The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1898-10-20


MK EDIroR:-I have read the
abusive and slanderous open letter OF
". J. Sutton. hope he will carry
out his threat to issue ten thousand
copies OF the paper containing bis
letter. and will distribute them large
~ In ths counties Of Baden aud
Wayne, because nothing can show
more clearly his undtress 70 repre-
sent . decent people, and il will show
to my own people. that Sutton and
men like him fear exposure. Who i
Sutton, and Why should he, from th.
far-away county Of Baden, under
take to enlighten the voters OF
Wayne countvf
do not think have ever spokep
to him, and know noting Of him,
except such information - il com
mon to the people of the State. Why
then should he attack me, and in Ian
gua9s 50 vilei II bis charges are
true, is there NO Republican or Pop
ulist in Wayne, who has the manhood
to stand up before tho people whose
suffrages l am asking, and envoke
these chargesi
1 repeat the inquiry, who il Sut-
ton, and Why should he attack NET
He is careful before concluding
his letter to suppose" that I will say
Governor Russell wrote his letter,
and to brand that ~ false in advance,
for he says: "the Governor OF North
Carolina has never seen it and will
not until it appears in print"
He does not say that Gov. Russell
did not inspire the letter, nor does
he say the Governor did not tell him
to write. The letter shows that it
was inspired by Governor Russell,
although l think the writer overshot
the mark. If this is not true, where
do he get the names to the petition
for the pardon Of Freeman Davis
Where did he get the letters of Mess.
Moore, Beasley Shine and Fordi
These we're sent to the Governor,
and when Mr.. P. NJ. Pearson asked
to see them at my request, he was
informed that they were private pa
pers and that he could not see them.
Now, as the Populist Handbook is
fond of saying, note carefully, while
all this was going on, this same Sut-
ton was drawing a salary Of 81 900 or
81, 200 by appointment of Gov. Rus
soil as Treasurer of the North Caro-
lima Railroad.
Is not the conn ection obvious
The statement in his article that I
stole a seat in the legislature OF 1893
is false.
The statement there vas any At
temp, to lease the Atlantic & North
Carolina Railroad for less than its
value is false.
There was an attempt to lease it,
and q large maj ,rlty of the private
stockholders favored the proposed
lease.
l went to see Governor Russell af-
ter his election, and carried with me
q copy Of the proposed lease. He
examined it, and at that time he was
undecided as to the course he would
take, but afterwards decided to ap-
prove the lease.
The statement that Mr.. Simmons
and were to ge, half or more than
half of the oyster claims is false.
have never seen one of the claim.
ants in the oyster cases, and have
never had any connection with the
cases except to argue them in the Su-
preme Court. I believe the claims
to be just.
Since the names Of Messrs. w. G
Douglas and W. D. Mel yer have beer
mentioned, l Gail upon them to say
if there is anything in the cases tina,
IT f cts upon me, or any attorney
connected with tho case.
The statement that I went to SCI
the Governor, claiming to be his
friend, and begged him to advise tn,
Treasurer to pay these claims is false
The council of State WAS called to
gether to consider these claims, and
| am informed that two of the Nom
bers voted to pay tho claims.
went to see Governor Russell
twice l think. explained the claim
to him and he objected to the amount
stating that as there were so man,
writs to issue and serve. the officer
ought to be satisfied with less than tn
usual fees. He thea asked NE il
thought We would accept So, 900 il
settlement of the claims.
| He did not make this as q propo
sition. but simply an inquiry, bu
said he was inclined to think b.
would advise the payment of tina
Jonounk NJ >Ptor~o r1o Aoo1i n al z,
pay it.
The Governor and Mr.. Sutton seen
to be careful about lawyers fees.
ask them il the sum of $4O0 was pai'
as lawyers fee to j.. C. L. Harris il
in these same oyster cases. and wha
he did in return for this money!
i Mr.. Harris. name is not signed t
the answer, nor to tho brief in tn
case. He was present at the hear
ing before Judge Robinson, but tool
no part in the argument, and he va
in Washington City when the cas-
was heard in the Supreme Court q
Raleigh.
I have heard two Judges q
} tho Supreme Court sny h
WAS paid $500 for THIS serv
ice and that it was out
, ageous. do not hesitate to ment
ion it, because they said at the tim
. that they wanted it known that the
regarded it a. an outrage.
In another column of the paper i
which the letter of Sutton appeare
you will fiad q letter from me whie
, / say all wish as to the Davis pard
| on, l have not made any threat I
}, impeach Governor Russell.
Il II considered merely as . ques
ton of party expediency l am il
clined to think I would oppose it, q
two more years of him as Governo
: would complete the destruction q
: the Republican party, but my oat
, Of Office IS legislator may eomp'
{ ma to act otherwise.
i One thing Sutton and others {
his kind understands full we'll, an