The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-05
MUST TAKE A
LOOK At BOOKS
Tax Payers of Wake Will
Turn Out the Court.
House Ring.
FOR THEY'RE UNWORTHY
THAN IL WA TWO YEARS
AGO.
THE NEGROES CONTROL WAKE COUNTY
White Lady Teachers Subject 10 The ndigrity
Of Negro School Committeeman. De-
ception Practiced. The
Fusion Record.


Fusion Record.
Wake county is badly governed by
incompetent and unworthy men.
Its affairs are in such condition that
nobody can tell anything about them,
The court house ring made a great boast
some months ago that they had saved
the people eleven thousand dollar in
one year.
Was it true?
Joe Rogers, Register of Deeds, gave
out the information and got the Popu-
list county convention to pass resolu-
tions praising the Fusion county govern
ment for saving that large sum.
Did they save anything, or were the
resolutions adopted by the Populist
county convention based upon an untrue
statement?
Let County Treasurer knight, IN
honest Populst, answer. Here is the
financial condition of Wake county
summed up from letter written by
County Treasurer Knight:
/. That the disbursements of Wake
county for December 1, 1896, to De-
cember i, 1897, amounted to 1890. 7a
and not $27 ,S34.S6, as stated by Regis
ter of Deeds j. j. Rogers.
2. That none of the county debt has
been paid except 5000 paid for building
bridges.
5. That the Fusion board has increas.
ed the county debt $4,000, borrowed
from the Commercial and Farmers
Bank.
4. That the county treasury is now
out Of money.
5. That the jury tickets for the last
term of court have not been paid.
6. That "only a few poor orders to
outside poor" have been paid and these
dependents on the county cannot re-
ceive the money due.
z. That Wake county is behind two
months in paying the expenses of the
work house and poor house.
8. That there are outstanding unpaid
county orders to about 1000 or $1,000.
8. That the costs of the September
term of court have not been paid.
10. That none of the county bonds
have been paid.
These statements show that Wake
county is in the neighborhood of about
$4,000 worse off than when the Fusion
lists took charge of the county's affairs.
But it may be even worse than that.
May the court house ring published that
they had saved 1900; in August the
Populist Hand Book gave the saving at
1,O75.94; and in October the Populist
county treasurer says that the present
ring has converted a full treasury into a
bankrupt one, and it is clear the
county is worse off by about $4,000 than
when the Democrats were in control
1t is because these conflicting state
ments that the Taxpayers say there must
be change so we can take look al
the books" No public officials who
make such unfounded claims and show
such ignorance of county affairs arc
competent to manage the business OF
the biggest and best county in the State
Take the Sheriff's office. Under the
present sheriff it has been no uncom
mon thing for negro deputy to arrest
a white man. The law requires the
sheriff to make full settlement on tn,
first Monday in May. No settlement
was made at the time required by law
In June settlement was made and
the sheriff was allowed in that settle
ment $2,651. 4S for 'funcollected cha rprs
on textbooks" The commissioners had
no right to make an allowance. O,
to give the sheriff time to collect tbo
S2,651.6S. The law is explicit. The
sheriff must settle Sin full" and vet
it was not until some time after the 70.
quired date that the commissioners re.
quired the full settlement.
Lets take look at the books"
Take the office Of clerk of the SD
periOr court. During the campaipn al
1871, Daniel ii. Young, the present in
cumbent, promised the negroes that ht
Wouio appoint negro assistant if the,
would vote for him. The negroes elect
ed him. but months rolled by and n,
negro clerk was named. 1t was not unti
the time approached for re-nominatio,
that Young kept his promise to the ne
groes and made one of them assistan
clerk of the Superior court. Recent,
two young ladies, hardly out of girlhood
who had been witnesses i'm court wer
forced to go before the negro deput,
clerk to make an affidavit or prove thci
attendance. The other clerk under Dal
Young is Geo. l.. Tonnoffski, who re
Gently declared that ''the CONFEDERATE
soldier has played out"
Lets take look at the books"
How about the Register Of Deeds
Office! He was the officer who CAV
out the statement that the Fusion cour
house ring had effected a saving O
SlI,oOO. Was it true? County Treas
urer Knight says it was not. Did Mr.
Rogers know the statement was no
true we have never so charged. III,
may have believed that $1,000 hat
been saved. But
Lets take look at the books"
What about the county attorney. J. G
l.. Harris! He holds several office,
and is running for the Legislature. +