The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-04
The More Investigated
the Worse it Gets.
A DISCREPANCY OF $4,000
I'm fts Accents with she state Treas
arer Dt.cevered-The Public Prints
ing Case TO be ARGUED Today-An.
osaer set-Bssk 10 the Fsrms-A Novel
SUITS by n Convset-ssasc Guard Notes.
My-sertou. smallpox Case-The Naval
Reserves Battalion.


fSAlelSn. ~. -. Maven ii.
Work - now in progress on the last
batch OF the acts ot the Legislature.
in the way Of preparation Of sido-notes.
AS a rule, the acts were remarkably
we'll drawn and errors are few. The
most notable one was the failure 60
provide for the criminal insane.
Tomorrow at chambers, Judge Gesrgc
II. Brown VIII al argument here I'm
the case involving the public printing.
This is the case in which Rarnes Bros.
sue the public printers, Edwards g.
Broughton and t. NJ. Uzzell,. and also
the secretary of state and the legisla-
tive committee on printing. Very lit
tie OF the printing has been done. or
can be done unit this suit il dispos-
ed OF.
The First regiment OF volunteers did
not get into camp at Savannah until
Wednesday evening. This was due to-
two days quarantine The troops are
looked for here about April Goth.
More rain is falling and the farmers
get another setback. Work Is now
more than a month behind hand. For
a couple OF years past the rainfall has
been deficient and thousands OF wells
~AA&@ EAAAAS "SAS Wy " ttA INV AbN-
er than ever before.
Mr.. Osborne, of the new directorship
or the p~enitentiary, says that no prop
osition to employ convicts In the cult
walton OF sugar beets has been made
to the new management. He says many
convicts are being pardoned or dis
charged n remarkably few are COM
ing in. The number shrinks steadily.
There is a law allowing counties 10
have state convicts for road work. but
this Is in the discretion OF the peniten-
uary authorities. None can be spared.
An expert made the calculation as to
h number required to operate the
farms and found 1t to be $50. Osborne
says that, strange TO say, exactly this
number were found to be available.
The last legislature increased the al
oWanc of time to convicts for good
conduct One convict, Jordan Pritch-
EFT, of Granville, will adopt the novel
course of bringing suit to see whether
the law is not retroactive. Pritchett's
life sentence was lately committed by
the governor to ten years.
Osborne says the vouchers OF the pen
itentiary are now being checked from
January 1, 1897. The p~enitentiary books
SHOW that the state treasurer was
owed SIS. 000, when really only IS, 900
was due him. This was because he had
been given credit for vouchers issued.
which he had not paid, but had de-
clined to pay because he did not have
the money. The only thing to do is to
check up his vouchers and see what
he has paid. No man yet knows what
the p~enitentiary owes. The sum gets
bigger all the while.
DR.. Curry was greatly pleased with
his visit to the schools and colleges
here. He pays a high compliment to
the Agricultural and Mechanical col
lege.
- Cl.--.1T Il n uv - 1T -
ty, who early this month had a desper-
ate fight with the keeper Of a country
store, may yet lose a leg. The store
keeper was cut in the fight and threw
a large stick OF wood which broke
Jones leg.
There is much mystery as To the new
case of smallpox which has developed
here. She is at the pest house. two
| miles from the city.
AS yet there Is no decision as TO the
place at which the encampment Of the
state guard will be held. 1t will al
most certainly be on the coast. 1t will
hardly be held before late in July. OF
course Morehead City and Wrightsville
will make propositions. There will be
three full regiments Of troops. One of
these may, however, have a practice
march instead OF an encampment.
That matter viii be largely in the dis
erection of Colonel j. +. Armfield, now
of the First volunteers, who, IL is well
understood, Is to be the colonel Of the
new Second regiment of the state
guard, the position being I'm fax practi-
cally held open for him.
The Mt. Olive division OF naval re-
serves IL accepted n assigned to the
naval brigade, which is to have six d.
visions. There are now two battalion.,
the first composed Of the Wilmington,
Southport and Kinston divisions, the
second of the Elizabeth City. New
Bern and Mt. Olive divisions. On .h>
18th OF April, at NewfBern and VII
mington, these will elect battalion Of