The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-04-20


red shirts were armed with Winchestcrs
aud would discharge the same in the
direction of the fleeing voter, thus ac-
celebrating his speed. No negro was al
lowed on the street after II o'clock of
election day. either town or country
negroes. Some few of them were lit
tie slow in leaving the streets and they
were severely punished. These facts
came Immediately under my own OBJ
servation. For several nights after the
election the state of feeling among the
colorod people produced by the events
immediately preceding the election con
tinued. The men refused to remain at
home ut night. On one occasion
counted IL or 20 coming out near my
barn early in the morning. | went TO
the mayor of the town and asked HIM
if he could not do something 10 reassure
these people that no further harm would
come to them. He told me to draw up Il
communication and submit it TO him be-
fore publishing. did SO. and he approx
al and signed il. as did also the town
commissioners. | published the same
and sent ont hundreds of extra copies
10 PEOPLE all over that section. The
MAYOR asked me to act as n committee
of one to SO among the colored people
and assure them he would do all III his
power to protect them from violence.
That is about all that came under my
own observation regarding that ques-
tion. Counsel for contestec objected TO
answer because il contains evidence as
TO contents of letters NOT introduced
and incompetent in themselves, and
heresay evidence and the opinion of the
witness.
Q. Did you make an appointment for
public speaking at MaXton for John {.
Dancy during the last campaign?
a. | did.
@. Were you then waited upon by
committee of Democrats? II so, state
who and what they said?
A. They sent for me one morning ana
| went: they asked me to cancel Dancy $
appointment. / asked upon what
grounds. and they replied there would be
trouble if Dancy spoke. ] cancelled the
appointment. and also one for Mr.. Spears.
/ then made an appointment for Col.
Dockery to speak ut Maxton Nothing
was said of this appointment until the
Colonel arrived in Maxton on the morn
ing of the day Of the speaking. Several
Democrats approached me and said the
Colonel should not speak there that day,
and asked me not to allow him to speak.
] told them the Colonel was there him-
self and | had no further authority in
the natter and they could consult with
him. They went to his hotel and talked
the matter over. | do hot know what
was said. but the Colonel spoke that
~ alr....S
both in the State and out, offered their
services to speak in the district. but
owing to the experience with the Dancy
and Spears appointments | declined all
such offers.
Counsel for contestee objected to last
part of the answer because it was not
in response to the question, and con
tanned reference to letters not put in
evidence.
@. Is it not Il fact that for sometime
before election threats against Repnbli-
can and Populist voters We're circulated
generally throughout the district by
Democratic papers and were made by
Democratic speakers and workers?
Counsel for contestee objected to the
question as leading, as too general and
as calling simply for the opinion of the
witness
A. For three or four weeks before
election there was ii veritable reign of
terror all over the district brought
about by the utterances of Democratic
newspapers as well as speakers.
Q. Do you not know it to be a fact
from your observation as chairman that
these threats produced among Republi-
can and Populist voters a general feel
ing of fear?
Counsel for contestee objected to
question as leading and general and in
definite.
A. Yes, sir that was my observation.
g. Do you not know it to be a fact
that this fear deferred many voters
from registering and many registered
voters from voting?
Question objected to.
A. Yes sir, that is true, several such
cases came under my own observa-
ton.
c. Did you hear the speech of State
Senator Frank Osborne, delivered in the
last Legislature on the question of the
Charlotte dispensary?
A. Yes, sir | heard it.
Q. Will you state, from your
recollection, if this article marked ex-
hihit "A" is not practically correct ex-
tract from the part of his speech bear
ing upon the constitutional amendment.
Counsel for contestant Dockery here
handed witness copy of Buffers eau
casian" containing a supposed quotation
from Senator Osborne's speech.
Counsel for contestee objected to ques-
ton because it relates TO "A matter oc>
curing since the election, because it
was heresay evidence. and contestee
would have no opportunity to contradict
the same.
A. Yes, sir. / think ii is verbatim
extract.
CROSS XAMINATION
Cross-examined by Mr. G. NJ. Busbee
for contestee, witness said he was
/ a colored man, had resided in MaXton
for thirteen years, had edited a paper
there for nearly eight years.
! Q. What contributions did you re-
ceive during 1888 from the Republican
party or any individual for personal or
political purposes?
| A. am unable to say. From time to
time | issued a great many more papers
tho, al thor finac rEhoSa al 10