The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-09-18
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE
FOR THE LEGISLATURE.
TWICE CONVICTED OF
FORGERY. EN- E R S
NOLO CONTENDERE TO
INDIC1 MENT FOR PER-
JURY.

Some twenty years or so ago the I'M
happiest individual in Craven County
was one Isaac III. Smith, negro native
of Jones county, who had just figured as
defendant in a criminal suit for for
gerry, and who had been convicted and
sentenced by Judge Seymour, a Repub-
lican judge, to five years in the peni-
Tertiary. "a
To-day the happiest individual in Cra-
ven County is that same Isaac II.
Smith, who has recently been nominat-
ed by the Republican county convention
of Craven County.
There is a very delightful difference
to Isaac II. in having the nomination
for the Legislature and being sentenced
to the pententiary. There is more al
| lurement along the highway that leads
Ito the halls of the House of Represen-
tatives than there was along the thorny
road that leads to the penitentiary, and
the black banker from Craven has
reason to be little hilarious over this
latest turn of his kaleidoscope. Isaac
III. Smith, the big black mogul of Graz
ven Republicanism, is about as many
years old as Lincoln's famous procla-
nation. He is Il native of Jones county,
and in early life was a slave. After
freedom he went to school and taught
school. He developed very early in his
career a mighty laundering after money,
and this hankering has followed him
during all these wears and has made
him rich. He lives in great style and
runs bank all his own. 1t was this
laundering after Doodle that has got
him into trouble and filled many pages
of court records with criminal and
other proceedings against him.
Emily Tucker, a school teacher of his
own color, was his first accuser Emily
taught school in Jones County. So she
swore in court and out or court, and
Isaac obtained her certificates, collect
ed the money and sailed it down in his
own breeches pockets.
Colonel Lon j. Moore was the solicit4
or at that time, and Judge Seymour, a
Republican, was the Judge presiding.
Emily told the solicitor or Isaac's mis-
deeds. The solicitor drew bill and the
grand jury found true bill. The case
was tried, Isaac being represented by
able counsel. The jury found a ver-
dict of guilty, and Judge Seymour pro-
nounced sentence.
Isaac's counsel took an appeal to the
Supreme Court. The case was argued
in the Supreme Court, this court grant
ing a new trial on the ground that the
court below committed error in allow
ing the solicitor prosecuting for the
i
defendant. The language used by the
solicitor, as quoted by the court, being
about as follows: 1.-THE defendant was
so mean that he was afraid to be tried
in his own county, and therefore had
the case moved" and 1.-The scoundrel
only yesterday wrote me letter, beg
ging me not to prosecute him, and
threatening if / did that he would have
me impeached by the Legislature"
made in the
court below by Solicitor Moore, Smith
got a new trial as will be seen by
reference to Supreme Court report No.
rs, page 306.
He was tried again, this time before
Judge Moore, another Republican
judge He was convicted again upon
| the same evidence, his counsel taking
another appeal. This case was heard in
the Supreme Court, the court granting
another new trial on the ground that
the amount of the order for gcd ,acAe4
| 20 cents of agreeing with the amount
| of the order alluded to la evidence
submitted, the court saying in it's de-
| cision, as of record in Supreme Court
reports, book rs, page 462, as follows:
| "On the trial of an indictment for for
| gerry, charging the defendant with
having forged an order for $60.07, evil
/ dence that the defendant had forged
an order for any other amount was not
j admissible" THE only evidence intro
duced," says the court, related to two
orders-one for $60.00 the other for
| $60.27. Whether this is a discrepancy
in the bill of Indictment or an error IN
the record we don't know, but the
court is bound by the record"
So Smith got another new trial.
Meanwhile, a new prosecuting attor-
ney, Solicitor John Collins, had come
into office IL Craven County, one OF
Smiths own color. The case went back,
but the new solicitor settled it by MOI
pros or otherwise. At any rate, smith
escaped in the Supreme Court both
times on what the lawyers term very
small technicalities.
Smith then began a sort of loan ana
banking business, and they do say that
what he did for the unwary who came
his way in the shape of profits and
charges Was-1 plenty
Randall Station, an honest old color
ed man, was one of his victimg. station
suffered himself to become indebted to
Smith. He paid and paid, but still
Smith demanded more. Finally station
demurred, and Smith sent out and took
charge of his belongings, had them sold
fla