The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-13
HE KNOWS FEW NEGROES
Asked Both Them and Whites For
Proof of Qualifications.
NEGROES PROMISED BUT DID NOT GIVE. 1T
Saturday Nay See the End Of the Trial. Regis
tration Book Demanded by Prosecution
and Produced in Court. People
Consider Trial an Outrage.
Especial to the News and Observer

Especial to the News and Observer.)
Winston Salem, n. c., July 12.-The
whole day has been taken up in the
examination and eros examination of the
defendant registrar. Mr.. Thompson tes-
efied that he had refused no man regis
tration who had established a right to
vote in his ward He said that with one
or two exceptions the negro witnesses
were unknown to him, and that not being
satisfied whether some of them were
of age and as to residence of others,
he requested them to bring him evidence
to show they were of age and bona fide
residents, and told them if they would
do that he would register them. They
all said they could easily do that but
had failed to return or offer any evil
dence.
Mr. Thompson said he had done num-
ber of white men the same way. He fur
ther said he was ready now to register
these men if they would establish their
qualifications by creditable testimony.
Mr.. Thompson testified that he had
been a policeman for this city many
years and knew the migrating habits of
the negroes employed in the factories
here, that he had also been a real es-
| tate agent here, and had so tenement
houses to rent; that there were several
thousand negro adults who work in fac
tories; that about two thirds of these
come here to work in the factory and go
away after the season is over; that dur
ing the day from 6 a. m. to p. m. they
are closed in the factories and they are
therefore unknown to the people of the
town; that these people rent rooms and
huddle together, as many as 16 sometimes
sleeping in a room; that in former years
when the factories were closed about
October these people remained here until
after the November election, at which
they have been in the habit of register
ing and voting, and Immediately after
the election the trains leaving the city
in all directions were crowded with ne
groes returning to their homes.
That he had often seen these train
loads go off himself for several days af-
ter election; that the negro tenement
houses would be emptied by this exodus
of negroes; that under these circum-
stances he felt it his duty as registrar
to exercise circumspection in finding out
whether colored men unknown to him
were qualified residents of the city or
thought this was necessary to protect
the honest men of the town against
those who were in the city only for tenn
porary purposes, and with no interest in
the community.
Mr.. Thompson made a fine impression
and it was the opinion of the large
crowd assembled in the Mayors court
room that there was no case against him.
Frequently during the trial the large
crowd have given vent to 'their feelings
by loud applause, and it has been diff
cult for the court to restrain these out
breaks.
The prosecution today demanded the
registration book for the purpose Of
seeing how far the Commissioner would
go. Counsel for defendant objected, claim
ing that a United States court had no
right to impound the books of State
officer, and that the law prescribed the
time and place where the books should
be opened to all the electors of the pre-
cinct.
The Commissioner ordered the produc-
tion of the book and took it into his GUS
tody. After the prosecuting attorney had
examined the book for some time, and
asked some questions, seeming to fear
ne naQ gone 100 lar, ne arose ana re-
quested the Commissioner to make
formal order restoring the book to the
defendant, and that was done. The pros
ecution strenuously objected to the intro
duction of any evidence showing the row.
ing and migratory habits of the negro
factory laborers of the town. The case
will hardly be concluded before next Sat-
| urday. 1t is on the lips of everybody
| that the nrOSecutiOn is an outrage and
is for political purposes purely.