The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-24
ARREST OF REGISTRARS
He Sends Blank Forms for it to All
Counties.
GIVES HIS MEN MIGHTY BAD ADVICE
Tells Them That They've Got the Law on
Their Side and That if They Follow
His Advice They VIII be
Fully Projected.

Under date of July 18th. Butler sends
out Another Important Letter (No. 3D."
In this document he communicates to
his henchmen his plans for the intimi-
dalton of registrars and judges Of cleo
ton. He says:
81 have already sent you blank form
of affidavit and warrant for the arrest of
any registrar who violates Section $50
of the Federal Election Laws, but, as
you know, this law only covers discrimina-
tions against the negro voter. We have
had the Democratic registrar at Winston
arrested, tried and bound over under
two thousand dollar bond to the Federal
Court for violating that section of the
Federal Election Law AS soon as this
procee wlg was over, the Democratic poll
ticians mad our witnesses in that case ar
rested under bogus form of procedure.
We are taking steps today to have every
one of these politicians who took part
in having those witnesses arrested, jerked
up for contempt of Federal Court, and
we will do it everywhere. So you can as
sure witnesses that if they are intimida-
ted, we will punish to the full extern of
the law every man who intimidates them
in any way and land these intimidators
in the Federal penitentiary."
There are many things in the above
paragraph worthy of special note.
Observe, for instance, the use of the
words we" and sour" I'VE have had
the Democratic registrar at Winston ar
rested" 1.-The Democratic politicians had
OUR witnesses in that case arrested"
Who is eve? Butler and Holton and
their allies. What did 1--WE" have the
Winston registrars arrested for? Butler
gives answer in the above paragraph
for violation of Section $50 of the Feae-
raj Election Laws, and, he adds: This
law only covers determinations against
the negro voter"
Herein Butler acknowledges that which
charging, but he has been denying, to-wit,
that he is a championing the cause of the
negro.
hnd in this championship he would go
to the extent of having even white men
his superiors-arrested. Note above:
1--WE are taking steps today to have
everyone of these politicians. who took
part in having those witnesses arrested,
jerked up for contempt of Federal court,
and we will do it everywhere.
In other words, Butler, the self-consti-
tuted champion of "the poor white man, ;"
proposes to arrest every white man that
is in any way concerned in keeping off
the registration books the names OF ne
groes who are not entitled to vote. This
is his own statement in an official let
ter
When the News and Observer early last
week stated that Butler and Holton were
trying to get from Boyd, the newly ap-
pointed Federal judge, rule of contempt,
they denied it, Also later in the week
they denied when their sch sme was
prematurely exposed by this paper, that
they were attempting to make arrests un-
der Section AZ of the Election Law. il
this. letter is the proof Butler says:
There are two remedies that you have
against registrar for this offence. One
is under Section AZ of the Election Law.
which says that any registrar who fails
to perform the duties required of him
shall be fined not less than five hundred
dollars nor more than one thousand dol
lars or imprisonmeed not more than six
months nor less than two months Be
sides. the same section, as you will see
from reading on down, provides that the
Attorney General can sue every regis
trar and recover five hundred dollars in
addition to the above penalty. Read this
section of the election law to the regis
trar in your precinct. If he has refused
anyone qualified to register, or II he has
failed to open his books at the hour pre-
scribed on every Saturday at the polling
Mace. or if he has failed to have his
hooks opened at his house or place OF
business on every weekday, or II he has
gone off and left his registration books n
the hands of his son or his wife or anyone
else instead of being present in person
to register you or others, or II ne mas
failed to perform any other duty that the
law requires of him then at once have any
nerson who has been denied registration
or who has failed to get an opportunity
to register for any cause, to swear our
at once a warrant for his arrest before
the nearest justice of the peace who is
a good and reliable man, and nave MIN
to issue a warrant for the arrest OF said
registrar. enclose you the blank form
of affidavit and warrant for this purpose
on one sheet"
Now Butler knows, as any we'll informed
lawyer will advise him, that Section AZ
means no such thing. He knows also
that the men who make arrests under
such acts as he names in his letter VIII
thereby get themselves into serious trou-
BILE. But what does Butler care for their
troubles? He has troubles of his own. His
object is to intimidate the registrars who
are to be judges of election, thereby in
fuencing the count, to the end that he
may secure his reelection to the Sen
ate. If the man who causes the arrest