The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-03
MEWBORNE'S FALSE FIGURES--THE CAS-.
TIE HAYkE FARM.


borne's so-caled answer to Mr.. Sim
mons in which he declined to give an,
correct information about the peniten
tiary. but gave mass of billingsgate ano
misinformation, this paper stated that
it would from time to time show up the
Misrepresentation contained in Tho
screed which Mewborne signed.
We exposed the mistakes about the
Arson farm in Il former article. The
facts with reference to the Castle Hayn6
farm disprove every statement made by
Mewborne. The Castle Hayne farm was
rented in 1890 while the late Colone
Paul +. Faison was superintendent, ano
was rented continuously from 1890 tC
January, 1897. The farm was rented
at $500 for 600 acres. During this pc
Rod the phosphate mine was worked also
by the penitentiary for so much per cubic
yard or so much per ton. During the
last four years the profits on the entire
Castle Haync business, both farming
and mining, were $40, 524, and if the un
collected notes 1.-TWO of them amounting
to about $4,000, instead Of $4,000 rs
stated by Mewborne, and these secured
by colIaterals which carried Il mortgage
on the whole property had never real
lied anything, there was nevertheless
a clear profit i'll the four years opera
tons of $4,000 or $1,000. Why didn't
Mr.. Mewborne give these facts instead
of the fakes he trotted out?
The earnings of hired labor there for
four years were near $4,000, and fully
so per cent of this was collected i'll cash,
and that from an insolvent company,
enough as shown above to make Il nice
profit of $4,000 to $1,000 on the bust
ness. Wasn't that pretty good financier-
ing with an insolyent concern?
The Democratic administration had
entered suit and same was pending in
the Superior Court of Wake county to
foreclose the mortgage and sell the Cas-
tie Haync property to satisfy the peni-
Tertiary claims. when the John Il. Smith
crowd came in. The Democrats had re-
fused to renew the contract for the year
1897 with the Phosphate Company be-
cause it was irsolvent. and the pending
suit would necessarily close it out of
business. But so soon as the Fusionists
entered into power they proceeded at
once, in full knowledge Of these facts
as to the Phosphate Company above
put convicts there at once. In course of
time, the property is sold by order of
court. is bid in by the Fusionist Board
of Penitentiary directors for $4,000.
Then, after a time, this bid is forfeited,
the property is sold again and bid in
for $1,000 by Mr.. Chadbourn, who had
been appointed a director of the peni-
tertiary by Russell, and by Chadbourn
and his associates leased to the peniten-
tiary, nobody can say at what price.
Mewborne. doesn't seem to know, his
Board say they don't know, and nobody
seems to be allowed to know.
When the Phosphate company failed,
there was quantity of mined phosphate
on hand that had not been sold. This
phosphate was used on the lands leased
by the State and part of it was sold.
Hear the sequel The Chadbourn Com
pany claims that the phosphate so used
and sold was worth $4,000, and has pro-
posed that if the State will waive its
right to its proportionate part of $4,000,
the sum which the property brought, it
will surrender its claim against the State
for the $4,000 worth of phosphate used
and sold. That proposition is now pend
ing before the Penitentiary directors.
If Mr.. Chadbourn is right land Russell
and Mewborne will probably agree with
HIM instead of the States losing $4,000
by the phosphate works, the loss is very
little. and the net profit Of the Castle
Hayne operations during Mr.. LeaZar's
term aggregated more than $4,000.
Mr.. Mewborne ought to learn from this
that it is unsafe to sign papers written
for him by a man who has more malice
than correct information.
Lieutenant Julius G. Ord, Sixth In