The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-08-02
His Reply to the Letter
of MeWbOOrne.
RUSSELL The AUTHOR
OF the ScurriIOus Letter Purporung TO
Have Been Written by the Superfn.
tendent of the Penftentiary-Chair-
man simmons Lays hare the Schemes
of Boss Russell and His Helpers-The
HypOcraey Of the State Administra-
ton Laid hare.
(Raleigh Post.)

(Raleigh Post.)
The Russell letter, signed by J.. z.
Mewboorne, superintendent OF the pen
itentiary, which attempted to make
reply to the letters of Mr.. T. NJ. Sim
mons, chairman of the democratic
state executive committee, requesting
information about the corrupt manage
ment of the penitentiary, created a
great deal of merriment yesterday.
Citizens, without regard to politics,
laughed at the and puerile
reply, which clearly sought to cover
the real issue behind a lot of dema-
gogical gush. The latter has been
likened to a huge paper kite. with
Russell posing as the kite proper and
MewbOOrne the tail.
Even Senator Butler, the partisan
thai he is, went out of his way to crit
icise the now famous document in this
weeks issue of The Caucasian. He ex-
presses regret that a letter SO intern
perate and undignified should have
been written. The governor made a
great big blunder, and his friends are
realizing it.
This morning Mr.. Simmons makes
reply to the Russell col
liberation. The question at issue is
presented clearly and strongly by the
chairman of the democratic state ex-
ecutive committee. Mr.. Simmons
shows up the attempt to besmirch the
record of the democratic party fear
| lessly and without reserve. Mr.. Sim
mons letter is given herewith:
Raleigh, N. c., July 81, 1898.
j. NJ. Mewboorne, superintendent of
Penitentiary, Raleigh, N. c.:
Sir-On the 14th of July 1 addressed
0 a letter hereto attached marked
"A" On the 18th of July I addressed
you a letter hereto attached marked
"B." On the goth of July 1 addressed
o a letter hereto attached marked
CO" On the 21st of July I addressed
to Claudius Dockery, Esq, chairman
Of the board of directors of the peni-
tentiarv, a letter hereto attached
marked ID" On the 14th of July 1
addressed to John r. Smith, ESQ.
hereto attached marked e"
To the communications addressed to
you [ have received no answer, but
there is published in today's Raleigh
Post an open letter dated July 25th,
addressed to me and signed by you.
The public knows the contents of this
letter, and it is not necessary I should
reproduce it here.
A little after noon today I received
through the mails a letter signed by
Mr.. DOckery, dated July 25th, and
hereto attached, marked Fl" I have
received no answer whatever from the
letter addressed to Mr.. Smith.
It is we'll known in North Carolina
that we have just entered upon a cam
noion in which tho M n q poY ny an of ~, p
state affairs by the present admins
tratiOn will be largely discussed and
that the question will be presented to
the people to be decided at the cleo
ton in November, whether they will
continue The control of the present fu-
sion government in North Carolina.
Under these circumstances, I deemed
it due to the voters Of the state, to
whose interest, judgment and patriot
ism the party of which I am chairman
ropOses to appeal, that they should
be put i'll possession of the full facts
concerning the management of their
affairs by the present state govern
ment, to the end that they may wisely
and fairly decide whether the interest
and honor of the state required. that
their public affairs should hereafter be
conducted by a different political par
ty.
In order that this work in which the
people are so much interested should
be thoroughly and fairly executed,
secured the services of Hon. T. J. Jar
Wis, former governor and United States
senator, and of Captain S. A. Ashe,
long a leading journalist of this state
and a man of high character, to pre-
pare a handbook giving an accurate
statement of all the facts concerning
these matters.
Early after Governor Russell was in
l ~ ~fo n ho T~L-
r. Smith superintendent of the peni-
! tertiary and o commissioner Of ag
riculture. Soon thereafter rumors OF
Acknowledgement and misrepresentation
of the property Of the p~enitentiary un
der Mr.. Smiths management became
rife throughout the state.
1t was stated in the public press, and
from mouth to mouth, that the gov
ernOr had determined to remove Mr.
Smith from the office of superintendent
because of incompetence, mismanage-
ment and corruption.
Some time last winter the public was
startled by the Information hat fol-
the reasons above stated the governo,
acting through the board of directors
had removed Mr.. Smith as superin-
tendent and caused him to be put ir
charge of the agricultural department
thus transferring a mar found unfit
by reason of moral and mental delin.
QuencieS to manage the cOnvicts, tt
the control of that institution which
most closely touches the interests O
the predominant element of the popu
latiOn. the farmer. It was also stated
in the newspapers, and not denied. tina
the governor had stated to a member
of the board of directors of the agri.
cultural department, in a personal in.
terview with him, as a reason for the
removal of Smith from the position O
superintendent OF the p~eHitentiary
that under him the penitentiary man.
agenent was not only s~quandering, bu
actually stealing the property of tn
state. 1t was likewise charged tina
this director stated in a meeting of tn,
board Of agriculture that the gov.
ernor had stated to him as his reason
for transferring Mr.. Smith from tn.
penitentiary to the agricultural de
partment, that under his
of the penitentiary the property of tn.