The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-21
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE ?
POLITICAL MINING WITH NE
GROES MEANS MISCEGENA-
TION.
THE AWFUL PRICE PAMLlCO'S SHERIFF
Paid For the Political Support of the NegrC
Voters--A Warning That White Faith
erS Should Heed.

eTS Sn0ulQ l1ee1,
Newbern, n. c., Jan. 20-(SpeciaD-
News has reached here of the death of
Bessie Arledge, daughter of the Fusion
sheriff of Pamlico county. Her unf0r-
tunate lapse, her terrible condition, and
her attempt to destroy the evidence of
her sin, eliminating in deep disgrace
and in the destruction of her health, eX-
cited much sympathy wherever the sad
story has been told. She died from the
effect of the concentrated lye given her
by her negro destroyer.
FRUIT OF FUSION.
The readers of this paper are familiar
with tine terrible beginning of the terri
be action which resulted in tragedy. On
the first of December the incident was
thus told in this paper:
But even these crimes assaults by
negro brutes upon white women) are not
more revolving or more calculated to stir
Anglo-Saxon blood than is the awful
occurrence in Pamlico county, the parti-
culars of which come from the most
reliable authority.
'Ten years ago John Aldridge was an
intelligent, hardworking man. He
prospered and saved, and no doubt lived
happily. His great comfort was little
Ressie, his bright-eyed daughter, whose
willing feet always ran to meet him and
whose industrious little hands so often
brought things needed about the farm.
Bessie attended school when opportI-
nifty afforded or her father felt that he
could bear the expense. Years passed
and she had grown up into a handsome
ytaing woman with many admirers
farmers sons from the neighborhood.
who fell in love with her red cheeks,
pretty ways and mischevous eyes
Just sixteen years of age she was. and
not prettier country girl in all Pam
leo county. In her were combined the
freshness and bloom of girlhood with
the charm and grace of wQmanhood.
But for several years a change had
been coming over that household. Things
had not gone so well as once-crons
We're bad and prices low. The head
of the family was restless and dissatis-
fed. Once a strong Democrat. he had,
blinded by the hope and promise of an
office, become n Populist and received
the nomination for sheriff.
'In his new-found honor nobody re-
ioiced more than did little Besse-nor
did anyone long more or work harder
for MS success. Little did she dream
That quiet summer afternoon rs her
father came riding home from the con
yention at Bayboro that he, like Jetha
of old, was sealing even then his daugh
ter's d0om-a doom wrosc than death
more disgraceful than the deepest dis
grace.
"On Aldridge's plantation, and near to
~.
named Hardy Wood Hardy in his way
was politician and exerted quite an
influence among the members of his
smart cunning and plausible. he was
usually able TO carry his point.
Now Aldridge had been considerably
trou securing the nomination and
soon thereafter there developed strong
opposition TO him among the negroes of
the county. Though a fusion arrange
ment had been entered into between tie
Republicans and Popuists. there were
many murmurings against Aldridge and
open threats Of scratching him on the
day of election. Something must be
done or defeat was certain.
"Aldridge called on Hardy Wood. his
negro tenant, laid the situation before
him and then sent him out to allay the
opposition that had arisen among the
negroes. They had many conferences
together. Aldridge told Wood all his
plans and made of him a trusted ad-
wiser. The result was that Wood was
sleeping in a room of Aldridge's house
anu later, as the campaign progressed,
eating at his table.
AT first Bessie had not liked this, but
her father had told her it must be
endured for a time, as to offend Wood
meant certain defeat Soon she grew
accustomed to the negro's presence; and
later, as the intensity of the campaign
grew and threats were made on either
side and her father was away for days
and weeks Bessie began to welcome the
presence Of the negro and look upon
him as a protector.
Then something happened. 1t is use-
less TO say that it is the old story of a
weak woman tempted
To-day in the Aldridge house there is
n tiny mulatt0 infant for whose nresanre
in the world Hardy Wood is responsible
And pretty Bessie Aldridge in her
deep disgrace, is pale. broken invalid
and she is pitied by all who see or
hear of her. To the first crime the ne-
gro attempted to add q second-abor
tion: and to the effects of n medicine
is due the fact that his victim is now
eking out a miserable. sickly existence
Nursing the child of an alien race.
''Sfe openly accuses the negro of it's
paternity and says that but for her
trust of the negro and neglect of her
family it would never have happened.
''As soon as the matter came to be