The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-09-03
on THE VANCE MONUMENT
The Inscription Erected IN 900 has
Been Cut-No Room forW hite Grim
inal insane at the Penitentiary-The
Epidemic Of Capital Crimes.
Messenger Bureau,
Raleigh, y. c., August 90.

Raleigh, y. c., August 90.
On the west face of the base of the
statue of Vance an inscription, was
today placed. Erected 1900"
No room can be provided in the peni-
Tertiary for the white criminal insane
until the legislature acts. a white
kleptomaniac. John Tompson, was
brought here from Craven, but was
taken back today because of lack of
room. He was the r~ingIeader Of the
ten prisoners VINO made their escape
from Jail at New Bern; in fact he re-
Leased the others. Officials say he is
mot insane at all, and tina there has
Ibeen no investigation as to his insan-
lily, but that money and lawyers kent
him out Of the renitentiary proper. If
this be true it is only one OF a number
OF such cases in the state, some of
which are a subject of common talk
lamong officials. Deputy Sheriff Black
Hedge carried Thompson back to New
Bern Jail. He will probably remain
there until the legislature meet at least.
Il. L. Garrett, a populiSt-republican,
lof Vance county. came here to see ex-
Senator and Populist State Chairman
Butler in regard to the future of the
lpopulist party. Butler urged that the
hCSp li-loIl III 1SlI J. i
laffiliation. Garrett said a number of
them were republicans now and did not
Intend to deal with TIE populists any
longer; that hoy all we'll understood
the populists and their devious ways.
There is a great deal of talk among
the people about the epidemic of capital
Grimes which has been prevailing for
la couple of rnorthS-in M~ecklenbuIg g,
Arson, Granville, Person, Buncombe
and other counties-mainly outrages by
negroes. Among these crimes are at
least seven assaults on women and
lgirls, one by a white a The latter,
lowing to the colluGion OF a deputy
sheriff, his friend, escaped. This case
twas in Granville county. The man
was ordered to Jail, without bail privi-
|lege, and while being taken there was
permitted to escape. In a Person coun-
lty case a negro impersonated the hus-
band of a white woman, an invalid.
Last spring a white man was convict
led OF the same crime, in Beaufort coun-
lty. and was 81 1T to the penitentiary
for a long TENS of years. Governor
IAycock is naturally deeply concerned
lat the epidemic of crime. He is eX-
ltremely anxious to break VI lynching.
because of his efforts along this line
lSome of tn Turbulent element are crit
liciSing him, and some, it is said, have
leven gone so l"r as to make threats.
tine next legislature VIII no doubt de-
vote special attention to this matter,
land arranse for the prompter punish
lment of crime and better protection OF
terminals from mobs. Such is the opin-
lion of not a few well informed people,
Corporation Comissiner Abbott has
returned from the piedmont section,
where he visited ten counties. 1t rain
It'd daily. The only good crops he saw
iwere in parts OF Cleveland n Lincoln.
The report Of the legislative commit
ltee on the late shell fish commissfcn
and the accounts the latter presentel
Ito the state was put in print today, and
|placed in the governors hands. Ii
ideals with the many accounts which
lTheophilus White presented, not a few
lof which were disallowed. After the
democratic administration came in, In
January last, these accounts were held
lup by the auditor until they could be
lpassed upon.
The feeling which was locally devel-
looping against the Seaboard Air Line
here is allayed by the resembling or the
order by which the n of the run OF
lengine crews vas made at Hamlet In
lStead of at Raleigh.