The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-15
REPUBLICAN SIDE
CALLS ATTENTION TO HIS OWN
COUNTY,.
ASKS DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR A REFORM
Says an Illicit DistiIlery Was Found on the
Land of United States Commissioner Pat.
Massey, Republicans Protected
by the Officers.

Are the revenue laws of this district
administered in the interest of the Re
publican party?
Are men who are not Republicans pur-
sued by revenue officers while the mem
beers of that party are not only allowed
to openly violate the law. but are even
protected in it?
These charges We're made yesterday
by Mr.. James III. Pou, during trial
in the Federal court. 1t was a case
against Jim Coley, a Johnston county
negro, who was charged with working
on Sunday at the registered distillery
of Jackson Raines
Among the witnesses put on the stand
were II NJ, Barnes and ]. T.. III. Adams
Mr.. Adams said that Coley was charged
with having run off a charge of whis-
key for Raines on Sunday night, be-
fore the storekeeper had arrived. This
Raines and Coley denied, claiming that
the charge in the still was fresh beer,
while the revenue officers thought il
was Stops.
To settle the matter, Mr.. Adams had
the contents of the still run off. 1t pro-
duced three and half gallons of whis-
key. showing that it was good beer. No
unstamped whiskey was found.
Adams said also In his testimony that
the distiller's box, to which only the
storekeeper carried the key, was found
unlocked, and the sgorekeeper was alb
sent. In fact this was the chief evil
dence against Coley and Raines, and on
1t Raines' still and warehouse and their
contents were seized. Yet for this care
lesSness, or intentional violation of the
law the stoTekeeper, who was a Repub-
Hcan. was never indicted, and died with
his name on the government pay rolls.
Barnes. who Is a professional reve-
n1e raider and a soI-in-law of United
States Commissioner Pat Massey, ac-
knowledged on the stand that he was in
the habit of buying whiskey from Ma
than Lee. a government distiller, and
recommending it TO his friends. This
whiskey. he said. was delivered to him
in Smithfield and paid for in SmithfielG
and that Lee was accustomed TO peddie
it around the town. The witness ac-
knowledged that Lees distilIery is teh
miles from Smithfeld and that he had
no right to sell it except at the still. Bur
for doing so, Lee, who is a Republican,
mas never Deen lnulcJeu.
This witness further acknowledged
that an illicit distillery had been run
on the land of his father-in-law, Pat
Massey, who is the United States Com
missioner. He Barnes had gone on
raid for its capture and had found the
place where the still had been run, bur
the still was gone. Massey is Repub-
hcan.
Commenting on these facts, Mr.. Pou
charged ON the government officers ana
the district attorney a deliberate sys-
tenn for the protection of Republicans
distilIers in this district, especially john
ston county.
INSTEAD Of the revenue officers MAX
ing an effort to enforce the law" con.
tinued Mr. Pou, .'the service has degen-
Grated into a system of blackmail. There
are lot of men whom the government
officers not only allow to operate illicit
distilleries with impunity, but they even
help and protect them. But if a man is
not in this class and the slightest evil
dence can be procured against him. he
is bounded down and drug up here to
court
Mr.. Pou said he could call names. Mr..
Bernard challenged him to do so. He
thereupon named about a dozen men
whom he said were the most notorious
blockaders in the county, but who, be-
ing Republicans, were under the special
protection of the revenue officers, and
had never been indicted or disturbed in
their business.
Some of Them" he added, s'are here
now. They are witnesses in this court
against other men, far more innocent
than they.
Il call on the government to stop this
system of espionage and persecution on
the one hand and their fayoritism on