The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-04

it?"
Yes"
"Where did you go from Salisbury
Il didn't stop in Salisbury. | went on
to Charlotte. / spent four days there.
Then / came to Raleigh. / got here at
3 O'Clock and left that night for Dur
ham From Durham | went to Wash
ington."
Didn't you learn in Durham that the
officers were after you!
NO. All | heard was that Dr. Moore
got a telegram from Raleigh, saying that
c. W. Robinson had taken charge OF
the Rocky Mount postoftice and l WAS
over $500 short"
who sent that telegram"
Il don't know.
You said awhile ago you resigned. To
whom?''
TO the Postoffce Department"
Did you address your letter to the
Postmaster General?"
Yes, in care of Congressman White"
Didn't you know White couldn't ac-
cept your resignation"
He got the place for me-
when you left the office how much
money did you leave there?'
Il don't know, but | did know. l
don't remember now. There was oven
$500 of postal funds in Il trunk. l don't
know now much money order funds there
was
"Whom did you leave in charge of the
Officer
My assistant, Watson"
who had the keys"
Frank Battle. | sent them back to
him after | left
Did Battle know the combination OF
the safer"
Yes, lie and Watson both knew it,
This completed Targets testimony,
and the court took a recess until $3.50
o'clock.
When the court met again Mr. Bum,
of Targets counsel, arose and said that
i'll view of the intimatiOn of the court
that Il postmaster is responsible for the
acts of those under him. and in view of
the fact that the United States Supreme
Court reports support this view of the
law. the defendant had dcidd to SUBJ
nit his case.
This is done. however" continued
Mr.. Bum. with the understanding THAI
we be allowed to go on with the eXami-
nation of witnesses, SO that the court
may have all the facts bearing on the
case"
No objection was made to this by
the prosecution and the following Wit
nesses were put on the stand to prove Il
good character for Hargett:
f. j. Rose, builder and contractor
of this city.
George w. Robbins, the present post
Stcr at Rocky Mount
Alfred Baker (col0, of Rocky Mount.
This witness gave some confessions that
he says Watson, the assistant postmaster
made to him, tending to how that Wat
son and not Hargett is the embezzler.
He claimed to have seen Watson the day
after Hargett was arrested, with large
roll of money in his possession. When
Watson went into the pOStoffice he was.
the witness said, a very poor man. Wat
son is now living at Whitaker's i'll Edge
combe county.
james Seasons, another Rocky Mount
negro, testified that Watson had no mon
ey before he went into the office, but
that a short time before he came ont
of the office he talked of opening
store and a bar room, saying he had
$500 he wanted to invest
l.. c. Collins (c0lD said he saw Wat
son take money out of the postoftice
three times. He didn't know the amount
taken, or for what purpose. The witness
gave Hargett n good character.
Rev. l.. c. Hall (col). gave Hargett
Il good character He said Congress
man White told him (the witness) that
he had long known Watson was
rascal; that once before he had forged a
note and it was all he and his other
friends could no to keep him out of the.
penitentiary. The witness said he had
seen Watson sell stamps and fail to put
the money in the drawer.
A. l.. Carr, a negro woman who was
Targets clerk. remembered Inspector
Owens visit to the office and the short
age of $3.50 in the stamp account. After
the shortage was discovered Watson
brought her the stamps and asked her
to count them. She didn't know where
he got them. Hargett told her he WAS
afraid of Watson. When they disagreed,
as they often did, Watson had his way.
On cross examination the witness said
Hargett paid her So a month and she
bearded herself.
Hlrgett, recalled to the stand, said
that the feeling between him and Wat
son was not good.
ION one occasion he told me- You
want to get I'D OF me, but | don't mean
10 get ont. III stay here till | carry
Won out On one occasion | was cursed
and assaulted by Watson i'll the office,
in the discharge of my official duty"
Hargett said that while IN office he
spent very little money and borrowed Il
great deal to pay up the repeated short
ages.
Watson never helped me make up
but one shortage and that was the
money stolen by the boy, Eddie Black.
Besides that l had to pay him half of
my salary to keep him quiet. This 4
had to pay him every six days. Our
agreement on taking the office was that
Watson was to get just $500 less than
/ got.
Mr. Bernard-''If you know amy facts
or circumstances leading you to believe
that Watson embezzled that money We
want you to tell it here now
We'll | can't say that Watson stole
that money. | can only say what | be-
Ea1+o =, Al. L.