The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-06-18
CHARLIE M'KEssON IN A NEW
ROLE.

The Asheville Republicans who OBJ
McKesosn as clerk of the Federal court
are in fever of opposition The cur
rent issue of the Asheville Register
contains flaming cartoon, with high
waymen on horseback, stopping a
coach on the road. Underneath the cut
are these words:
"Chas McKesson and Clan holding up
stage coach, trying to rob one of the
best citizens of Buncombe county for
opinion sake, yet McKesson is said to
be slated to succeed G. b. Moore as
Clerk of the United States Court. Will
the people submit without protest?"
1t also has blood and thunder af-
fidavit from 7. ]. Gambler, declared to
be leading Republican of Buncombe
county, which is as follows:
1T was in the year '6S that I first
made the acquaintance of this man Nc
Kesson. / had been to Raleigh to at
tend the Constitutional Convention. No
trains We're run over the Ridge in those
days, so it was necessary to come from
Morganton to Asheville in stage coach.
When we started from Morganton there
were in the coach besides myself and
Capt. Sweet of Newborn, who was
coming to- the mountains on a visit,
Geo. w. Gahagan, one of the best citi-
zens who ever lived in Madison coun-
ty and the Misses Pulliam, two daugh-
ters of Capt. Pulliam, of Asheville. 1t
was in the time of the Grant campaign
and there was large crowd in front
of the Walton House in Morganton,
cheering for the Democratic candidates
The crowd was unruly, and noticing
that there were Republicans in the
coach, they became offensive in their
acts and their cheering. AS the coach
left the town / hurrahed once for Grant
and Colfax. After we had gotten sew
eral miles from Morganton we heard
men approaching us from behind on
horseback. Two of these men dashed
on in front of the coach. One caught
hold of our horses, while the other
came to the side of the coach and de-
manded that / get out 1 was never
so angry in my life, and 1 wanted to
do this, but the ladies begged me not to
do so, and Mr. Gahagan held me back.
saying the men were drinking, were
heavily armed and would kill me. The
man rode at the side of the coach for
quarter of mile, using coarse and in
sulting language, regardless of the
presence of the frightened ladies. All
at once he leaned over, almost inside of
the coach door, and / then caught him
about the face and head and dragged
him from his horse. This man who was
trying to mob me for opinions sake,
who was using insulting language in
the presence of these Asheville ladies,
who was holding up a United States
mail coach, was Charles McKesson, of
Morganton who is now to be honored
with one of the best positions in the gift
of the Republican party, to succeed a
man who has always been gentleman
and a good citizen. But about that trip:
When the coach started on again the
four men on horses rode on ahead and
stopped us again at the home of old
man Rutherford. / told McKesson that
if they would give me fair chance /
would thrash them all. and named
day when / would be there again on
my way to Raleigh. / went to Morgan
ton ON the day named, and after
short stay in town, got on the train
i was armed that time and McKesson
must have realized the state OF AFFAIRS,
for he did not show himself in the car,
DuC ala a lot OIL tdlklnS OIl TIE OulSioc.
They had come to the station in the
same rig in which we had come to Nor
canton. Herschel, / mean Collector
Harkins, was with me on that trip, and
he took the horses from them Her
schel was only boy then, and wanted
to go to Morganton to see the train.
He had never seen car before.
We could imagine Charley McKesson
leading a german with the grace of the
modern beaux; delivering temperance
lecture with the eloquence of Cough go
ing from one party to another with the
ease of an accomplished acrobat-but
Charley McKesson as a highwaygaan,
holding up leading Republican on the
road and soaring him, it is staggerer
to be asked to believe that the Burke
acrobat ever played that role.
This incident shows that when one
Republican wants another Republicans
job, hair-puling and mud-slinging
time is on hand, and outsiders would
do we'll to stand from under.