The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-27


locations was to arouse prejudice
against me. On the contrary, I believe
that the reporters of the papers were
misled by the popular clamor raised
by the friends M SympathiZerS of
the prosecution and by statements Of
persons who were hostile to me, and
that the papers were in this way mis-
led into making the publications afore-
said. While 1 believe the purpose of
the newspapers was to be fair n just
the circumstances of this ase were
such hat the reports printed in many
of the papers could have had no other
effect than to arouse prejudice against
me.
Among the papers publishing ac-
counts of the homicide was the News
and Observer, q paper published in
Raleigh, which has a large circulation
and great influence. 1t is controlled
by Hon. Josephus Daniels, a man of
great influence, popularity and power,
and whose word or publication carries
great weight wherever he is KNOWN. ]
file herewith. marked Exhibit A." e
cop of the News and Observer pub
lished on Sunday morning, February
marked Exhibit B." published on
Tuesday morning, February oath. /
feel that these publications tended to
prejudice my ase but I am satisfied
that it was not the purpose or inten-
ton of the editor of said paper to
arouse any prejudice against me.
Besides h News and Observer. the
same corporation. managed and con-
trolled by Hon. Josephus Daniels. pub
fishes two weekly papers, one known
as the North Carolinian, the other
known as the Farmer and Mechanic.
In these papers shorter and condensed
accounts of the homicide were publish
ed, in which substantially the same ac-
count as printed in the News and OBJ
server was given.
l am confident that neither Mr..
Daniels nor these papers had any DUR
pose to create public sentiment against
me and that they only published what
were the current reports. The first re-
ports were generally u~nfavorable to
me. Few people saw my part of the
difficulty until they heard the pistol
shots and saw only what occurred af-
forwards, and they were slow to be-
lieVe thai there had been a difficulty
rrior to the shooting. They did not re-
aliZe that there was nothing to at
tract their attention until shots were
fired, and that it was then too late
for them to see Mr.. SINNERS attack
upon me.
The Charlotte Observer, a paper pub
lished in Charlotte, N. c.. and iss11ine
a Monday morning edition, sent a spe-
clal correspondent, Mr.. I. E. Avery. q
son of eX-Judge A. c.. Avery. of the
North Carolina supreme court. to Pal
elgh on Sunday, the 22nd of
n he wrote a t~hree-column account
OF the homicide. together with other
matter not necessary to an account of
the homicide and untrue, but calcu-
lated to influence public sentiment
| AGAINST mo and IF yx-n nrir%1l " -
edition of Monday morning, February
23rd, 1903. The Raleigh papers do not
publish a paper on Monday morning
The owners Of the Charlotte Observer
sent a special agent, with a number
OF newsboys with fifteen hundred
copies, as l am informed. of the issue
OF the Observer containing Mr.. Ave
rvs report to this city, and all of the
said papers were sold or distributed
upon the streets Of Raleigh and a large
quantity were sold in adjoining coun-
ties. A copy of this paper containing
Mr.. Avery's account is attached to
this affadvit and marked "Exhit c."
This article of Mr.. Avery's appear.
ing IN a paper having the reputation
possessed by the Charlotte Observer,
and distributed and sold in such large
NUMBERS on a day when no other
morning paper was issued. couId
S'iiA Liz cAlSCl Ol llIldln-
ing the feelings of the public and ex-
citing hostility towards me.
About a week later the Charlotte
observer sent another weIl-known re-
porter, Mr.. H. E. G. Bryant. to this
city, and he made a second report,
and this was largely circulated in Wake
county and North Carolina. 7 am
informed that large numbers of this
issue of the Charlotte Observer were
| DC0Sht nv nprSnnc infanN-{oI " 49,
ecutlng me, presumably for circulation,
A copy of this paper is herewith filed
n marked Exhibit D."
The Progressive Farmer is a. weekly
paper, published in this city and is
very largely circulated in Wake county
especially among the farmers and in
the rural districts. 1t is a paper which
mas the reputation of usually BEING
careful, prudent, and accurate. and
not prone to hasty or rash judgment.
Yet so general had become the preiu-
dice against me that on Tuesday after
the homicide that paper published an
editorial, in which I am charged with
numbering Mr.. Skinner. and am prac-
t1cally charged with aSsassinatine him
from behind. when the fact was that
L shot him in the side, after he had
knocked me almost down and while
he was in the act of drawing his pis-
III. Willie L regard CnlS publication
as very injurious to me, I do not be-
lieve that the editor of the Progressive
Farmer intended to do me an Injustice.
and l cite this as showing to what an
extent public sentiment had beer
aroused against me.
When the attention of the editor of
the Progressive Farmer was called to
this editorial, he, in a subsequent is
sue of his paper, modified it to some
extent; but doubtless the readers of
that paper were largely influenced by
the editorial which they read in the
copy of his paper reaching them first
after the homicide and which they
read when most interested in the case.
n copy OF this issue of the Progress
we Farmer is hereto attached and
marked Exhibit E." and made a part
CT this affidavit.
Not only was popular sentiment
stirred up against me by newspaper
publications but verbal reports have
been circulated assiduosly to my In
Jury.
The fact that 1 am a lawyer has been
used against me.