The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-19
EXPERIMENT THAT FAILED
RUSSELL APPOINTED NEGRO
POLITICIANS AS POLITICAL
ENDS
AN ACCOUNT OF THEIR LAWLESsNESS
Outrageous Conduct on the Part of Negro
Troops at Fort Macon White Men
Must Defend Their Homes.
(Morehead City pilot.)

The negro soldiers at Fort Macon
camp within the past week have given
unmistakable evidence of Il disposition to
involve the white people of this city i'll Il
riot, and but for the calm discretion Of
the civil authorities of this community
their insolence and disordcrly conduct
would have precipitated Il conflict on
more than enc occasion. They have been
allowed all the privileges of ciyilians-to
roam at large all over this city i'll squads
of five to twenty, unaccompanied by any
commissioned officer, to drink liquor.
quarrel and fight among themselves and
with others; to remain away from the
camp over nights revtling Ill places oil
disrepute outside of the city limits; TO
travel back and forth on railroad trans.
Indeed they don't seem to have been I'M
der any military discipline during the
past two weeks. They have been allow
ed to go where they pleased and to do
as they might please. while the colonel
in command, James Ii. Young, was off
in Raleigh and elsewhere attending poll
teal meetings.
The people of this town have forborne
to make any complaint of the conduct of
the soldiers, and have suffered some IN
dignitieS at their hands, and even i'll the
interest of peace, the civil authorities
have allowed to pass apparently un-
noticed conduct for which citizen of the
community would have been arrested and
punished. Forbearance. however. ceased
TO be virtue to restrain the civil au-
thorities on Saturday last when one
Green Carter of Company 4, came into
town full of blockade corn liquor and at
tempted to paint the town red" lie
was promptly arrested and carried 10
1.-THE lookup and imprisoned. Soon
thereafter another big blue-coated burly
member of the same company concluded
to clean out the town" He was seized
by policeman, but being much
stronger man physically, succeeded in
wrestling himself away from the young
officer and made his escape to the Fort
During the excitement down town. some
person went to the guard house. knocked
off the door and lock and liberated Car
ter and he escaped to the Fort.
Upon being informed of the escape of
the prisoner. Mayor Wallace sent the
city marshal and a depdtation of two
or three assistants across the sound 10
the camp and requested Col. Young to
surrender the soldier into their hands
for trial. This request was complied
with and Green Carter was brought
back and tried. He was convicted and
sentenced To pay Il fine of $40 or 20 to
Jail for 60 days.
During the interview Charles Shep-
herd, of Morehead, accused of assisting
the other soldier, fwho bore the name
of Abernethy). to escape. was arrested
and tried. lie was also convicted and
sentenced to pay fine of $50 or 90 to
jail for so days. Not being able to
pay the fine, the marshal was instructed
10 take Green over to Jail. and on the
way to stop at the camp and give the
officials at the camp the option of paying
his fine for him. On the arrival of the
party ut the camp, they were surrounded
by several hundred negroes, and it was
evident that they intended to rescue their
negro comrade and mob the officers
The latter, therefore, on the advice If
Col. Young-who said he would have
them adequately punished-turned the
condemned man over to the military au-
thorities
Such advice as that given by Young
was evidence that he had no power avail
able to control the angry, resentful. saw
age mob under his command 1t was
confession Of his weakness and an en-
dorsement of their lawessness If he had
any disposition to prevent trouble be-
tween the men under his command. he
would not allow them to come over here
by scores, by fifties, and until one or two
hundred were marching up and down the
principal streets of the city, insolently
defyIng the authority of our city govern
ment, and insulting our citizens by their
lmpudence and offensive language and
conduct. Col. Young should allow no
squad of men to leave the camp unac-
companied by commissioned officer.
ana under no circumstances should they
he allowed to loiter around the town
and drink whiskey They are becoming
an intolerable nuisance. and if not re-
strained will cause much trouble in this
locality.
TWO MORE OUTRAGES.
On Saturday night white gentleman
of this town OH his way home was ac-
costed by a negro man in regulation uni
form and was forced ut the muzzle of a
pistol to pilot the negro towards thu
house of a certain colored woman. The
gentleman misled the solsier and when
in frnot of his uncle'S residence said TO
the negro "Here is the place." and rap
ped on the door. His uncle opened the
door and the gentleman Selling the op-
portunlty to escape from the negro
sprang inside and# slammed the door
in the soldiers face The negro seated
himself on the piazza and remained
there for some time and then left. The
night being exceedingly dark and
stormy the old gentleman Of the house.
while he knew the negro was on the
piazza, was discreet enough not to ven
ture outside to attempt To arrest him.
Worse still. On Monday morning
about : o'clock a lady, the wife of a