The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-03-13
OUR CORRESPONDENT HAS SOMETHING TO
SAY ABOUT THE KILLING OF DAVIS
At Convict Camp In Mitchell County
flow and Why Davis Was Killed
Pritchard Defeats Force Bill-Ex.
posing Insurance Frauds by Com.
missioner Young Other Matters.
From Our Regular Correspondent.


widely circulated report or make it inter-
esting for those at whose door the blame
should be shown to rest, and it is pleas
ure to be able to now announce that the
first named result has been reached.
With his usual alertness and sense OF
humanity and love of his State and peo-
pie, Governor Aycock lost no time in
clearing up the facts in the case. as the
following copy Of O letter to His Excel
lency from Superintendent Mann OF the
State Prison shOws-a letter which l take
pleasure in printing, for the good and
credit of the State and Prison officials:
HOW AND WHY DAVIS WAS KILLED.
ellis Excellency, Gov. C. B. Aycock,
Dear Sir:-I have the honor to ac-
knowledge the receipt of your letter OF
March 3, 1902, enclosing letter from
Mr. Maxwell German. The facts in the
case are as follows:
"On February 1st, at the camp in Nit
chell county. white convict named c. NJ.
Davis was killed under the following cir
cumstances: When the prisoners started
upon the works in the morning Davis re-
fused to go The Others We're sent on
without him and he was ordered to go
into one OF the buildings. This also he
refused to do, and with curses. Two
other men were then directed to take him
into the building. and as they approached
he slipped an open knife from his sleeve
and very seriously stabbed one of them.
He then, in the most perfect desperation.
made his way out of the stOckade, ours
ing those around him, and with drawn
| knife in one hand and a rock in the other.
| The rock was finally thrown at one OF
| the men with such violence that it nearly
buried itself in the new weather boarding
| of house, and on my visit to the camp
| saw it still buried in the board, and tried,
| without success, to pick it out with a
knife. Two guards stood with guns
| leveied upon. him and ordered him to
| halt. but he paid no attention to them.
| Finally. as a last resort, the command to
fire was given. and he was instantly kill
| ed 4 report of the affair was ,nmed-
| lately made to me. and two days after re-
| ceiving it | visited the camp in person
and made an investigation. The correct
| ness OF the above statement was vOuched
| for by a reputable citizen Of Mitchell
| county who was not in the employ of the
State nor of the company for which the
| convicts are at work, but who happened
to be an eyewitness of the whole affair.
| After Davis had been killed one OF the
/
| the night before that if he went upon the
works at all the next day he intended to
kill his Overseer by throwing his pick
through his head The supervisor by
whom the order to fire was given is Maj.
J. H. McIver, one of the oldest and most
| trusted officials of the Prison. Davis the
| man killed, had not been bound or piniOll-
| ed at all, nor had he been struck lick by
| any one.''
Superintendent Mann, in concluding his
letter, adds that there is IAN order of the
Board of Directors of the Prison, and one
that is strictly enforced, that no prisoner
shall be punished except by order of the
Warden OF the Prison, or Supervisor OF
a camp. and only in his presence. and an
immediate report OF such punishment
must then be made to the Superintendent.
Any violation of this order would result
in the immediate discharge of the Super
visor permitting it. The authorities OF
the Prison have taken every precaution
to prevent ill-treatment and abuse of the
unfortunates committed to their care
In talking with the writer Governor
Aycock declared that had the facts borne
out the statement sent out by the Asso-
ciated Press. and negroes had applied
the lash to the bare back Of white con-
| vict,' by orders, he would have demand
| ed the instant dismissal of those respon-
| sible
| PRINHARD DEFEATS FORCE BILL
There will be no bill passed by this
Congress designed to reduce Southern
representation in Congress. Senator
Pritchard writes to Republican paper,
the Hendersonville Times, to that effect,
and, among other things, says: 1.-The
Crumpacker measure is the only one now
pending before Congress, and | am Op-
| posed to that. | shall be able to deal
| with other measures AS they arise. You
may say to all that am unalterably op-
posed to a force bill or anything akin to
it. | think we are capable of working
ont our own destiny il let alone''
Senator Pritchard, it has been granted.
could defeat such legislation if he so
| desired, and now it is settled that he has
already practically done soto his credit
be it said.
EXPOSING INSURANCE FRAUDS
AprOpOs OF the vigorous efforts which
Commissioner of Insurance Young has
been making to protect the insurable
public OF this State from the illegal
Vaccinations OF unsound insurance COM
panies, which operate through methods
that cheat the revenue also, it is encour-
aging to note that our people are waking
up to the injury they are doing them
selves and the irreparable injustice done
their families by patronizing such frauds
and are patrOnizing only the best COM
panies. BY the way. the company that
probably does the largest business in
North Carolina at this time, the Old
Mutual Benefit, of Newark, n j., has
sent out its annual statement for last
| nd S1,n
make a man feel secure if he is insured in
a company like that For instance, the
| companys assets amounts to SIC, S39,-
O2I.67. Receipts from premiums in 9O1
over $11 100000. Number of policies
written, 1889, insuring policy holders
to the amount of $3S, S49,699. Total
amount OF insurance in force January
1902, 1924 36S.513 Paid claims caused
by death OF policy holders. endowments,
annuities, etc, last year. $S,337, 1886. "a.
There is no sOunder or better company in
the world than the Old Mutual Benefit,
which has been doing business for fifty
seven years. The new President, Hon.
Frederick Frelinghuysen, is one of the
greatest financiers and most successful
business men in the United States.
VARIOUS MATTERS OF INTEREST.
The trial OF Jim Wilcox for the alleged
murder of Nellie Cropsey is expected to
come up this week at Elizabeth City
unless the case shall be removed to
another county.
Small pox is reported by the State
Board of Health to exist in % counties
of the State, and in Wilson alone there
are over $50 cases, but only one death SO
far
A Good Roads Convention will be held
in Danville next Thursday and Friday
and Governor Aycock has appointed two
score OF delegates thereto.
The death of Sheriff George A. Burns, OF