The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-21
" NeEsN~AfNNI IbuI Ntfu.
Raleigh, n. c., January l9.

halegh, N. C, January l9
Lees birthday. state holiday. was
observed here by the closing of the
banks and the capitol and the display
of state flags on the latter The vari-
Gus departments were open however.
At the public schools there were exer-
cises appropriate TO the day.
Superintendent Mewboorne, of the
penitentiary, said today. Il will in
about ten days, or when all the cotton
is picked. have all the female convicts
sent from the farms to the penitentiary.
SO they can work in the shirt factory
There are about twenty of them. /
think the penitentiary the proper place
for them. / think, with the open
weather, cotton picking can be finish
ed in ten days. The crop is 5000 bales:
on the Caledonia farm alone 1900 I do
not think We can permit any state con-
VictS to work on railways this winter
We need all the money We can get and
the cOnvicts must bring revenue.
Today before the governor there was
a plea by j. c. l.. Harris for the pardon
of Tom Robertson, the young white
Ilo was SSIllcItSu lO pun
lie roads in Wake for five years for Sc
ducing Julia Hester. ROberts0n's peo-
pie raised 81 900 as a compromise 1t
is said that Miss Hester's attorney de-
manded 800 more.
Yesterday afternoon a negro convict,
who last Saturday was sent to the
roads here to serve four months sem
tence, fen dead in the road just as the
gang had started on the march to quar-
terS.
Senator Butler in his paper today
editorially calls on the governor to re-
move Robert Hancock as president of
the Atlantic and North Carolina rail-
way, saying if the facts are as reported
Hancock is not fit to hold any public
position, and that he is sure if the gov
encr, upon investigation finds the facts
to be as stated he will remove Hancock
at once.
Senator Butler attacks the recent
convention of ''middle-of- the-road pop
ulists, saying their action was a prosti-
tuition of the referendom vote which is
part of the populist platform.
Today investigation of charges OF
cruelty to Rowan county's convicts be-
gan Salisbury. The charges are
made by a newspaper and are direct.
Postmaster Clark, of Southern Pines
sues a paper here for libel. The suit
grows out of statement made re-
garding. his son who as stated lately
left Southern Pines and resigned as
United States commissioner. Young
| Clark is now in Raleigh.
1t is intimated that Senator Pritchard
| has already selected a chief clerk fol
Carl Duncan, revenue collector.
The Bell Telephone Company in ex.
ceptions to the railway commission's
order reducing rates says the two new
| commissioners are not the legal ones
| This takes advantage of the fight of j
| w. and Otho Wilson.
| Officials of the Stone Mountain rail
| way say that bonds cannot be mar
keted now, pending the trouble as tC
| repudiatiOn by certain counties. There
| is general pleasure at the injunction
| checking the Stanly county repudia
| ton.
| 1t is understood that the penitentiary
report is now in hand. The public Ger
| tainly wishes to see It. The director:
met today.
The night guard is taken off now a
| the railway commission office.
| The Baptist State mission board las
| evening appropriated 81, 500 for it's work
| Two months ago it appropriated like
| sum.
| The editor Of the Iredell Record sue!
the editor Of the China Grove Record fol
| libel The charge is made that th'
| name of the latter was changed so a:
| to get the formers mil.