The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-01

| w. Iaylof. ana that they were engaged
to be married. For some time these two
young people We're all in all to each 9th
err, and when together they thought the
! world well lost But the course OF
their affection did not run smooth, and il
was said that Taylor became jealous OF
| the attention which Miss Sallie received
| from other young men. Sallie had gen.
uine affection for Taylor but she was
somewhat of a coquette as every beauti.
full woman is to more or less degree,
and she had much attention from the
gentlemen of Rutherford and Hen
derson counties. Taylor was as jealous
of her as a Turk and he resented the
fact that she would not confine herself
to him. Finally, they became estranged
and the engagement was broken off. Sal
lie finished school and went to her faith
ers home in Rutherford county near
what is known as the white House in
the Cove" This house was the first
house in Rutherford that was painted
white and hence its name. 1t was here
in June, 1858. that the writer saw Sal
lie Morgan. The occasion was Il discus
sion between Mr.. Zebuion b. Vance
and the Hon. Waightstill w. Avery,
Wing and Democratic candidates for
Congress. This was the first political
gathering the writer had ever attended.
He wells remembers the occasion. There
was great conconrse of people present.
Mr." Vance, the Wing candidate, was a
boyish young man and almost unknown
outside of Buncombe county His oppo-
nent was then the leader of the Demo-
cratic party in this State and its ablest
member. He had been chairman of the.
committee on resolutions ut the National
Convention held in 1856 at Cincinnati
The district had been Democratic for
many years. Gen. Thomas l.. Clingman
had been repeatedly elected by
it, He was ut this time in the United
States Senate and the Hon. Mr.. Avery
sought to be his successor. "Mr Vance"
had the reply and and rejoinder at this
discussion. Mr.. Avery opened and deliv-
cred a most able and learned address on
all the issues which was understood and
appreciated by only a small number of
his audience. He INDUCED in no humoi
and did not cite illustrations with which
to point and enforce his argument. 1t
would have been great speech for
Westminster Hall and the United States
Senate, but it was sadly out of place,
considering the education intelligence
and political experience of those who
listened to it. When Mr. Vance" came
to reply it was seen after a few minutes
that he had the crowd in the hollow of
his hands. He was chaste and pure
in his language for there were hundreds
of ladies present. His speech was lit
orally punctured with wit and humor
that kept his hearers in continual up
roar of laughter and applause. 1t was
q field day for Vance. When the discus
sion ended both candidates were the re-
friends. Among those of the Wing
girls who presented Mr." Vance with
a bouquet, was Miss Sallie Morgan.
The writer who was then II years old,
remembers her as the most beautiful wo-
man he had ever seen. She was most
becomingly dressed and fully answered
the description heretofore given of her.
She made Mr." Vance 8 neat little
speech in presenting the flowers, con-
graduated him on his address and predic-
ted his election. Mr." Vance then got
down among the crowd and told anec-
dotes and made himself "hail fellow
well met" with ALL How he reversed
the vote and was elected by 2049 ma
jority is now history.
As the writer and Mr." Vance rode
home after the speaking, the man who
was in after years to fill such large
place in the hearts and affections of the
people of his State, frequently referred
to what q lovely girl Sallie Morgan
was" The war soon came on and the
beautiful girl faded from the memory
of the writer, and he next heard of her
in 1871 as the wife of Martin Baynard.
Like the Adairs Baynard was a violent
Republican and was completely under
the domination and control Of the Adair
family. He aided them in running the
blockade distillery," very much against
the wish and protest of his wife.
Finally, the enemies of the Adairs and
Baynard found out that a man by the
name Of Silas Weston and Polly, his
wife, who lived near the Adairs, had
positive evidence of the running of the
blockade distillery." This information
was furnished to the revenue officers and
Columbus and Govan Adair and Martin
Baynard were indicted in the United
States Court. The indicted parties al
ways believed that Weston and wife
turned informers and gave the informa-
ton. The truth is that the information
was given by other parties and Weston
and wife We're unwilling witnesses be-
fore the grand jury, and were the only
witnesses for the government Right
here the trouble began which brings an
awful tragedy into this story.
As soon as the Adairs and Baynard
found out they were indicted and that
Silas Weston and Polly Weston were
the only witnesses against them, they
and agreed to murder Weston
and his wife in order to remove the
witnesses against them and to carry out
the unwritten law of the moonshinefs
against an informer. Weston and wife
had four small children and lived in a
cabin about two miles from where
Henderson Adair lived. How well the
to murder was executed viii
be best told by Polly Weston as it APP
pears in her testimony in the ease of
the State versus Columbus and Govan
Adair and Martin Baynard, on pages
29S, 300, 300 and 301 of the Goth vol |
ume of the Reports of the Supreme |
Court of North Carolina. She says:
''That she was the wife of Silas Wes- |