The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-06-23

and very near every house on the
premises, and | was too poor to build
others. He says that I spent my prop
erty to crafty my vile and unchecked
passions, Il base, vile and cruel Islander.
| did 1t. as my wife knows, on account
of Il failure of the crops ono year fol
lowed by the fall of two or more cents
in the price of cotton and other things
i'm proportion that fall, and like an
honest man, rather than have my credi-
tors hoosing by me and accusing me o.
acting dishonorably, borrowed the
money. gave Il note and a mortgage on
my home that | had worked SO hard
and so long to pay for, and paid them
and ! was meeting the payments on my
note until 1892. when / was taken
down with the grippe and was expected
to die for two weeks or longer and did
not recover from it SO that / could. do
any manual labor for two years. when
was taken the second time I'm March.
which attack was followed with enlarge
ment Of the spleen, srosis of the liver
and loconlotor attaxia and for two or
three weeks | was as helpless as Il
baby. and did not get out of the house
until July. and could not do half
mans work for over two years, aud /
had to spend for doctors bills and medi-
cines over $500. instead OF applying it
as credits on my note.
/ reckon that my wife and | live fully
us happily as McMullen and his wife
does, or rs any other poor man and his
wife for that matter, except she has
to do her own work, which may be
humiliation in his eyes. Her having
to work as she does is not my will, but
canoEt help it. but kept her from it
as long as | was able to pay the hire
and hope to do so again if we live.
She says herself that / kept her from
it until | was taken with sickness, ana
now | try to help her all / can to make
it rs light as possible for her. Poverty
is the principle charge against ME.
heard McMullem say Il few days ago in
conversation with a stranger that money
gave social position and if could swear
to $4,000 on the tax-list. my character
would be all right.
He says that he is sorry that the mem
bers of the Board of Agriculture did
not know my character, but relied upon
the endorsement of prominent poini-
clan of this community, who alone
stands for this man, when I had the
endorsement for this appointment of my
township executive committee and feel
sure that l could have gotten any num-
Der that would be necessary.
During the last session of Congress
that the Hon. T. G.. Skinner was IL
member, / was living in Gates county.
came to Hartford and Tom headed
a recommendation for me for the posi-
ton OF Railway Mail Clerk on the Suf
folk and Carolina Railroad. In short
time | had the names of twenty promi-
nent men of the town of HEREFORD and
as good Democrats as there are in the
State. among them are the names OF
J. NJ. Whedbee. G. ID. Newly, II. +.
Winsow. Il. c. Blanchard. G. III. New
by, DIR. u. Cox. u. Toms. w. $. Blan-
chard. w. r. Shannonhouse and others,
and all signed without the slightest pro-
test. Then / went home in Gates and
every one of my neighbors that | offered
it to signed it. and then | went TO
Gainesville and every prominent man |
met with signed it. Some are. w. L.
Cross. G. s. G. NJ. r. Eure. Represen-
tative. J. J. Gatling, Senator: l.. L.
Smith. X. c. Riddick. II. NJ. Riddick.
j. j. Egleston. sheriff; s. /. Harreh.
chairman county commissioners; ID. +.
Lawrence, county commissioner: G.. w.
Kittrell. county commissioner: W. +.
Roberts, III. Clay Williams, and Others
in all amounting to tifty-one, and | have
no idea how many l could have gotten
but | got instructions from the Post
office Department at Washington, d.
c., and found that / was ten or twelve
years too old.
In January. 1896, we moved back 10
what was left of our old home with
promise from each other Tiny wife and II
that we would try to live down all old
stains upon my character, and God
knows that | have tried TO faithfully
carry out tha. promise to my wife and
our Heavenly Father, anything that
McMullen may say to the contrary not
withstanding. endeavoring TO the best
of our ability to redeem our old home
tiny boyhood's home part of the time).
so that we could have a place where
we might live in peace with all mankind
and be ready to die when the Heavenly
Master called us hence. But McMulhn
is trying to bring mp old things against
me and does not allow me half the
chance the Seviorr did when he asked
"Who shall cast the first stone
/ am as much opposed to putting men
of bad character in office as he or any
one else, and one time would not rote
nor work for his election for a man for
Il high position on account Of his bad
character, and he knew Of it at the
time McMullen did not vote the whole
Democratic ticket in the last election
and says he will not vote for Bryan next
time if he is nominated. While was
Democratic registrar at my precinct and
worked as hard as any man to get every
white mans name on the book and then
tried to get every one of them TO woe
the whole white mans ticket.
During one campaign while / was liy-
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K