The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-09-12

hide a crime is to become particeps
criminis, and there is today somewhere
in this land maligner turned loose
with a dagger in his hand to stab the
defendant in the dark and from all
sides, and yet the defendant not even
given a warning by which he may
watch for this dastardly work. Where
is he, gentlemen? Hear me, and if you
forget everything else, remember this,
Character and a good name are too
cheap in the South today" What en-
couragement has man to toll and suf-
fer and denY himself, if all his self
denial and his struggle against tempta-
ton, his character is to be traduced by
a hidden maligner?
Two men were examined in South
Carolina by the deputy of the prosecu-
ton, and they did not know how they
came to be witnesses in this case. They
had not spoken with Judge Clark; they
had no correspondence with Judge
Clark, and they were surprised that
they were in any manner involved in
this matter. So those two men were
not the original informants. It took
Judge Clark till August 18th or 18th to
furnish even the names Of these wit
nesses. Mark that, gentlemen. Here
is the defendants summons before me,
dated August 18th, that is, just TWEEN
ty-four days from the time you had
your July meeting in which, according
to your minutes, Judge Clark was or
tered by this court to give the defen-
dant at once the names of his witnesses
and twenty-fOur days following, he got
Fhe names of these South Carolina wit
nesses; and those who went on the
stand say, "We know nothing about
Judge Clark nor how we came to be
witnesses" Then, gentlemen, I say
none of these men is the original ma
Iigner.
Then where did Judge Clark get the
Information concerning J. C. KiIgo's
South Carolina reputation? Why did
ne not tell you? Certainly you cannot
think he was afraid to tell you? Is he
ashamed Of his man? Is he man Of
such a low type of character that
Judge Clark is afraid to let you know
who he is? Would there be more disgrace
IN publishing his companion in these
charges than there would be in suffer
ng what may come from them?
You recall, gentlemen, that in the de-
Gendant's first correspondence with
JuCge Clark. the Judge demanded that
Presi dent Kilgo give him the inform
ant The defendant did 50 at once. But
gentlemen, if you will take in the whole
1ituation and connect It with the testi-
mony Of MP.- Gattis you will likely find
the original slanderer. Here are the
facts, Mr.. GattiS said that he was put
0n the stand against his will, that he
did not wish to come here; that he W0s
pressed to come; that he had rather
give one hundred dollars and be out of
It. That is very high price for him.
Ihat means that an ordinary man
would have given a very large amount
for like commodity. Behind a piOuS
smile, a religious walk, and solemn
witch of the coat tail, many men car
" q spirit unworthy Of them. He has
oeeh occasionally to South Carolina and
evidently gOSSiped too much for a
preacher about the defendant. You re-
member quite well how he in his testi-
mony lodged the issues, and would look
so solemn and say, Il can't answer; -
you remember how witty he tried to be
at one time. Poor wit over the suffer-
ing heart and the torn bosom of one OF
ais brethren whom he had Iascerated
n the dark by stabbing him in the
back!
Had the defendant done anything to
warrant this meanness? Didn't Mr..
Gattis say himself that the defendant
oefriended him in South Carolina and
used his influence to get him employed
by that conference? Didn't he say him
self that the defendant had recon-
nended books for him; that the defen-
dant had tried to sell books for him
and help his business; that President
Kilgo was his friend? What, then, had
President KilgO done to him to warrant
any such vicious conduct? Between the
man hiding himself by the highway and
making a victim Of an innocent traveller
and the man who in the dark assas-
sinates the character which man has
tried to build for himself, send me to
the woods with a revolver and let me
murder every passerby rather than ma
lign my fellow man.
He was asked if President Ki1go had
not ceased to go to his store, and he
said yes" President KiIgo had been
there and heard gossip till decency de-
manded that he keep out of such q
crowd. President KiIgo had heard very
unchristian gossip over the counters
where Christian literature was re-
tailed.
But you say it nigh have been Mr..
Beckwith and Mr.. Boone because they
are two other witnesses for Judge
Clark. It could not have been, for this
reason: They gave testimony which
they got since the July, meeting; they
did not know the defendants reputation
in South Carolina at that time. Mr..
Beckwith did not know anything about
it till recently, and he testified to what
he learned this month. This is true OF
Mr.. Boone. Judge Clark acted on what
he knew in June, to say the least. So
his original informant dates back of
June.
The two South Carolina witnesses
say, owe don't know how we got to be
witnesses; don't know Judge CLARK,
and never corresponded with him. Mr..
Gattis is the only other witness for the
prosecution on this charge, and his
knowledge antedates the Judges
charges, and hence Mr.. Gattis is the
original gossip. And it is evident that
this whole affair comes out of the fact
that a, Methodist preacher, licensed by
the same law; worshipping in the same
pulpit, has foully dealt with the de-
fendant. Again, DR.. Peacock testified
that Mr.. Gattis has slandered Pres
ident KiIgo to him. More than once
those ISLANDERS reached the defendant's s
ears.
Never did the defendant suppose till
just a few days since that Mr.. Gattis
had anything to do with this matter.
He says that two others told him that
he must come here and give his tes-
timony or else his name would be used
in this court. You recall that Judge
Clark said in the July meeting, II
these men," meaning his informants,
''do not testify, I will come here and
say thev- lied to me-" Judge Clark
would have kept his word. if he had
not produced here the witness upon
whom he relied to come here and re-
Iieve him, and that witness were not
in this court we would not have been
here thirty minutes. Judge Clark
would have relieved the whole Situa-