The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-09-13
SAMPLES OF NEGRO RULE.
WHERE CONGRESSMAN WHITE,
COLORED. HOLDS SWAY.
Shameful Mismanagement and Insult
ing Conduct-si.0O0 Worth Of hort
cages in a Trash Pile-BIaekcuarded
A Republican.
baskerville Citizen.)

Baskerville Citizen.)
Rocky Mount, y. c., September q
l was a resident of Rocky Mount SO
long ago that I need not give the date
| held down a Ease of good fiat" long
primer as a comp" on the Rocky
Mount Mail, which was the first paper
eve printed here, l think. The Mail
was presided over by a female, one of
the advanced guard of those who To-
day clamor for woman's rights. We
could not agree and separated. If she
has regretted it she has failed I SO in
form me.
Everything has changed except the
railroad, which runs through the cen
ter Of the town and is the dividing
line between Nash and Edgecombe
two Of the foremost counties in the
state. Rocky Mount was then a mere
village. Today it is one of the three
leading towns on the Atlantic Coast
Line between Wilmington and Weldon.
It's population, including suburbs, is
perhaps 1000. The Rocky Mount cot
ton mills, one of the largest in the
state, are located here. 1t is a fine cot
ton market, and, to my surprise, |
find it a large tobacco market. The
leaf sales in the warehouses here ag-
gregate about eight million pounds an
nually. It's people are progressive,
thrifty and hospitable.
A CONTRAST.
The postmaster here under Cleve-
land was an ex-congressman, Hon. B.
H. Bum. Mr.. Bum was succeeded a
little more than a year ago by Israel
Il. I:argett. Hargett is a negro, and
was formerly a school teacher. He
was not appointed because he was
capable of discharging the duties Of
the office. He was appointed because
he was a negro, and because Congress
MAI c.. H. White, also a negro, want
ed him appointed, and endorsed him,
and because Senator Pritchard en-
dOrsed him.
WHAT BUSINESS MEN WANTED.
The business men, the white people,
urged the selection of a white repub-
lican. There were two such men in
the town either Of whom would have
made a capable postmaster. One w.
w. Watson, also a negro, and a spec
ial pet Of Congressman White, was
named as assistant. 1t is stated that
White really wanted Watson made
postmaster, but he could not make the
bond.
Hargett, who came here from New
Bern, had to go to thai town to make
his bond as postmaster. Hargett is
not a bad man; he is simply incompe-
tent. He was forced to appoint Wat
son his assistant.
FROM BARROOM TO POSTMASTER.
Watson stopped running a barroom
to take charge of this postoffice. He
ran a bar in Whitakers, twelve miles
north of Rocky Mount. Later he ran
one in Battleboro with another negro
as partner. When he was made assis-
tan postmaster here the bar at Battle
bOro was closed and Watson's partner
went back to Whitakers and opened up.
SUBORDINATES BEGIN STEALING.
Hargett had not been in office longer
than a month or two when a negro
clerk he had employed was arrested
for robbing the mails. He was tried
convicted and sent to the p~enitentiary
for two years.
SHAMEFUL MISMANAGEMENT.
The management of the office here
has been shameful from the beginning
and the people have beseiged Washing
ton with petitions asking for a change,
but Congressman White still stands by
his man. About six weeks g an in
spectOr was Sent to examine the Of
flee and investigate the charges. When
he arrived here a gentleman asked him
to please look in the Office and give
him his mail, as he knew there was
a quantity of it there, but he had been
unable to get it. He was soon handed
by the inspector, a number of letters,
postal cards and second class matter.
ONE MILE IN 81 DAYS.
On November 10th last a letter was
mailed to Rocky Mount cotton mills ad-
dressed to the bank of Rocky Mount,
just one mile distant, containing
checks aggregating s1,400. On De-
cember 3rd, thirteen days later, it was
delivered to the bank with the expla-
nation that it had been found in our
trash pile"
THREE MONTHS FROM WASHING
TON
On May %, 1898, J.. H. Rufin, treas
urer and manager of the Rocky Mount
mills (Mr. Ruffin is a son of the late
Judge Ruffin, so distinguished as a jul
rist), sen an order to the p~ostoffice
here for 100 special request envelopes
June Sth he wrote the postmaster ask
ing why they had not been delivered.
On July 18th and on August 1st other
inquiries were made. None of these
received a response, and the nve
lopes were not received until about Au-
gust 10.
INSULTING PROMINENT BUSINESS
MEN.
Mr.. Ruffin sent the mill check to pay
for the envelopes. The postmaster sent
word the check could not be received,
that he must have the money. Mr..
Rufin received notice that there vas a
registered package in the office for him
Lo S11a6 ~, Tho o-lo- -, &c Io1i-arv-