The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-05-21
OUR RALEIGHLETTER
THINGS SEEN AND HEARD AT THE
STATE CAPITAL.
New Movement in the Haywood Case
Seventh Annual l1eel;ng of South
err Cotton Spinners' Association
State Temperance Convention Called
The Wilson Tragedy-Other Items

err Cotton Spinners' Association
State Temperance Convention Called
The Wilson Tragedy-Other Items
RAREIGH. n. c., May Is. 1903
There is great interest manifested in
the outcome of the Ernest Haywood case
Charged with the killing of Ludlow
Skinner three months ago} which will
receive it's first hearing in court the last
of next week, before Justices Douglass
and Walker of the Supreme Court, on a
writ of habeas corpus to admit defendant
Haywood on bond, and release him from
the county jail here, till the July term OF
Wake Superior Court.
The hearing will begin Thursday, May
%, and will probably consume several
days, as counsel for the prosecution have
been instructed to resist strongly the ef-
fort to bail Haywood. 1t will be public
and the county courthouse will be used,
but it will accommodate only a small
proportion of the crowd that will prob
ably seek admission-sO great is the in
terest and the curiosity here. 1t is al
most as great throughout the State and
no criminal case tried in North Carolina
in generation has attracted so much
yers (whO have hitherto complained of
the Discrimination Of witnesses to tell
what they know and saw now claim to
be able to prove a strong case of SELF
defense
They claim to be able to prove that
Skinner struck Haywood and partially
knocked him down and was reaching for
the pistol afterwards found in the dead
mans pocket when Haywood got his out
first and fired two shots in quick success
sion while both were on the sidewalk
one shot taking effect in SINNERS side;
that the latter then walked hurriedly
half way across the street and fell dead
on the street car track. There are said
to be at least three witnesses to these
alleged facts. They are said to also have
witnesses to prove that Skinner had
openly threatened to kill Haywood, and
that this intention had been conveyed to
the latter prior to the shooting.
These and other circumstances that
may come out at this hearing, and on
the trial proper in July, will materially.
alter the story first given to the public,
but whether they will be sufficient to Sc
cure the release of Haywood on bail re-
mains to be seen. AS to public senti-
ment" here | may dismiss that feature
with the simple remark that it is very
much divided.
The action of the Southern Cotton Spin
ners' Association at it's Seventh annual
meeting at Charlotte last Friday and
Saturday in recommending cessation of
night work in cotton mills and curtail-
ment of day work to four (4) days per
week until the market gets better orraw
cotton cheaper, is regarded as the proper
step to pursue.
The calling of a State Temperance Con-
ventiOn, to meet in Raleigh, July 9TH, is
an important event of the past week. 1t
is called by the executive committee Of
the Anti-Saloon League, and among the
reasons given is this: 1--WE are about to
enter upon a great campaign" The SEN
timent against the open saloon is I'M
questionably much stronger now than
in many years in North Carolina, and
the elimination of the negro vote mate
rally strengthens the temperance and
anti-saloon forces. The establishment of
town and county liquor dispensaries
seems to be now generally accepted as
the most available entering wedge" to
drive out the saloons.
The fact that six men are in jail at
Wilson on the charge of breaking down
the door to the bedroom OF a young man
named T. Percy Jones and numbering
him in the dead hour of night, and that
five others are under bond as particeps
cIinlinis, reveals a startling outrage. A
special term Of court will be ordered by
the Governor to try them next month.
am told that the plan of consolidat-
ing large number of the North Carolina
cotton mills under the scheme generally
known as the Fries Merger" has about
been abandoned, SO far as this State is
concerned. The adjourned meeting set
for last week was not held. 1t is stated,
however, that the recently incorporated
lin New Jersey southern Textile Co."
will form combine of a number of
Georgia and Alabama mills. But the
mill men interested are so ''close-
mouthed'' on the subject it is hard to get
at the exact facts.
The two new Orphanages at Raleigh
have just been formally dedicated-the
Catholic yesterday and the Methodist
several days ago, the cornerstone of the
latter being laid by the Masons.