The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-03-28
OUR RALEIGH LETTER.
THE END OF THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL
IN SIGHT.
A Sketch Of the Court, Its Habitues
and Proceedings the Gun
Loaded for Clark Didn't Go Off
Uncertainty of Verdict.
(From Our Regular Correspondent

CFrom Our Regular Correspondent
RALEIGH, n C.. March 25. 1901.
During the past week the one great
overshadOwing attraction and subject OF
comment and discussion has been the I'M
parchment trial-of course.
Among men in public life little else has
engaged their thoughts, OF pubic
nature Scores Of the leading politicians
and office-holders. and wOuld-be office
holders, have paid special visits to Raj
eigh for the one and sole and express pur-
pose of witnessing the remarkable and
unusual scene in the Senate Chamber.
And the women? They predominant. and
have since the very first day of the court.
Many of these gentlemen of high public
| station and high social standing. and
hundreds of gentlewomen largely repre-
| senting the upper crust OF society,
have, after all, in large numbers (Which
have not diminished as the days rolled
| by) attended the sessions OF the High
Court of Impeachment very much like
unto the vulgar herd that fiocks to
| the life or death trial of a poor devil
charged with a capital crime-through
curiosity, pure and simple.
But there are others-others who feel
for or are prejudiced against the men on
| trial-both men and women. Indeed.
these, of both sexes,!would not be content
to occupy seats in the balconies. but
must needs appear daily upon the floor
| of the Senate Chamber-in the lobbies, OF
course-and it has actually come to be
true that you can tell which way their
sympathies or prejudicies are by noting
the side of the Chamber they occupy
whether the right or left lobby. for some
general understanding among them to
| this effect was reached early last week.
And they are pretty evenly divided,
especially the ladies--and they are OF
mature years, as a rule, several OF them
| the wives of counsel in the case, pro and
| con.
| UNCERTAINTY OF THE VERDICT.
During the first four days of the past
week each of the four surviving Justices
of the Supreme Court, while the White VS..
Auditor case and other "office-hOlding
cases. We're heard and determined. We're
on the witness stand-the fifth (Judge
Faircloth) being dead.
The two respondents, Justices Furches
and Douglas, were examined first, JUS
tices Montgomery and Clark following in
the order named.
The writer was present in a repOrtOrial
capacity and took down all their testi-
mony; | have heard the speeches OF
| counsel on each side for three days past:
l have talked with counsel and other
lawyers; have done more than that
have talked to several Senator's (who
voluntarily preached the subject to me
and spoke of the matter as to a personal
friend), and / tell you now, Mr. Editor
three days only before the end is expected
to be reached-that for the life of me
cannot say with any confidence in the
statement what the result is going to be
Chief Justice Furches made an excellen,
witness and the demeanor of Judge
Douglas while on the stand was all thai
could have been expected in his favor
their testimony doubtless helped theil
case, for it was frankly and honestly
given, and both declared in the most pos
tive terms that it never was their inten
ton or desire to treat the Legislative
branch of the government disrespectfully
or bring the General Assembly into dis
repute.
MONTGOMERY HUMILIATION.
Judge Montgomery was the most pep
perry witness that occupied that seat a
any time. His testimony, under cross
examination, was seasoned Throughout
with enough ginger" to enliven VI
things all over the Chamber
lie and 'Cv. watson, who had him II
hand, engaged in a battle royal Owe
legal points. and the Populist Judge
without party" now alas! complained
that he was not treated with the respect
due a Supreme Court Judge. He repri
manded Mr.. Watson for his conduct to
ward him and assured him that he IVA,
no boy" and when George Rountree, ONT
of the House Managers, 'shook his finger
in his face as Montgomery charged, thu
latter grew lvid in the face with rage ant
told Mr.. Rountree mot to do it again.
The examination of Justice Clark, thu
last witness, was a great disappointment
to the throng that had gathered to heal
something sensational, especially whe1
the counsel for respondents got hold o
him.
LOADED FOR CLARK. BUT -.
1t had been noised abroad that tn,
lawyers on the other side were ''loadeC