The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-14
HOW REVIEWERS
WORK UP CASES
A Negro Detective Threatens
His Witnesses.
TELLS THEM HE WILL KILL
And to Save Their Lives They Swear
Just as He Directs.
THEN THEY ARE INDICTED IN COURT
On the Stand They Make Clean Breast of The
Affair and Judge PurneIl Orders the
Immediate Arrest Of the
Detective.

Detective.
If you had been in the Federal court
yesterday morning you would have OBJ
tanned a peep behind the curtain and
learned something of the disgraceful man
ner in which the revenue business in
North Carolina is conducted.
1t came out in the evidence on two
trials that Shep Turner, a negro who
seems to make living by acting as de-
tective for revenue officials, in Cumber-
land county, is a man of the worst posi-
Bile character, not hesitating to threaten
weak minded witnesses with violence in
order to make them swear to suit him.
The record of the court shows further
that the revenue officials knew this, and
yet, when Shep Turner was arraigned
in court on Wednesday for subornation of
perjury, these facts were not laid be-
fore the judge, but the case against Shep
Turner was mol pressed, it being urged
that he was "a useful man to the officers
in his section
Shep Turner left for home and was
probably there yesterday when the cases
Neil, for perjury, were tried.
Peter is thirty-one years old, and
married man. Luther is a boy fifteen
years of age. Both are black, ragged and
simple minded-almost idotic. They hard
ly looked like human beings, and pre-
scented a most pitiable spectacle as they
came forward for trial. They had no at
torney and offered no defence.
The testimony against them was con
elusive, showing that on November 9th at
Fayetteville, in the trial of Pitt Deal for
retailing, both Peter and Luther had
sworn that they bought whskey from
Deal and went into details as to the cir
cumstances of the purchase. month
later, when arrested, they both acknowl
edged that they had sworn to what was
not true, but told The court that they did
so on account of threats made against
them by the negro Shep Turner, wher
working up the case.
He told me- said Peter, that the
officers were on his side and he had the
law TO summon who he pleased to the
trial. and if l didn't go and tell what he
told me he would put me to death-that
he would kill me and burn my house.
laid out in the woods two nights be-
cause l was afraid of him.
Being further questioned, he said:
"Shep came to my house while we were
eating breakfast He said he wanted 10
talk to me about a trial they were going
to have. l went to that trial because
he told me he'd get ten men and come
and kill me if | didn't
How old are you?"
Thirty one"
Are you married."
Ever been charged with any crime be-
fore?"
mo"
Luther McNeil's testimony was much
TO the same effect. He said be lived with
his sister on the land of Shep Turner
grandfather.
did Shep Turner threaten you?"
''He told me what he wanted me to
swear to and said if l didn't he'd XII
me. | swore to it,
Judge Purnell-"Issue a process for
Turner and have him brought here"
Mr.. Spears-"Well tend to him."
Judge Purnell-"Wasn't he before the
court yesterday and discharged?"
Mr.. Spears-"He was, but l didn't know
the facts then"
Mr. Spears said he would not ask o |
verdict in these cases and Judge Purnell |
ordered a verdict of not guilty entered
He added:
1T seems to me we ought to make n
example of some of these periurers who
are coming up here, but l don't think
these are proper subjects. Let them he
discharged, and, Mr.. Clerk, make out
papers for Shep Turner's arrest at once"
The next case taken up was that
against Coleman Chapel, of Granville
county, for retailing. The witnesses
against him were three negroes who
swore that they had at different tim s
bought whskey from him. There Were
however, some material parts of their
evidence contradicted by respectable
white men, and SO in this case also NJ
Spears declined to ask for verdict
Other cases disposed of during the day
were as follows:
A mol pros was entered in the cas-
against Chas. Washington and Luke
Hayes, charged with violation of interra!
revenue laws.
The cases against M. G. Parrish Chee- |
ter Watkins. Thos. L. Rosser and w. b. |
Crmnpler and Allen Crumpler. were re-
moved to the Wilmington court
An order was entered allowing the
marshal to pay for meals and lodging 7 |
baiIitf for the jury at the A. j. Marshau |
trial