The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-28
"CROWD THEM TO THE WALL"
RUSSFLL'S MOTTO IN HIS FIGHT
AGAINST THE SOUTHERN
To Force q Higher Rental for the North
Carolina Raiiroad-Hancoek'sL Letter of
DefeDse-Reports from Counties on
School Children and Public School At
tendance-Russeil will Not Apologize to
DIR. Abbott-Death OF Dr.. T. s. Motto.
Freight Rate Reduction
Especial to The Messenger.)

Freight Rate Reduction
Especial to The Messenger.)
Raleigh, n. c., January 26.-Leading
republicans say here tonight that
Governor Russell's plan is to try to so
crowd the Southern railway as to
make it pay more, say or per cent,
fer the North Carolina railway lease,
and use this for political capital; that
the governor was heard today telling
two of his lawyers: we must crowd
them to the Wall.''
The trustees of the university Will
meet tomorrow and President Alder
man VIII make a report emibod yfng
some new features.
This afternoon Hancock's long ex-
pected letter in defense was received
by the governor. 1t was seq,it to coun-
sci here who gave it to the governor.
1t denies any improper relations with
Miss Abbott or that any threats were
ever made and says that SO far as
Hancock knows she is an absolutely
virtuous woman. His letter is a
bott is 19 years old and never lived in
his house until last October. That she
was housekeeper until soon after
Christmas, when, after repeated re-
quests to discontinue certain Cbjec-
tionable associations, he asked her to
go to her mothers nome; that she
showed temper, and that the suit
charging seduction was soon brought;
that her mothers advisers i'm this mat
ter are HancOck'S political enemies;
that the dropping of Miss Abbott's sis
ter as teacher in New Bern's public
schools has nothing ITO do with this
matter; that. no threat or effCr-t was
made to have Miss AbbOtt's fathers
name stricken from the pay rolls of
the government.
DR.. Thomas S. Motto, nephew of DIR.
J. j. Motto, died here today at the in
sane asylum at which he had been an
assistant physician for a year. For
two years previous he had been as
sistant physician ait the western hos
pital ait Morganton. He was only 26
years old. Consumption caused death,
which was due ito hemorrhage. The
body was taken to Statesville this eve
ming.
"A newspaper man asked the govern
or today if he intended to apologize to
DIR. Abbott and he replied: I'll apolO-
gze to Perrepont Morgan before 1 will
to anybody else" He says Abbott de-
served that statement he made about
him.
Mrs. E. A. Dickson, formerly of
Wilmington, died here today at the
home of her niece, Mrs. w. w. Rob
bins
Senator Butler demands reduction Of
freight rates. The railway commission
will probably reduce them.
Among the arrivals are Republican
State Chairman HoltOn, E. l.. Whar-
ton, Greensboro; w. E. Kyle, Fayette-
willie; Thomas McBee, Salisbury.
Wheeler Martin is here and says he
can have the Third district solicitor
ship If he wants 1T, but he does not
know whether he wants it or not. The
have it.
The report on school children and
public school attendance was COM
pleted today, as far as can be COM
pleted, as twelve counties refuse to re-
port, this being the same number as in
State superintendent Scarborough s
last report. The figures in hand say
there are, omiting the twelve counties,
412, 143 white and 211,519 colored chill
dren between the school ages of and
q years and that the public school en-
rollment is respectively 222, ,252, and
131, 404. The report is up to July 1st
last.