The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-08-28

Air Line Railway near Middleburg
last week, when Roadmaster Fred
Stevers was killed and Jim Michel ;
the colored porter, was seriously shot
in the abdomen, was held before Col.
7. l.. Jones and Maj. W. f. Gary,
Justices OF the Peace. Ma i. Gary |
took down the evidence, only two wit
nesses being examined. These were ;
Capt. W. p, Clements and Sam Green :
NewsOu, colored, whose testimony is
given in full below:
CAPTAIN CLEMENTS TEsTIFIEs.
Capt. w. P. Clements, who was
conductor of the train on which the
difficulty occurred, and upon whom
the assault was made, was called to
the stand and testified as follows. De-
scribing how the train was made up
as to number and arrangement of
cars, Capt. Clements said:
Twas going through the car Second
class, white) and found this crowd of
negroes, six or seven in number,
singing boisterous songs. Went to
them and said: Boys, you are all in
the wrong car, 90 up in the colored
car" They paid no attention, but
kept on sin cling. Recognized all five
of the prisoners as being in the car.
Tapped little Joe Cole on the shoulder
and repeated: Boys, you are all in
the wrong car" He turned around
and looked me in the face and said:
"By God, We'll go when we get ready;
we are not in any hurry about il.'
Without saying anything else. | start
ed forward and beckoned to them and
said: Come on boys, come on"
Went on into the coiored car, stretch
ing the doors open as | went. Went
to the front end of the colored car
and began to take up tickets. When
| reached the front end Of the COM
partment | met the darkeys there,
fussing and jawing. They said they
had tirst-class tickets and did not
want to be driven around in any such
way. began to explain the law say
ing it was not my fault or the fault
of the railroad, but it was u State law
and l had to enforce it. All went on
and sat down except four. They still
hung around, fussing. Old Joe Cole
| was the last man to come into the
colored compartment. He came in
| roaring and said: eve are all friends
and brothers and are going to fight
| for one another, and will die for one
another!n At the same time he made
a lunge at me as if he was going to
hit me. with his fist drawn back. AS
he was making these remarks the
porter was slapping him on the back
saying: Let the captain talk TO you,
let the captain explain" He made a
lunge at me, and the porter showed
him up with his open hand back into
the smoking car. AS ne went on
back he pulled out his pistol. The
porter followed him trying to get it
away from him. He was trying to
shoot me by getting around the por-
ter with the pistol. By that time
the porter had pushed him right up
in the corner. Mr.. Stevers came in
the back door and looked like he was
running into fire. There had been
no pistol shots fired up TO this time.
He ran against Cole as if he was 20
ing to grab him. He never did catch
his hold. Cole raised his pistol and
fired and Mr.. Stevers fell back. The
scufile was still going on in the car
among the other negroes and the por-
ter and myself. Am not able to say
who fired frst-both about the same
time. After Mr.. Stevers fell the por-
ter, Jim Mitchell, cried out and said
II am shot" | am not certain who
shot the porter, but think it was
young Cole. He was nearest to
! Mitchell. There were three pistols
out. | think there were three pistol
shots. In the car were the two Coles
and Ferguson. Passengers then rush
ed out OF the other car into the color
ed car. Most of the darkies were on
the platform. The two Coles and
Ferguson were they only ones who
got on the platform only ones |
saw.
TESTIMONY OF 5. G. NEwsOM.
Sam Green Newsom, colored, oil
| Weldon, who was passenger on the
train, was the next witness examined
and the onl V one, the State resting
its case with the evidence thus sub
mitted. He said:
got on at Weldon; knew Mr.. Fred
Stevers and Jim Mitchell. Saw them
on the train. saw the five defend
ants. They got on at Norlina com
ing from Petersburg. The train took
siding at Ridgewav. The first time
/ noticed them was while at Ridge
way. They seemed to be very noisy
cursing and drinking whiskey. After
that they went into the second-clas:
compartment OF the colored car ant
commenced singing. Just before
reaching Manson one of them said
Come on, boys; leiss go in yondel
and give the white folks Jubilee
They went in and commenced to sing
They continued until the train pulled
of for Middleburg. l said to tn,
porter. James Mitchell: james. how
is it You all allow colored people te
ride in the white folks car, especial,
a rough looking element like they
are?" The porter replied:' The cap
tain is coming on in the rear there
and he will remove them" | wen,
to the window of the door and looked
/ into abe other car. I;saw the con
, ductor coming through the car anc
! he looked like be was talking t.
them, moving on towards the othel
car. He passed on through the first
class colored and into the second
: class colored, taking up tickets, ant
, some OF the parties who were Owe
there followed On to the second-clas
/ ear. ! did not notice them any NOR
: then until the conductor had take,
, up tickets to the partition which va
/ the door. He entered the compar,
l ment and l think he was taking tn
? tickets of some parties who got on a
Manson. Just before the conduc,o