The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-14
WHAT cor. wADDELI SAID
Col. John wilder Atkinson Testffes In
the DOckery.Bellamy Contest The
Testimony Concluded Here for mr..
Bellamy

Testimony Concluded Here for mr..
Bellamy
Pursuant to adjournment on Monday
evening, the court Of Notaries Public
John j. Fowler and T. E. Wallace,
which is taking dispositions in the
Dockery-Bellamy contest, met yester-
day morning at 9 o'clock in the United
States court room.
The court took dispositions till 2:30
The court met again at $3.50 p. m and
finished at Z p. M, when Mr.. Bellamy's
counsel announced that the taking or
testimony in his behalf was concluded.
f. The witnesses examined at the morn
ing session were Mr.. Ed. Warren. a
democratic registrar in the First di-
vision of the Second ward. and Mr..
Matt Bremen, a democratic %pollholder
in the First division Of the Fifth ward.
THEN testimony was that the election
held on the Sth of last November was
fair n square, and that there was no
disorder and no intimidation at the
polls.
In the afternoon Colonel John Wilder
Atkinson, n of the most prominent
citizens Of Wilmington, was examined.
On his direct examination by Mr.. Bel
$500 - 80 AC h@SN4AlCo ludL GC was
atthe opera house on the night of the
24th OF October last, when Colonel
WaddeH used the expression about
damning the current Of the Cape Fear
with the carcasses Of dead negroes. He
said he heard Colonel WaddelI make
his speech and he did not say hat the
democrats intended to carry the cleo
ton if it required that the Cape Fear
river should be damned I'D with the
carcasses Of dead negroes. He did say
that our people would submit no longer
to this intollerable state Of affairs, if
1t required the current of the Cape Fear
to be damned with the carcasses of
oead negroes, but he referred to the
.unbearable conduct of the negroes, the
frequent insults and indignities to
white ladies upon the streets, and I'M
m~entlonable crimes against white wom-
committed by negro brutes.
Colonel Atkinson was cross-examin-
at length by Assistant District At
torney Oscar j. Spears, counsel for Col
did not know of an arrangement be-
tween Governor Russell and the dem !
ocratic citizens of Wilmington hat
the republicans would run no county
ticket, except the state senator, in or |
der to prevent bloodshed. Colonel At |
hlnson sald ne was aware of ar agree
ment with Governor Russell, who !
agreed that if the democrats would
take down Peschau and Kerr, the two |
democratic m for the house of |
representatives, n put up two more
representative men for the legislature.
ne would see to it that no county tick
ct would be run by h republicans,
except the candidate for state senator. |
On cross-examination Colonel Atkin-
son was asked by Mr.. Spears about the
meeting held in the court house on the
night Of the 9th of November. when |
The matter of the negro paper, The
Daily Record, and it's Infamous edi-
-orial rejecting On the virtue of white
women was considered. He stated that
colonel Waddell did preside at tina
meeting and a committee was appoint
cd Tor no ther duty than to see to lit
nat Manly, the negro editor, should
De requested to leave the city and re-
move The Record outfit from the CITY.
lhe White committee met with a num-
Der OF representative negroes and they
we're told that Manly's residence in the
,ity would be no longer tolerated. and
nat the expense Of shipping away the
press and material of The Record
be paid by the whites; that the
negroes failed to make a report as
hey were required to do by s O'Clock
1ext morning after the conference. and
nat consequently a large body of gen.
-lemen went to The Record office to
zee that the outfit was shipped out of
he city, and that while there some hot
read set fire to and destroyed the Of
Ice, press and material. All this, he
was after the election and had
political significance whatever.
District Attorney Spears also cross
Colonel Atkinson as to
whether he knew that the democrats
'roereo a new registration to cut down
ne republican vote, andif whether he
new OF the threat to discharge re-
employees if they registered.
testified that he knew of nothing
II the kind. Being asked as to what
'arty he belonged, Colonel Atkin-
on said he did not belong to any DO
ltlcal party, but be generally voted the
lemocratlc ticket. He said he was an
old line Whig," and he might be class
"a as an anti-republican.
Colonel Dockery's attorneys will
'roDaply commence today or tomorrow
0 take dispositions in rebuttal of the
Of MI. Bellamy.