The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-23

~ ~
Inlimiaauon On Election nay II
Was SupPenaed u Appear Before
Grand Jury bas His ssory Wassnl
satisfactory, 90 Bernard DIa,ns Send
| Him Before It Bunting WlreA q
Know IT the Grand Jury Had Bees
Discharged
(Raleigh Post, Dec. Is. 1881
The grand jury Of the federal cour,
was discharged yesterday afternoon.
| The discharge was made with a string
tied Il it.
II Attorney General Griggs persists
in his desire to have indictments made
| against Wilmingtonians and determines
to send Assistant Attorney General
Boyd here to conduct the prosecutions
then the grand jury will be reconvened
This is the understanding by which the
jury was discharged.
F. w. Foster, Esq, one Of the lead
| ing republicans Of Wilmington, came
here yesterday in response to a SUBJ
poena issued at the instance Of District
Attorney Bernard. He was interviewed
for IN hour by Mr.. Bernard, but his
testimony was not satisfactory to that
officer, so he was not sent before the
grand jury.
r. H. Bunting, Of negro wife fame,
the United States commissioner, who
was banished from Wilmington, tele-
graphed the district attorney from
Washington on Friday to ascertain
when the grand jury would be dis
charged. He left the impression in his
telegram that he desired to appear be-
fore the jury
A telegram in reply was sent to Bun
ting yesterday morning by Assistant
District Attorney Spears, informing him
that the grand jury would be discharg-
ed during the day. Nothing further was
heard from Griggs, Bunting or the lat
ter's negro wife.
MIR. FOSTERS PRESSING BUSI-
NESS"
The arrival of Mr.. F. w. Foster, Of
Wilmington, in the city in response to
a subpoena to appear before the grand
jury was not generally known 1t did
not surprise those who were on the in
side, however. Mr.. Foster is a we'll
known republican and a leading citizen
of Wilmington. The district attorney
/ thought he had big game and that he
would get enough foldera and poppy
cock to satisfy the Unsuitable Griggs,
but therein he erred.
Mr.. Foster received a telegram from
District Attorney Bernard on the 14th
instant, informing him that he twas
wanted here at once as a witness in
the United States court" The reply
that little Claude received was, "Busi-
ness pressing. I can't come"
But little Claude had been prodded
| with hot irons by Griggs, so he deter
| mined to loose no time in getting Mr..
| Foster or some other witness here to
| testify in behalf Of Bunting. Accord.
| ingly a subpoena was sent to Will
| mington and served on Mr.. Foster yes
terday. That gentleman Immediately
| started on the first train and reached
| here yesterday. He vas closeted with
| the district attorney for an hour or
more, but did not go before the grand
| jury.
/ BERNARD WANTED NAMES.
Last night a representative of The
Post sought Mr.. Foster at the Marlboro
where he is stopping. He kindly con-
sented to an interview and talked free
ly about his conference with District
| Attorney Bernard.
Yes, I came in compliance to a
/ subpoena served on me to appea be-
| fore the grand jury" Mr.. Foster said
to The Post man, when questioned or
| that point.
II met District Attorney Bernard al
L HIS O1llCO, TIC COIlll1lucO, liz was III
| terrogated by him for an hour or more
with a view of sending me before the
grand jury.
What was the nature Of the ques-
tons the district attorney put tc
you?" Mr.. Foster was asked.
"Well, he asked me to cite special in.
stances of intimidation the day of the
election and the days Immediately fol.
lowing the election. He also requested
l ma To oivo names of qnU norfioc whnn
I knew were guilty of intimidation.
told him that I did not know of any
intimidation during the election. More
than that, I informed him that
never heard Of an insult offered or al
unpleasant word spoken during tn
day Of the election. The day the kill.
ing occurred, I was frequently to ant
from my home and to my factory
which is centrally located in the city
I heard the firing of guns but nevel
saw any disorder or anything of thu
riot. / never witnessed any disturb
nee whatever during the day and
moved about freely. The Fore & Eos
ter Planning Mill and Sash and Blint
Company employ about forty Whit
men n about twenty colored. Thi4
force worked most of the day withOu
interruption. Late in the afternoon the,
wanted to get off and 1 let them go.
gave Mr.. Bernard all these facts"
SAW NO DISTURBANCE.
THE district attorney asked me i
I saw any disturbance at the polls.
told him I did not"
He wanted to know if I saw any on
evicted from the city. I informed hin
that the first / learned of it, I read il
the newspapers"
Mr.. Foster was asked if he wen be
fore the jury.
"No, 1 did not. The district attor
ney told me that it was not necessar.
for me to go before the jury with tn
evidence which / gave"
I asked Mr.. Foster about Unite
States Commissioner Bunting and hi
social standing in Wilmington.
L am sorry" he said, that I can
say something more favorable to hir
than what I have read in you paper
1 don't know where he went when h
left Wilmington or where he is today
I understand that he asked protectio