The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-05

from the AuJutalJ NIeneraI > Olhce. 'cuCh
was the substance of the orders | gave
Captain Bernard. | engaged Il special
train over the Seaboard, which will be In
I.umberton at 1:30 tomorrow H'riday)
morning. The train had right of way
and no stops were to be made except for
fuel and water The company carried
Springfield rifles and ball cartridges"
CUBAN VETS SENT.
Nearly all the twenty men who We're
detailed are ex-members of the First regi
ment of North Carolina volunteers ana
saw service with that regiment in Cuba.
The utmost secrecy was observed in get
ting the men away and it was not knowIi
until a few minutes before the train left
that that troops had been ordered out.
1t was generally supposed when the fact
became known that Il riot was actually
goingTon in Lumberton, or Wilmington,
the latter report being current.
LUMBERTON IGNORANT OF THE
REPRIEVE.
From the telegram printed above it is
evident that the people of Lumberton had
not heard last night of the new reprieye
of week which Governor Russell has
given Ross. \ gentleman interested in
the case said last night that no one but
the attorneys knew Of the reprieve and
that he was sure that neither of them
had sent any word Of it to Lumberton.
This in connection with the Governors
refusal to state from whom the telegram
came, saying that there was no danger of
lynching, puts IL queer face on the mat
ter. 1t is clear that no violepce had
been attempted and tile troops could only
have been sent rs precaution, when it
Shall become known that Ross was again
reprieved ON yesterday 1t Is quite
within the range of possibilities that the
company has instructions to bring Ross
TO Raleigh and that after he has been
safely landed here his sentence viii he
committed to life Imprisonment. This is
merely conjecture but there is much in
the situation to give color to ii. Cover
nor Russell did not Indicate to Ross at
torneys yesterday whether he would
commute the sentence 10 life impriSOil-
ment or not but he is known to have
been greatly impressed with the petitions
and affdavits they presented Mr.. Il.
B. Morrison. one of Ross attorneys. left
yesterday afternoon with the reprieve
is ROSS GUILTY?
Mr.. Dan Hugh Mclean, of Harnett,
prosecuted Ross for the crime in the
criminal cuort. He said last night:
Governor Russell sent for me about
6 o'clock and asked me whether |
| thought Ross was guilty. | said, Coy
ernor, ] prosecuted Ross for the crime.
| When the evidence was all in ! was con
| WINGED of his guilt. | told him that
vinced of his guilt. | am still
of that opinion and believe that
| if ever guilty man stood in the
! shadow of the galowS, Reuben Ross is
| that man. The Governor said, but so
many prominent people down there think
know about that. You have asked me
for my opinion and | have given it
Judging from what the Governor said
to me | did not think he had taken any
action. but from what | have learned
since | think he had already telegraphed
down there about it,
THE CRIME AND TRIAL.
y gentleman who has followed the
case closely throughout said last night
=, when asked for statement:
The case was tried before Judge
Dossey Battle i'll the Criminal court at
! Lumberton. the first of November.
Judge Battle assigned Messrs. John IL.
| Cook, of MaXton: II. Il. Morrison and
| Chas. Mcneil, of Lumberton. to defend
| Ross. He was convicted and sentenced
| to be hanged December D. He was re-
spited for 80 days and again on yesterday
| for one week.
The evidence in the case was on the
part of the prosecutriX that the crime
was perpetrated at IL o'clock in the day:
| that she dined with her husband that
| day. and that several days elapsed be-
| fore she told her husband about it, She
| explained this by saying that she and
| her husband were strangers in the com
munity. were poor people and did not
have any friends TO stand by them in
their distress. The jury, after a careful
consideration of the matter convicted the
| defendant.
There is petition before the Gov
ernor signed by many people. some of
| them the very best citizens in the county,
| asking that Il commutation of the SEN
| tence be made TO life Imprisonment.
There is separate petition signed by
6 of the jurors joining in the same re-
quest
During the progress of the trial Mr..
| John II. Cook, who was assigned by
| Judge Battle to defend the prisoner was
! waited on and advised not TO make a