Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-15
REVIEWERS WORK
IN NORTH CAROLINA.
\ Negro Detective Threatens
Some OF His Witnesses.
TOLD THEM HE WOULD KILL.
40 savo Their Lives They Swear just as Ho
Directs and Then wero Indicted in
Court For Perjury They Mako Clean
Brenst of tho Affair and Judge orders
Arrest of tho Detective Now Census for
Raleigh nymcneal- Worth viii Case.

arrest oil tho Detective Now Census for
Raleigh Worth Will Case.
Raleigh, N. c., Dec. 14.-If you had
terday morning, says the News and
Observer of today. you would have OBJ
tanned peep behind the curtain and
learned something OF the disgraceful
manner in which the revenue business
in North Carolina is conducted.
1t came out in the evidence on two
trials that Shcp Turner, a negro who
seems to make his living by acting as
detective for revenue officials, in Cum
berland county, is a man of the worst
possible 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 couiT on Wednesday
for subornation OF perjury. these facts
were not laid before the judge, but the
case against Shep Turner was mol
pressed. 1t being shown that he was "a
useful man to the officers In his sec
ton
Shep Turner left for home and was
probably there yesterday when the
cases against Peter Connell and Luther
Mcneil, for perjury, were tried.
Peter is 81 years old, and n married
man. Luther is n boy of 10 years of
age. Both are black ragged and sim
pie mnded-almost idiotic. They hard
ly looked like human beings, and pre-
scented a most pitiablc spectacle as they
I'd 70. t,.tn In M
attorney ana offered no defense.
The testimony against them was
conclusive. showing that on November
9Th at Fayetteville, in the trial of Pitt
Deal for retailing. both Peter and Lu-
ther had sworn that they bought whis-
key from Deal, and went into details
MS to the circumstances of the pur-
chase. ~ month later, when arrested.
they both acknowledged that they had
Storm 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. when working up
the case.
Gle told me-" said Peter, ''that the
officers We're on his side and he had the
law TO summon whom he pleased TO the
trial, and If | didn't so and tell what
he told me he would put me To death
that he would kill me and burn my
house. l laid out in the woods two
Nights BECAUSE i WIS AFRAID OF MN.
Being further questioned he said:
"Shep came to my house while we
were eating breakfast. He said he
wanted TO talk to me about n tria! they
were going to have. ] went 10 that
trial because he told me he'd get ten
men aud come and kill me If | didn't"
Luther McNcils testimony was much
to the same effect. He said he lived
with his sister on the land of Shop
Turner's grandfather,
did Shep Turner threaten yOu?"
"IIe told mo what he wanted me to
swear to and said il l didn't he'd kill
me. | swore to it,"
Judge purnell-"Issuc a process for
Turner and have him brought here
Mr.. Spears said he would not ask "a
verdict in these cases and Judge Pur-
nell ordered II verdict of not guilty en-
tered. lie added:
1T seems TO me we ought To make an
example of some of these periurcrs who
are coming UP here, but | don't think
these are proper subjects. Let them
be discharged and, Mr.. Clerk. make
out papers for Shep Turner's arrest act
once"
THE NEW CITY CENSUS.
The work OF taking the census of
Raleigh as ordered by the Board OF
Aldermen, began yesterday morning
One man is at work in each ward
and he must finish his job in five days.
lie is taking only the names, house
number, street color and sex.
The cnumcratorS receive $i.50 a day.
This will make the census, if COM
pleted in five days, cost SEQ. No pro-
vision is made for taking a census of
the suburbs. where nearly all the city's
growth during the last ten years has
been.
JYNIIJNEAr
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Jordan Latham
have issued invitations to the marriage
of their daughter, Miss Elizabeth Ste
Vcnson, 10 Rev. Andrew l.. Belts The
ceremony will take place at noon on
next Wednesday in the Baptist church
al Washington. Rev. Mr.. Betts is well
known in this city. having served here
several years as city missionary.
THE WORTH WILL TRIAL.
The Worth will trial, now in pro-
gress at Asheboro. involves about a
quarter of n million dollars. 1t Is an.
effort to attack the Validity of the will
of the late DIR. j. NJ. Worth. on the
ground that he was incapable at the
time the will was made of disnosinp
of his property, and that undue innu
ence was used by certain persons who
received large requests, The case will
likely continue into next week There
is n great array of legal talent The
propounders are represented by VIM.
C. Hammer and Wiley Rush, of Ashe-
boro Col Morehead. of Greensboro; b.
+. Long. OF Statewide, and James II.
Iou, of Raleigh; the caveators are rep
resented by c. Il. Watson. of Winston:
w. z. Bynum, Jr., of Greensboro, and
n