The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-12
sold Joe Turner" and
George w. Brooks.
Continued from First Page.)

days later, when he was in the act of
taking the train at HillSboro in Or
ange county, he was surrounded and
arrested summary by "a detachment
of Kinks militia that had come down
from Alamance for the purpose. He
was denied trial, was practically Sex
communicated and was hurried off
to prison at Yanceyville without grace.
His arrest fired the State as only sup
preston of the right of free speech
seems to fire it. The election went
for Democracy with a whoop." Cen
eral Ransom posted off to Elizabeth
City to sue out habeas corpus before
Federal Judge George w. Brooks. The
writ was promptly granted and made
returnable at Salisbury. The Govern
or of the State was on the run. There
was everywhere scurrying to cover.
Those prisoners who had been held
in opposition to the writ of the Chief
Justice were at once turned over to
the judiciary. They one and all made
application to withdraw their petitions
for the writ. Their motion was grant
ed. The Governor was in q quandary.
His white elephants" were numbered
by the score. He got out of it by ask
ing that bench warrants issue for all
the prisoners for the murder of Ste
phens in Caswell-a man whose
death is laid, indirectly, to the ad-
ministration of that times Nominal
bail was fixed and the prisoners never
tried. Thus cleared the air in the
case of the men for whose arrest the
State had been burdened with the eX-
pense of an army.
In the interim Turner and others
We're journeying under guard to Sails
bury for hearing before Judge Brooks.
At Graham they were denied the priv
iiege of a hotel and thrown into a
dungeon. Two days later they were
free men by the order of a free judge,
unafraid.
So ended the "Kirk War;" and so
was established-it was then thought
for all time-the unassailable freedom
CT the press. The name of Geo. w.
Brooks has been for nearly two gen.
erations one of honor in North Caro-
lian-an index to all that is purest
and highest in an ideal Judiciary 1t
was he who averted civil war from q
people already impoverished in all
save spirit by disastrous conflict: it
was he who, conscious of the majesty
of justice that lies behind and controls
the source of all real power, had calm
ly pursued the even tenor of his way
III the face of strife and prejudice to
uphold the right. There have been
men as good; there was never more
OPPORTUNITY a good man at hand. The
name OIL Geo. w. BfOOkS Sldli ever De
writ among the first in the palladium
of our liberties.
AS for Joe Turner, mistaken as his
life was in the end of its activities,
sad as was the spectacle he presented
OF a man with the habit of bitterness
upon him SO that he lost both friends
and influence and the honors that he
might so easily have graSped, it must
be remembered that behind his some
time gross but always able denun-
citation there lived the spirit of high
purpose and a pure motive; when 1T
is remembered that it was he who
kindled and he who famed to white
heat the popular anger that brought
redemption to our State; when it is re-
called that for this one end he fol-
lowed for month after month stead
fast and unrelenting way. carrying
daily the treasure of his life exposed
in his hands-it will be seen that he
should be remembered not for his
mistakes but for his works. His life
was cast amid the storms, and while
it made for peace, the kindness that
was i'm him scarce had the chance to
struggle to the surface.
There should be another statue in