The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-04
IheNcCvrnick Conspiracy
VERDICT NOT. GUILTY.
The Government Failed to Prove
Conspiracy on the Part OF
Defe tldatltS.
from, Tho Grccnyille MountaineCr.

casa has dwindled very much since
little legal light has been thrown upon
the subject. Mr.. james w. Tolbert,
cousin of II. II. ToLbert, the young man
who was aspiring TO till Asbury Lati-
mers shoes as representative IN Con
gress, has alleged that he was chief
assistant in the office at Mccormick,
and that on election day IN November
last he was looking after his cousins
interest by instructng the negroes
how to proceed when the managers
refused TO receive their votes, which
was being done because none OF them
were registered. Il. Il. Iolbcrts plan
was to get atidavits from the negroes
at every poll where they had offered
to vote and had been rC jCctcd by the
managers, and it waa necessary for
him to have the assistance OF others in
CARRYING out this project, which was
merely paving the way for contcsting
Lat;mer's seat in the next Congress,
not with the expectation OF getting
the seat, but 10 secure the COmpCnsa-
ticn which is always allowed The con
tcstant even when he fails to be Ecatcu.
On account OF his alleged official posi-
ton, James w. TClbcrt declares that
he was threatened and intimidatcd by
% large numbcr OF citizens at McCOr-
mick, who had cOnspirrd and con
federated aud threatened TO lake Ills
life, to exile him from home. and
otherwise HJurc, annoy and pCrsCCutC
him in divers and auudry ways, be-
cause he had voted for K. i. IOihcrt
and instructed the negroes how TO
proceed in fixing their atluAvits in his;
cousins behalf. His services as chief
assistant in the Mccormick post office
enabled him to put the case in the
United States court, which othcrw iSc
would not have jurisdiction, nnu ne
doubtless Thought >hHt the machinery
OF Uncle Sam WAS arranged TO convict
sort OF patent affair that WAS run cX-
clusivcly in the mtorcs. Of minor
officials.
The citizens Of Mccormick Mrld
public meeting just after the election
ON receiving information about tn
riots at and near I'hmuiX, in whicI
the To!hcrts figured cons ~picuUusly AN
to their own dctrimcnt, and as Jas. "
Toibcrt had been actively engaged
the Identical work which brought {
the trouble at Phoenix, the citiAc
agreed to advise him to leave hOur
as to prevent any bloodsncd or possib
conflict at Mccormick as the fuell
against the Tolbcrts In general vi
hourly growing, and they feared
might culminatc in II collision wi:
j, w. TolhGrt il he remained in TIL
who had been on friendly terms it
Tolbcrt was chosen TO present him wit
the resolutions, and every step tina
WAS taken reflected the pv"rviu. II
tcntiOn OF the citizens. Mr.. -. T.. /
Sturkcy. the spokesman Tor a.- !.y.-.
bors, undertook - a.. ..n3r: I...-:
with the action OF va ,.;...:s. Ct. e.,
vited him for thai puri..,- =. y...: :.
store, which To.avc. ~y.-...- :. s.
Then Sturkcy wen: - - ..... a..
drst To.ocrt rctJs>1 -...- p: ..i.
view with him, p-: -.a.., ..:...;-
with The prOy.so ::a; - 49,. 49, ~,
Palmer, who lived Il .. 49,. 80.
to oc present a. w!;n.--- NJ. >:-".:-
aescntcu 10 this prupu-.t.uG. a.. r
sisted on calling sti.. Others 10 h,u
the Interview, which resulted in j. II
Dunlap, Wade CUthran, Henry Marti
and Thos. Bentley being present. Tn
resolutions were read 10y MIR. SturkcN
and very littlo was said ON either sid
except that MIR. Sturkcy expressed h
sympathy for Mrs. Tolbcrt and assure
her that no harm would hcfal her
any event. The citizens guarantee
safe conduct for TUlbcrt If he woul
leave in thirty-siX hours, bat ne stuo
not on the order Of his going. an
packing his grip hastily he shook tn
dust from his feet and went straight
way to ashingtOn.
The aitcrthOught came to Tolbcr
that an Indictment Of his ncigh5or
for conspiracy might result in an one
TO compromise, which would ill hi
pocket with hltny lucrc, and hence TN,
government was invoked to avcngc hi
wrongs and indignitics. The sururis
ing feature now is that the Distric
Attorney consented 10 prosecute Lc,
reputable citizens Of Mccormick unn,
the evidence or statement OF Tolber,
for his testimony is alone rcsponsibI
Tor the plight in which Mr.. l,athro
found himself when ic hnd examine
four witnesses for the prosecution If
cluding Tolbcrt himself. The mccc
less blows dealt by MIR. George ,Joh,
stone in the cross examination Of 70
bert were exceedingly damaging
TOlberts reputation for truth ar
veracity, which was evidently none
the best to begin with. MIR. Johnston
doa1t with him no II s. marp nunnnt AZ