The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-03
PEACH AND HONEY.
Lawyers in Wilkes Bond Suit
Get Juicy Fees.
Chronicle Says Railroad Lawyers Thought WlIks:
Money Was Loaded With Peach and Honey
atEyery Corner.

The Wilkes people are not very happy
yet about having to pay the bonds for
the railroad but they are paying up all
the same. The spirit of the people is in
some measure shown in the following edi-
torial in this weeks Wilkesboro Chronicle:
Sheriff johnson, ex-Sheriff Call and
Lawyer T. b. Finley went to Greensboro
last week to appear before Judge Boyd
concerning the railroad bond money. At
ter the matter was discussed before the
Judge, he ordered that the entire amount
OF the bond money now due by the coun-
ty must be paid into the hands of Kerr
Craig, the receiver appointed by the
Federal court. Mr.. Craig and his friends
were there in full force and the railroad
attorneys were not scarce. Their hands
were itching for Wilkes bond money.
They had heard SO much about Wilkes
and the bond money that they had some
sort OF vague idea that the Wilkes bonds
bills were loaded with peach and honey at
every corner and that barrels of five year
old corn dew filled the water marks in
the center, and that all that was necessary
to satisfy the "voids that ached and the
nameless longing" that needed filling was
just to look at the water marks and suck
the corners of the bills. Those fellows
We're awfully anxious; they were Just dy-
ing to suck those bills.
Boyd saw the situation, and he turned
the crowd loose on the bond bills, all of
them.
well, the old liners knew the ropes;
while the supposed bondholders were figur-
ing on their glorious" outrage against
the people of Wilkes, Col Charles Price,
chief railroad attorney and Republican
State manipulation, reached over and cor
rallied his fee for swindling the county
the small sum, of $4,000. His son, Guss
Price, Republican presidential election,
and assistant railroad attorney, was lit
tie disconnected and unusued to this kind
OF business, and soon as he got hold
of $1,000 for legal advice" he was salts
fed, until his daddy told him better. But
1t was too late. Judge billiard, another
experienced railroad attorney, had Just
swiped in $4,000, and would have taken
more but he is old and his time is shorter
on earth than it used to be and his CON
science hurt him, because there was not
another single Wilkes bill left in the box
and he conscientiously quit grabbing,
though broken hearted Mr. Craig. the
receiver, approached the box; it was
empty; he declared he would receive no
such thing, but he and his son went away
satisfied with the promise that he should
get several thousands when the tax seine
was pulled in from Wilkes again.
And Brother Clement Manley the
master in chaneery' or chance in mas
terry or some sort of high official sort of
place that takes things in charge when
lawyers and other court officials have
anything over, was present with his usual
good humor and pleasant ways, and he
remarked in his usual courteous and def
ferential manner: Why, esteemed
friends. help yourselves freely and often:
enjoy nothing more than seeing my
friends SO full of the fragrant enjoyment
of the peach de honey and cream de
menthe' of the Wilkes bond bills perfum
ed by 'fleur de corn, where moons are
mellow on the misty mountain side Cen
tlemen, should it please the inmost pleas
ure of your souls to leave over small
portion, say $4,000 / would feel compelled
by deep sense of courtesy and personal
friendship to accept the same from your
brotherly hands,
And it was all over, except the part
that Wilkes has to play"