The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-11
INCOMPETENT OFFICIALS
AND AN IGNORANT AND WORTH
LESS POLICE FORCE.
SOME INCIDENTS OF lNS0LENCt
And Other Happenings Undar Negro Domino
ton, House Breaking and Robbery in
Broad Daylight and Other
Misdet DIS.

Wilmington. Aug. 10.-(Staff Cores
pondence. The first thing You observ,
when you land in Wilmington
is Il big burly bluecoated bill
ly" bedecked negro wearing
badge of authority in the shape OF :;
policeman's star and stalking about
with an air of arrogance and insolenct
that disgraees the uniform he wears are
the position he holds.
About the first thing you hear when
you come to mingle with the good PEG
pie of Wilmington is an everlasting lam
basting of the Russell regime thai
placed these ignorant, lnSoient negroes III
authority. and about the first thing you
read in any issue of a Wilmington news
paper is the report of some burglary the
night previous-some robbery or thell
or some other exploit of the black marau-
ders that invest the city. "A white man
if he is white at heart as well rs white
of face can hardly go to Wilmington
and remain two days without seriously
and solemnly considering the municipal
government that has beck thrust upon
it by the despoilers now in power III
North Carolina. and if he waits to
consider the conditions very long or talks
much with the people he VIII
shudder at the outcome of this
attempt to foist upon the good people of
of the largest city in the State and to
maintain permanently reign of ignor-
ance. incompetency and political cor
ruption.
| have just spent three days in this
historic old city. this metropolis of the
lower Cape Fear which mas been the
home for IA hundred years or more OF
many of the best specimens of Anglo
Saxon civilization and / firmly believe
that if those white men in North Caro-
lima. who still have respect or consider
alton or even Il touch of kindly feeling
for their white brethren. Dut who have
strayed away from the white man $ par
ty in the State and by an unholg ALI
ance with the negro party brought
about this state of affairs in the prln-
cipal city of their State-I believe II
these men could spend just a few hours
in Wilmington and see for themselves the
result of this disastrous and almost
inhumane alliance they would swear al
most in their wrath that they would
never again directly or indirectly do any
thing, support or tolerate any political
scheme or combination, that had III II
the possibility of heaping these indig
nations upon the heads of their kith and
kin.
The most serious result of negro dom
nation in Wilmington is the license II
seems to give TO lawlessness of every
kind and character. | was told the
other day by reliable citizens of Will
mington that no less than five burglarles
had been committed i'll that city during
the previous night and | heard within
a few moments after the crime occur
red of a white man being knocked down
and robbed in broad day light by two
negroes. / read in the Wilmington pa
pers the next day of no less than 1oui
house-breakings the night before, max
ing nine burglares within forty-elgh'
hours and not Il single arrest made. Inc
petty offences are innumerable. while
the insolence and arrogance OF Il large
number of negroes is almost intoera-
bic.
| was riding on a street car. Two
ladies and n gentleman waved to the
conductor. He stopped the car and they
came along in decent haste but the in
cdent did not suit a black wench, who
with their companions was on board the
car. She rallied out at the conductor
and the motorman and protested against
stopping the car for the three approach
ing passengers.
Don't you ever ask the car to wait
moment for you?" the conductor
asked.
Nit she replied. with the most ar
rogant effrontery. Then as the gentle
3. man and the two ladies came up she
said, "You folks poke about like you
had month TO catch a car"
| don't know how they stood her inso-
lence. but they did.
Two young ladies We're on their wheels
mt an intersection. A negro drayman
deliberately stopped his wagon for nc
other reason than to interfere with then
crossing the intersecting street. They
dsmounted, one Of them having beer
almost thrown from her wheel in hel
effort to escape collision with the wagon
They waited moment for him to driv,
along. when he turned to them ant
said: "You needn't be waiting for me
to move out of your way, for | am mo-
going TO move until | get ready" \
white gentleman was sitting on his
porch near by and when he heard thl'
arrogant banter from the negro he wa
naturally incensed He stepped int
his house, got his pistol, came out int
his yard and addressed the dastardl,
rascal. saying: You have no right T.
block this crossing and if you don't move
that wagon in three seconds III pu
half Il dozen holes in that black carcass
and You will never move until some
BODY moves you" The negro could see
mat the gentleman meant just what he
sald, SO he drove his team along down
the street. Occurrences like these harper
nearly every day, 50 / am told
he midnight marauders seem to think
that they have license to rob and stea
and burglarize. while the insolent, ar
rogant, insulting negroes, male and fe
male, seem to think the city belongs f.
them. They act and speak MS tbougl
the government was theirs and the off
GERS We're their chums and associate,
and Will protect them in whatever in
suits they offer.
On q street car the other day severa
young negro fellows were using filthy