The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-27
BUCK DUKE'SGENEROSITY
An Authentic Account of Spirit Rap
pings Upon Table.
WHEREABOUTS OF A WILL DISCOVERED
The Young Lady Who Acted as Medium is
Living Now, and viii Verify The Facts
Stated. A Good Story of the
Supreme Court.
(Col ]. c. L. Harris in New York Tri-
bune Review

bune Review.)
]. B. Duke. president Of the American
Tobacco Company, or Buck" Duke, as
he is known in North Carolina. was in
the town of Durham last Sunday. The
next morning he sent for negro bar
Der. who is an old friend of the tobacco
king. and who, besides being an artist
in his profession, possesses oratorical
powers in no mean degree, and frequent
Iy fills the pulpit on Sunday. At this
time the congregation of which he is a
member is struggling to build new
church, and needs money badly. Mr..
Duke asked the barber if he was preach
ing much these days, and was answered
in the affirmative. "Marse Buck" then
inquired if he believed in sanctifcation
on earth. The barber said he preached
it. and it was necessary to have some
thing of the kind to stir the emotions of
the members of his flock, otherwise he
could not control them Then said the
barber: 'Marse Buck, is you much Of a
Baptist desc days?"
why do you think l am a Baptist?"
asked the other.
The barber laughed and said:
"Marse Buck, doan' you remember dat
day out here on Emo river, when DR..
Frost was baptizin' dat great multitude
when you was a small boy, and YOU and
one OBJ Marse Paul Cameron's boys, and
one OBJ de Graham boys, and one of de
Turner boys. was a settin' on a big limb
OBJ a water oak out over de hole where
DR.. Frost was putting dem under de
water? Right in de midst Of de most
'portant part OBJ de ceremony dat limb
break and all youse boys fall inter de
river, and old doctor he look on wild
'stonishment and den lif' up his hand to-
wards heaven and say, 81 baptize dem
boys by de bunch. Amen" Then Mr..
Duke laughed until his eyes filled with
tears, and said he had not thought OF
that occurrence in gorty years.
When the barber left the house Mr..
Duke handed him a sealed envelope, say
ing that he had no change, but three was
a check in the envelope which he could
carry to the bank in the morning. When
the cashier opened the envelope next
morning and saw what the amount was,
he asked the barber if he knew what the
check called for. He said he supposed
$40. as a present from "Marse Buck" "
The cashier told him it was for $4,000,
and the barber put the sum to the credit
of the fund with which to complete the
church.
The following story is vouched for by
Hon. Charles Aston Cook, Associate
Jpstice of the Supreme Court of this
State, to be true in every respect and
particular:
Mr.. Hunt Aston, a prominent citizen
of Warren county and kinsman of
Judge Cook, died short time ago. He
left widow and children. 1t was well
known to the members of his family that
he had made will, and it was supposed
to be in his desk. where all of his pri-
vate papers were stored away.
In due time after his death search was
made and the will could not be found.
Another and most thorough investiga-
tion was made into every place, nook
and corner where it was conceived that
the will might have been laid away, and
without finding the document. The eff
fort was repeated probably a half dozen
times in the presence of the various
members of the family without success.
While these attempts to find the will
were going on the house was afflicted
with noises in every room. as if some
person was knocking to obtain admission.
These sounds were so clear and distinct
that the house was watched from the
outside to see if people were making
sport of the family by making the various
noises. Nobody was seen about the
house at any time and the knocking and
ran hQ not
be explained. Finally, Mrs. Aston
sent a messenger to warrenton,
the county seat, for Mr.. Eddie Green,
who had read law under Judge Cook,
and who was then practicing law in
Warrenton, to come to her house to adj
wise about the appointment of an admin
istrator for the purpose OF settling UP
the estate. Mr.. Green went to the house
of the widow, which was some distance
from Warrenton and in Halifax county.
and after hearing all the particulars
the supposed will, he said the
will must be found. and he and Mrs. AL
ston and other members Of the family
made another thorough and systematic
search without finding the will. In the
meantime knocking and rapping in every
room of the house continued, and they
became so alarming that the children of
the widow came from their room on the
second story down stairs and occupied
the room with their mother. Mr.. Green
in the house one night and the
noises around his room disturbed him so
that he slept very little.
1t was decided to have an administra- |
TOR appointed, and Mrs. Williams, who |
was then an inmate of the house, hav-
ing agreed to sign the bond of the ad- |
ministrator who was to be appointed |
she and Mr.. Green took a buggy and |
drove twenty-five miles to Halifax court |
house. Mr. Ponton, who was also to |
sign the bond, had been notified to be in |
Haiitax that same day and had agreed |
to be there.
AT TINS time Miss Nellie Norwood. a |
young lady about twenty years old was
a guest OF Mrs. Aston. She was known