The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-06-13
A LyNCH|NG WAS
NARROWLY AVERTED
Newport People Wanted to
Lynch Weeks Murderer.
PROFITS IN TRUCKING
$4,000 MADE ON SIXTY ACRES
IN CARRIAGES.
SESSION or THE TEACHERS ASSEMBLY
Secretary Whilsitt is on Hard and All Prepare
lions are Berg Made for Big Meet
ing Of the Assembly Beginning
on "Wednesday Morning.

vi WCuiiCoo"J "ViH"S'
Morehead, ~ c.. June 12.(Editorial
Correspondence.) --Nothing but the fore
thought and care of Sheriff Willis, of
Carteret county, saved the State the
horror of lynch.ng on SATURDAY night.
Lewis Patrick (col.), had been arrested
that day in Newbern upon the charge
of having murdered Elijah Il. Weeks,
a highly respected merchant living i'll
Carteret county. 1t was one of the
most ;utrocious murders ever committed
in the State On the night of the
9Th instant Mr. Weeks, who was in fee
Tile health. was straugled on the bed
in his store where he slept and was
found next morning by the people with
whom he boarded lying dead With the
rope still around his neck. The muir
derer had gained entrance through the
window, committed the deed and cs-
capped, robbery being the object of the
crime.
Mr.. Weeks was one of the best men in
the county and his murder aroused the
Indignation OF all the people, and no
stone has been left unturned to track
the murderer. Sheriff Willis and his
utpulleS 1O1UNGu every lFdl1 anu
tracked the negro Patrick to Newbern.
While they were describing him to
Newbern policeman, Patrick walked by
and enquired when the steamer would
leave for Elizabeth City. Two other
policemen were sent for and the negro
was arrested. He had nothing to say
but requested to be allowed TO have
his valise or haversack. Permission
was granted, but its contents were cx-
amined and found to contain the razor
with which Mr.. Weeks shaved and some
ALPACA coats that We're in his store.
The razor was recognized by Il friend
of Mr.. Weeks who shaved with it Sum
day morning before the murder and
the aiaraca coats by Mr.. III. Il. Duffy,
a Newbern merchant, who had sold them
to Mr.. Weeks only a short time ago. 1t
is known that some fifteen or twenty
days ago the negro WAS in Mr.. Weeks
nesghborhood and small theft was com
united then, and it Is known he WAS
in the neighbolhood the day the muir
der was committed. He does not deny
having been there but gives TO eXplana
ton of his presence at that time or
what he was doing. The opinion of all
those with whom | talked is that the
negro is guilty, except one gentleman,
one of the best informed men i'll Carteret
county. He said:
Il do not believe the negro is the
only guilty party. On the day before
the murder was committed. Mr.. Weeks
had two thousand dollars III his store
/ believe some white nmin VINO knows
about it had hand in the murder,
and he thought the $1,000 was in the
store when the murder was committed.
As a matter of fact, the day before
the murder was committed Mr.. Weeks
had sent the money to Newbern and
the murderers got nothing for their
crime. | do not know, but that negro
doesn't look like he has sense enough
to know about the affairs of Mr.. Weeks
! believe when it all comes out we will
find That he had an accomplice who
is smarter than he is.''
After Patrick was arrested, Sheriff
Willis made his arrangements to take
him by boat to Carteret Jail, but after
a heavy rain and bad weather set in
he charged his mind and determined
to bring him down on the train. After
he had decided to take him down by
boat, one of Sheriff Willis deputies who
lives near Newbern returned home and
told some people Of the arrangements
1t was fortunate that there was a mis-
understanding as TO the route, for if
it had been generally known that Pat
nick would be brought down on the
train the whole neighborhood would
have met the train. As it was, when
the train reached Newport though the
rain was pouring in torrents, quite a
small crowd had assembled, some with
guns and some with pistols prepared to
take the negro off and swing him to
tree if he was aboard. Anticipating that
there might be br0lplle, Sheriff Willis
had hid the negro i'm the toilet room
so that the parties, after looking through
all the windows, became satisfied that
the negro had been carried down by
water. and did not board the train.
Ninety car loads Of truck were taken
to Goldsboro on the Atlantic and North
Carolina Railroad Yesterday. to lie taken
TO Northern markets Ii consisted fa.e1y
of cabbage, beans and potatoes. This
road is ninety miles long, so that there
was car Toad for every mile. The
people around Kinston and Newbern
do not grow many strawberries and they
are now thankful that they look to
other sources for their money, in view
OF the heavy losses sustained this year
ny the truckers who depend on the
berry crop. The berry market busted"
just at the season the fields were scarlet
with the luscious berries. Doubtless
God Almighty might have made some
thing better than a stra wberry hut
doubtless He never did, is saying that
is widely endorsed. But the berry grow
ers this year think that most any other
crop is better.
This is no great year for big money
for the general trucker, but the prices
received for lettuce cabbage. potatoes
and beans has afforded quite profit ia
some truckers about New-bern and Kin
ston. and it may be said to have been
satisfactory season to all who raised
these four crops. Talking last night
with Mr.. c. II. Toy, leading business