaboard Airline for ISSUING
free passes last year were disposed OF
in the Superior Court here this evening.
II was decided by the Judge that the
statute had not been violated. The JlI5
returned an agreed verdict.