The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-19

Juaue William Smith O'Brien Robin /
son is holding court in Durham this
week. He is quoted by the Durham
Morning Herald. in its report of his
charge to the grand jury, as follows:
HE laid peculiar stress on the crime
of libel. saving that this was a new Of
fence in the State and that some of our
newspapers We're copying after some OF
alae northern papers in publishing false
reports. He then proceeded to explain
the libel laws and said IN substance that
while it was the right of any newspaper
TO publish the truth they could not print
fhat which was false or that which tend
ed to expose a man. to ridicule and dis
grace without laying himself liable to
the laws" E
On the train on Monday morning, going
up to Durham to hold court, this same
Judge took occasion, in a car so that he
was heard by passengers. TO denounce
the News and Observer because it had
published the details Of the conduct of
his political friend and associate, Robert
Hancock. charged with the seduction Of
ais wife's niece. And yet, before his BIT
ter denunciation Of the News and OBJ
server for criticizing the base conduct
of his political associate was cold, he
was telling the grand jury of Durham
county '.of the crime of seduction, for
nication and adultery and poured hot
shot into those who would rob woman
Of her virtue under promise of marriage"
The gentlemen who heard him on the
train Monday morning heard no denun-l
citation of Hancock. In fact the judge
expressed his opinion that the News and
Observer had printed matters at random.
and intimated that Hancock wasn't
guilty. One gentleman who heard him
1.-THE Judge talked so loud that all near
him in the car heard his abuse)-got the
impression from the converse,
ton that it was the News
and Observes that had com
mitted some great crime. AS matter of
fact the News and Observer only print
ed what every other newspaper in the
State printed a few days after the
News and Observer had given publicity
to the disgraceful affair.
The truth is that Judge Robinson is
wholly unfit to preside in court Of jus
rice. We speak not of his lack Of learn
ing. That is patent and the least of his
offences. His partisanship is so rank
that it wholly disqualifes him for judi
cial service, even if he were not so tickle
and irascible.
At the last term of Wayne Superior
court, Judge Robinson's conduct showed
his partisanship in such bold relief as to
make good citizens indignant. In his
charge to the grand jury he laid
special stress on the subject of selling
intoxicating liquors and cigarettes to
minors 1t so happened that four in
dictments were found against one Hiram
]. CHM, two for selling liquor to minors
and two for selling liquor on Sunday.
CHM insisted in trial and the jury rem
dered verdict of guilty in less than five
minutes in one case. CHM Immediately
plead guilty in the other three cases. ALI
these offences were committed on Sun,
day within stones throw of a Presby-
terian church on the outskirts of Colds
boro, where there is no police protec-
ton. When the judge heard the evidence
and the verdict was rendered, he show
ed great Indignation and pointing his
finger with theatrical air at CHM, said:
"r will not trust myself to sentence you
aow. sir. for don't know what | would
do if / were TO meet man in the road
that had sold one of my boys liquors,
especially on Sunday. will pass sem
tence on you later" All Of which sound
ed very fine and the temperance people
felt to commend such righteous indigna-
zion. In considering how much punish
ment to infict, Judge Robinson learned
that CHM was a Fusionist and worked
to put his gang in power. That settled
it. Judgment was suspended.
There was another which showed that
the politics Of the defendant determined
the judges action. A man by the name
of Hatch, the leading Republican of
Wayne county outside Of Goldsboro, and
who was made Mayor of Dudley by the
Legislature oil 1897. owns and runs a
\ puo..c gin. A true bill was found against