The news & observer., 1898-09-20
THEY SWEAR TO SPLIT IT
NEGROES CALL ON DOCKERY AT
HIS HOTEL AND CONFAB.
P0PUusT COUNTY CONVENTION MEETS
Ohio Puts on the Screws and Puts The Fat in
The Fire by Virtually Saying the Pops
Brought About Negroism,

D'ouSHt Hpout NeSfoiSIl'
Smithfield, n. c., Sept. 17-(SpeciaI.) y
Last night the young Richmond County
candidate for solicitor of the Fourth
district, accompanied by the Gideonite
Sotho reached the old town of Smith
field. The secret of their coming was
that the Populists hold their County con
yention to-day. Young Dockery is quite
handsome young man, rather gushing
and somewhat excessive in suayity, but
with proper environments might become,
etc. etc.
This is the first visit the Gideon has
made this county since he was down
here organizing Gideon's Bands.
He has changed so much that even
those whom he initiated into his secret
society. had to be re-introduced to him.
All of that sanctified superintendent of
Sunday school" look which he then had
has departed. He no longer has 'the
look of heaven upon his countcnance,
which limners gave the beloved disciple" :"
Alas. for the terrible effects of evil as
sociations.
The coming of these men had been
announced but no one met them. They
went to the hotel, and after supper took
seats on the front porch. In a few min
utes z. II. Massey and Joe Langston
sauntered in as if by accident, and after
how'd ye-ing sidled off in the corner of the
porch where the creeping vines and morn
ing glories shadowed them from the
the street lamp and held confab with
Dockery.
The Gideon held aloof as if to say:
''Dockery, old boy. those are your chums,
it must not be forgotten that | am a
Popuist."
In a few minutes other visitors ap-
peared. Charlie Hodges Henry Smith
and three other negroes came up ON the
opposite end of the porch Charlie
Hodges says: .'Is Mr.. Dockery here, !"
Dockery says. Yes" and Charlie says:
"Well, Mr.. Dockery, here is some gem
tlemuns wants. to see you" Dockery
leaves his two white supporters and
passes over to the other end of the porch
and holds a whispered consultation with
his five sable supporters. What
study then was the face of Gideon. 1T
said as plain us plain can be: "Dockery
honey | am sorry for you, but this is
your part of the menagerie. You'll have
to bear this cross alone. 1t if was off IN
some nigger school house in the dark,
/ could play ring-master to your clown
and beat you two in the game; but here
On the frent steps of this hotel, please
excuse me, old boy, and remember |
came here to hoodwink the Populists to-
morrow and make them believe that all
this talk about Niger uppishness and
niger domination is a mere Democratic
bugaboo."
Well, after Dockery's seven support
ers. two white and five colored, retired,
he and Gideon announced that they were
tired and sleepy. and went to their room
same room. What strange bedfellows
doth fusion make. After retiring to their
room then they proceeded to discuss the
business which brought them here.
Gideon says, "Dockery, ! will have the
Popuists to call on you for a speech to-
morrow, and you must put on the
screws. You must probe deep. This
Johnston county str lnghold of Democ-
racy must be busted"
Dockery says: I'm not a Populist,
ard / don't know what sort of speech
to make to Populists."
"Never mind, sonny, says Gideon, let
the old 'monkeywrench' give you few
pointers. He's able TO adjust himself to
any kind or any size nut"
He then proceeded to outline what he
thought would be a suitable speech for
a Republican to make to POpuliSts, tell
ing Dockery he must be very gentle ard
persuasive that he must moderate his
voice so that it would be as soft and
mellihuous as the falling dew or the
notes Of the Eolian harp. This seemed
to give young Dockery an inspiration,
and he sprung up i'll bed and said:
"By -. | will do it, and it will
bust this I'D Johnston county busi-
ness into hell splithereens, and, Wilson.
if you'll help me through with it, ID
if you shant go to Congress from the
Fourth district two years from now"
The balance of the conversation is
shut mp in our phonograph for future
use. Dockery and Gideon viii remem-
ber what is given here, and they will
also remember the balance.
Well, the Populist convention came on.
There were between 20 and % in at
tendance Over one-third of these were
old line Republicans. Gideon was OH hand
and found he was going to have some
trouble. Tom Massey, the chairman,
was with him, and so were the Repub-
licans. but the Popuists kicked. Gideon
1OIDU IIldI liz bidile5S AiANlil W.
less he could get them in secret conclaye,
and as there was no place where he
could hold secret meeting, he took
them down on the river bank and went
TO work. lie pleaded, urged and beg
ged but with little effect He then got
out his monkey-wrench and called on
Tom Massey and the Republicans 10
help hold them, which he adjusted the
wrench to fit the individual nuts as ne
came to them. There were some OF
them that he couldn't turn, but finally
by wringing and twisting and screwlng
and sweating, he got enough turned 10
secure an endorsement Of Dockery
for solicitor. Oh. wonderful days work.
Oh. wonderful Gideon. Aladdins lamp
is no where when compared to thy
monkey-wrench.
The county ticket is arranged on the
river bank, then a return to the court
house and the form of making nomina-
tions is gone through with.
There is n call for Dockery. The
Gideon looks on with the same solicitude
that a mother does when her boy makes
his first defamation at school. He
SpnIoad IN ba uoudarinor vt,hotbop he