The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-05
He SUPPORTED VANCE
CONVICTED or FORGERY ON A
TECHNICAIITY.
HEARING ssFoRE THE BOARD ON THE 18TH
Eeps, Reeocd Mas Fully Known to the Board
Hesaee he Was Employed and he Was
Endorsed By Leading Men Of
E6gssombe County.

The heariag of the case OF e. Nj.
Egqss. First assistant in the Colored Nor
NAL Sehool 1T plymouth. charged with
being aud eS-coaviet and with being
found guilty Of immortality. comes up
before the bosrrti ct trustees of the
school az Plymouth on the 18th inst.
1t viii be- recalled that the State Board
of Examiners ordered the Investigation
at its session last week
Mr.. Donald Gillian, Of Tarboro. who.
with others. recommended Epps for the
appointment. was asked last night for
statement of the facts in the case. Mr..
Gillian said that Epps had supported
Vance for Governor and had thereby
incurred the hatred of the rabid politi-
clans of the Republican party, white
and black. He was teaching school in
Edgecombe county at the time,
in 1877, and at the. end of his
term the chairman of the school COM
mittee signed his voucher for the money
due him. 1t was the custom then for
one of the other committeeman 10 au-
thorize the teacher to sign for him. Epps
had been so authorized and signed the
name of one committeeman. He was
prosecuted for it, convicted of technical
forgery and sentenced to the peniten-
tiary. The Governor at that time,
probably Jarvis, investigated the ease
and Epps was pardoned. 1t was nor
disputed that the money drawn on the
voucher was honestly due Epps, and
politics was behind his prosecution.
'.Epps is a worthy man." said Mr..
Gillian, ''and while in no sense politi-
elan has always acted with the Demo
cratic party. He has lived in Edge
combe county for twelve or fifteen years
and | know of no man who is better
type of his race than EpIAs and his atti-
ttlde has always been in the highest de-
gree commendable. Because OF his poll
ties and the fact that he had influence
with his people he has been warred
upon persistently by Republicans. Hence
when the county was turned over ito
the Republicans several years ago, they
set to work to run Epps ont of the
county because he had been well dis
posed toward the whites. TO this end
the old conviction was brought mp
against him and they refused TO give
him employment in the county.
lie left Edgecombe and went to
Wayne and at his request I wrote
Judge Allen. of Goldsboro, mentioning
the forgery incident, he investigated the
facts aud Epps was employed in the
schools of Wayne until the Fusionists
lest control of the State when he came
back to Edgecombe. His wife Is now
teacher I'M the colored graded schools of
Tarboro. | wrote a lerter To the Ply
mouth board recommending Epps, blt
acquainting the board with his history.
Mr.. j, X. Gaskill, Chairman of the
County Board of Education, and Prof
Wilkinson, County Superintendent of
instruction, also wrote letters OF recon-
mendation. Prof. Wilkinson has told
me that Epps was one of the best teach
ers Of his race in the county / called
the matter of Epps' conviction to the
attention of the board because i knew
that the same influences that had been
bounding him before would follow him
to Plymouth. They investigated the
matter and selected him with all the
light before them. They are thoroughly
satisfied with him and the attempt to
have him removed and the talk of boy
getting the school is purely on account
of his p0liticS-in a nutshell it is Derse-
cEtion from end to end
How about his alleged immortality
with other teachers in Edgecombe?" +
asked.
When the Republicans came in two
years ago they were very bitter to-
ward Epps. They trumped up the charge
of immortality against him, but it was
withdrawn and no action was taken on
il. His certificate may have been re-
yoked. | should not be surprised if
such were the case.
.Epps has always ceunselled the
negroes for their good, is thoroughly
competent and deserves TO be upheld"
The board Of trustees Of the Plymouth
school met on last Monday night but
adjourned to the night of the 18th in
slant to give time for a formal hear
ing. The records here are now being
searched for the facts in Epps' case.