The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-09
RECORD Ar CONVICT FARM
REPUBLICANS TURNED HIM OFF
AS FARM SUPERINTENDENT
MCKINLEY MAKES HIM POSTMASTER
He Has Threatened The Patrons of Eon COL
Iege With Negro Postmaster-An
Object Lesson of Repub-
lican Rule.
lican Rule.

Elon College, n. c.. March S.-(Spe-
cial)-Yes. the people of Elon College
have something beside smallpox to agi-
tate them, and have had every since
the postoffice changed hands.
When Mr. Mckinley was Inaugural
ted, Mr.. Jas. Ingal, a highly respectable
citizen, an intelligent gentleman, the son
son of a minister of the gospel, sent
to the postoffice department at Wash
ington. u petition signed by nearly every
citizen here including teachers and pu-
pills of the college, asking that the he be
appointed postmaster. At the same time
Peter Hughes. the notorious cock-fight-
en- cot up petition signed principally by
people who do not live in the town. On
account of Hughes moral depravity, his
appointment was protested against by
men like Mr.. J. \. Williamson, owner
of Osipie Cotton Mills, who gets more
mail through this office than any other
ten men. and who worked and voted for
Mr.. Mckinley; but through the influence
of the Hon. ]. +. Boyd, who was Il
kukluX with Hughes right after the war,
Hughes was appointed. Not content TO
ibc fed from the national pap. Huges Sc
cured an appointment as superintendent
of the Halifax State farm under the
State administration, so he left the post
office in the hands of another man and
took mp his abode at Halifax as the
grand mogul of the States criminal of
tenders. He at once adopted n public
system Of social equality. The leaders
of his party soon became Disguised with
his walking TO and from the farm be-
tween two negro women convicts, one
leading him by the hand, the other by
the empty coat sleeve. and. unwilling
that the good old Republican party
should he thus dsgraced Hughes was
sent back to his home at ElOn. The
good citizens then thought that for the
sal<e Of consistency and decency. the
postoffice Department should relieve
them of the stencil of a man. MS post
master. who had been decided by the
leaders of his party, TO he an unfit as
sociate for conyicts, therefore. they
again. a few weeks ago. sent IL petition
to Washington. numcrously signed.
hy such Republicans as W. +.
Simpson. Esq. asking for Hughes re-
moyal from the post0ffice Whom he
heard Of the petitions. ne b0a.<ted that his
party would stick to him: but that bic in
tended to give the people here enough
or il, for the intended to put negro in
the postoffice. This threat. 10 doubt.
would have Eeen carried out before now
but for the fact that Scott Crawford, his
bosom confident and friend. whom he
took to Halifax farm. as his best man.
Is quarantined on account of having been
exposed to smallpox: the only Other
available negro being one of SCOTS boys
who has just returned from serving II
sentence in the chain gang: and Hughes
don't IKE the boy much. not because he
committed the crime which sent him on
the roads. but because he allowed him
self caught IN with.
The Crawford family. though. really
deserves some recognition. for they have
served the State very faithfully, one
being now in the penstentiary, others
have been.
TIE good people of Elon College. do
not ask that tie administration 20 out
of lis own ranks for a man 10 be post
master, but they do ask that Mr.. Jas.
lngall. or some other decent man be
appointed.