The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-07-27

ferday as the AFTERNOON pdSStd anu
no news of trouble was ~telesraphed
from Rose Hill, the scene OF the trial
O. Registrar F. d. Williams on the
charge of refusing to register certain
negroes.
The people welcomed news TO the
effect that the trial was progressing
quietly, and there was little prospect
Of a clash etwee the races or fac
lions. However, had information cam
that the trouble was ON, there was a
special train in readiness at the A. C.
L. depot to cary a train load Of taunc
Wilmington white men, armed cap-a-
pie, to the scene to lend a helping
hand to their brethren in Duplin in
their defense Of their registrar In the
discharge of his duty and in defending
themselves against negroes republi-
cans, populists and "what-nots" whose
meddlesome vinainy had brought
about the trouble. The notice in the
morning papers yesterday-'1f you
hear the fire alarm bell ring , twice go
to a. c. l.. depot."-was a general and
startling notice of the conditions and
quite a number of men went to their
business with their I'll on their
shoulders SO that they might be in
readiness to start for the depot the in
slant they heard the alarm ring.
A large party, too, impatient under
the strain OF shouldered
their guns or pocketed their revol yers
and boarded the morning train for
Rose Hill to be on the scene while the
trial was in progress.
Many kilograms were received here
as the trial progressed and the even
ing train brought numerous letters
giving in detail incidents which char
acterized the trial.
REPORT OF THE TRIAL.
Mr.. c. NJ. Steinmetz, the Messengers
special correspondent, telegraphed the
following interesting report of the trial
las night:
Rose Hill, n. c., July 24.-This quiet
little village was thrown into intense
excitement to-day by the trial Of Regis
trar F. D.. Williams, arrested for al
legged failure to register Asberry Wells
and other negroes in Island Creek
township, Duplin county. About 80 red
shirts were present all day from Wal
lace, Faison, Warsaw, all more or less
provided with firearms, and demon
strating their intention to see the trial
through. There was, however, no
fighting, but feeling ran high.
The negroes who SwOre out the war
before j. c. Mallard, magistrate.
United States District Attorney Ber-
marc appearing for the government,
and Col. Hinsdale, Of Raleigh, and j.
o. Carr, Esq, of Wilmington, for the
defendant Williams.
The negros who swore out the war
ram were Asberry Wells witt Rufus
j. Robinson, Charles Savage and Ar
thur Graham witnesses, Deputy Mar
shall Surles in charge.
Colonel Hinsdale opened the case
and was followed by the district at
The court decided to proceed with the
trial.
Mr.. Bernard moved to continue the
case to a definite date in order that
the government might secur more
witnesses which were necessary. J. y.
Carr, Esq, followed with argument
for dismissal of the case.
The negro ASberry Wells was then
called to the stand and testified tina;
the registrar, F. D. Williams, OF Is
land Greek township, where he resides
refused to register him and told him
to go and get two white men to prove
his age and come pack. The witness
swOre he was % years Of age.
The witness Arthur Graham was
called and testified that he did not
know anything about ASberry Wells
being refused registry. The witness
stated that he vas q years old last
October; that he went to register on
the second n third Saturdays in
July, but the registrar refused to reg
lister him because he had no n to
prove his age.
The negro Rufus j.. Robinson was
next called as a witness and testified
that he went to register before Mr.. Will
liamS but was refused because he could
not prove his 6 by two white men.
He testified that he was q years Of
age and had listed his axes
The next witness, Charlie Savage,
colored, was called and testified that
he went to the registrar of Island
Creek township, July 7th, n that he
refused to register him and told him to
come back and prove his age by two
white men. The witness Swore he was
As years Die by mistake, and corrected
this to so years. He stated that he had
registered two years ago, and had
given in his poll tax through one Hay
wood Newkirk. The government here
rested it's case.
Affiant ASberry Wells was again
recalled, and was asked whether he
was put up by some one to make the
affidavit. This was objected to by the
district attorney, but allowed.
The witness, Asberry Wells, stated
that +. II. Russell and d. H. Murphy
gave him a blank and told him to go
before a magistrate and have it fixed
up, which the witness did. They told
him to send it to Mr.. Butler and that
it would count as a vote. He Swore he
did not know he was making an affi-
davit to cause the arrest of Mr.. Will
1iams.
THE CASE SUMMED UP.
]. o. Carr, Esq. summed up for the
defence, c~ontending hat the evidence
did not show that b registrar 1 re-
fuse to register; hat there was no
evidence to show the slightest proba-
bilfty Of the defendants guilt, and
that Asberry Wells who made affida-
Wit was incompetent.
District Attorney Bernard followed,
stating that he was here in his official
capacity, representing the government,
i'm the eastern district of North Caro-
lina: that this was a case in which the
Justice was acting as a United States
commissioner; that if the evidence es-
tablished the probable cause for de-
PENDANTS guilt, the justice ought to
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