The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-18
HANCOCK HAS
BEEN REMOVED
By the Board of Internal
improvements.
GOVERNOR ORDERED IT
PEOPLE OF THE STATE WILL
ENDORSE HIM FOR IT.
REMOVAL TAXES EFFECT NEXT TUESDAY
Retibutiye Justice 0vertakes the Man Who
EIighted Miss Abbott's Life He Threatens
10 Resist w, o Will Succeed Him.
Director Meadows Resigns

Director Meadows Resigns.
Again the News and Observer has beer
right in its predictions. More than q
month ago it predicted that Robert Han
cock would be removed as president OF
the Atlantic and North Carolina Rall
road. In spite of denials and of thu
fact that the directors met and did moth
inging, this paper has stuck to its predic
tion. and Yesterday afternoon il came tt
pass.
Robert Hancock is no more, so far as
being the president or a director of the
Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad
is concerned.
He has been removed by the Governor
through his Board of Internal Improve
ments, the removal to take effect Feb
ruary 22nd.
When the directors meet in Newberr
in that day, Hancock will not be a
member of the body. His removal, OF
course, is caused by the charges brought
against him by his nieces, Misses An
ME and Gertrude Abbott.
line removal was not made until yes
terday afternoon. Hancock was here
during the morning. He came Tuesday
evening, but the Governor was out Of
the city. Yesterday morning he called
on His Excellency. The Governor ask
ed him, so the story goes, whether he
did not realize that the recent directors
meeting here been adjourned until the
Ind to give him a chance to resign,
Hancock replied that he had heard some
thing of the kind.
Then the Governor inquired what
truth there was in the report that he
(hancock) had declared his intention not
to resign under any circumstances, NJ
matter if requested to do so by the
Governor and all the directors. Han
cock replied that he had so stated.
Then, Mr.. Hancock" said the Gov
ernor, lit becomes my duty to have you
removed as a director of the road"
Six hours later, after Hancock had
learned his fate and returned to New
bern. the Board of Internal Improve
ments met; and formally removed him
from the directorate Of the road, and
the following letters We're sent out:
State of North Carolina,
Executive Department,
Raleigh, n. c., Feb IT,
Mr. Robert Hancock, Newbern, n. c.:
Dear Sir:-You are hereby notified
that at meeting of the Board of In
ternal improvements consisting Of the
Governor. Hon. c.. A. Cook, of Warren,
and the Hon. j: G. L. Harris, of Wake.
this day held, You We're removed as a
member of the Board of Directors on the
part of the State in and for the Atlantic
and North Carolina Railroad Company
"A: H. ofEx1
the 22nd day of February, 1898.
DANIEL L. RUSSELL,
President
j. Z. ALEXANDER.
Secretary Board of Internal Improve
nlentS.
State of North Carolina,
Executive Department,
Raleigh, n. c., Feb. II.
To the Board of Directors of the a :
Iantic and North Carolina Railroad
Company:
Gentlemen:-Mr Robert Hancock has
this day been removed by this Board
from his office as Director of the At
lantic and North Carolina Railroad OF,
tie part of the State-this removal to
take effect on the 22nd day of February.
1885, this being the day on which your
Board of directors is to meet. This
action is taken by the Board of Internal
improvements under the authority upon
them conferred by Section 3 of the
amendments to the Charter of the At
lantic and North Carolina Railroad Com
pany.
1t would seem that the removal of Mr..
Hancock as Director will operate as Il
removal from his office as President of
your company. But if you concur in the
action of the Board of Internal Improve
ments. it may be well for you to pass
an order of your Board dismissing him
as president by virtue of powers grant
ed to your board by section of the Ind
Article of the Bylaws of your company.
DANIEL l.. RUSSELL,
President.
J. E. ALEXANDER,
Secretary Board of Intsrnal Improve
ments.
There are no ifs nor lands" in this
order for his renewal. 1t is as sharp,
as forceful and as emphatic in tone and
in language, as cold, cutting and calcu-
lating English can make it. The order
us issued by the Board of Internal I'M
provements could be summed up in the
little word get"
RObt.. Hancock is @disgraced. Dis
graced as completely as the unfortunate
girl who declares that her life was blight
cd by him. He has been tried and con
victed in the house of his friends-no
political persecution-was this. no
democratic lie," but cold fact, as
cold as steel, and as sharp and deadly
as the arrows that pierce the heart Of
the girl victim of the scandal. This
man climbed, by intrigue, to the position
he occupied in the affairs of State.over
the shoulders of a dark and politically
demented horde of Craven county ne
grocs. He climbs down from that emf
hence over pathway strewn with even
darker misdeeds.
For the sake of position he would foist
on the people Of North Carolina ignorant
The facsimile signature of rE