The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1898-09-01
A REIN OF RUIN.
The Negro Dynasty in the County of
Craven.

Craven.
F. B. Arendall, in Raleigh News and
Observer.
There are sixty-fve negroes hold
ing responsible positions in Craven
county, to say nothing of special
deputies, road overseers, etc.
Now, if this is a Democratic lie, 1t
is a whopper. If it's lie at all it is
a great big black kinky- headed lie
that ought TO have the life stamped
out of it. But let's seeif it is not the
truth, and nothing but the truth.
| have just spent two days In and
around the city of Newbern, and 1
am going to draw a picture for the
white men and white women of North
Carolina to look upon. l am not
going to color the picture, but | am
going to paint it as it is. The duty
is not a pleasing one. | wish the
picture looked little less hideous to
me, wish it had a bright side or
even a gilded edge, but it has neither.
A prominent citizen of Newbern
said to me: "Won't you please tt IL
the people of North Carolina the con-
dition of public affairs In Craven
i county"
"What shall l tell them" 1 asked
this gentleman, and now l am going
to let him draw the outlines of the
horrible picture. "Tell Them" said
! he, chat we have twenty-seven
ignorant incompetent and in most
instances unprincipled negro magis-
| trates in Craven county.
"Tell them" he continued, THAT
we have not a single white deputy
sheriff in Craven county, and that We
have sheriff now in Office, candi
date for reelection who boldly anC
publicly asserts that no white maj
need apply.
"Tell them that the next represen-
tation in the Legislature from Grav.
en- county will be negro man, whC
has been twice tried, convicted AM
sentenced to terms in the peniten-
tiary before Republican judges.
Tell them that the white womel
of Craven county cannot teach tn
white children in the public school
until negro school committeeman
has had his say in the matter.
"Tell them that a white girl-an
God has given them to US as sweet
as pure and as beautiful as eve
, 1
not even for sweet sentiment SAX
obtain license to marry and hav
it signed or delivered by one OF he
race.
"Tell them that white men i
Craven county have to work tn
public roads under negro road over
seers.
"Tell them that white men an
white women in Craven county ar
! summoned before negro magistrate
: by negro consta bles and deputie
and frequently prosecuted by negr
, lawyers.
"Tell them that the city ATTORNEY
for the city of Newbern, is a negro.
:. "Tell them that five of the guard
ians of the homes and liberties of til
people of Newbern are incompeten
ignorant and in most cases insolen
E and corrupt negroes.
"And tell them, for humanity
sake and for the sake Of peace, tha
2 the white people of Eastern Mort
: Carolina cannot, and will not alway
tolerate those conditions that Ell
durance will cease to be virtue, an
q reign of terror take the place of
: reign of ruin.
3 ETelI the white men of n orth Care
lima to come to our relief with the
ballot, and head off this horrib
tendency to completely negroize or
e of the best sections of the grand oil
: State.
"But some of these fusion leader
will declare that these are Demo
! cratic lies" I suggested. "Can y
+ back them up with official state
, ments and affidavits taken from tt
= records and certified to by those VIII
, keep those records.
+ eyes, sir, go into any departmer
: of the county or city government
, and let the records tell their ow
: | tales"