The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-04
Judge PEBBLES Cast AS
persion on Mr.. Rod
we'll.
Is NOT A DEFAULTER
Judge PEBBLES Gives His Reasons For
Not Naming the Choice of War
rem Democrats as Clerk
OF the Court.
Especial to News and Observer

Especial to News and Observer.)
Warrenton, n. c., Oct. 3.-There
was widespread and general regret felt
here when it was announced that
Judge PEBBLES had turned down the
recommendation of the Warren Coun-
~ Executive Committee recommends
ing the appointment of Mr.. James r.
Rodwell as Clerk OF the Superior
court. Mr.. RodweI not only had the
o1nclal party endorsement. and the
ENDORSEMENT or the par. out WAS Ine
Cnolce Oh Il large majority OIL the voters
ln liIe county.
1t nau Deen reported here that Ju udge
PeepleS wouId appoint nobody cIerh
VINO supported Judge WINSTON Tor
Juuge IN the race between Juuge VIM
SON and Judge PeeDieS. lnaslnucr as
Mr. houWeiI supported Judge WINSTON.
al Was supposed Jnat he lost the ap.
poinJinent because he had supported
me unsuccessful opponent OF Judge
feebIes. 1nere was criticism of Juuge
PeeDIes for turning down" the strong
recommendation OF the county eXecu-
uce committee. when 1t was supposed
he had done SO because RodWeIl had
opposed ms JudIclal pre1ernent. put
wnen II became known today that ne
hdd given derelection in office upon
the part of Rodwell as Ills reason. the
criticism was severe and general.
Juuge PEBBLES has written a letter
To MI. j. "a. DoWtIn. chairman OF the
County Democratic Executive Conn
mIttee. OF TINS county. giving as his
reason tnat Mr. Rodweii was a de-
1auiter when he was sheriff of Warren
county. This charge was a great sur
prise to the people of Warren county.
4 talked today TO a member OF the
FINANCES ~ or
County Commissioners with whom Mr..
Rodwell made his final settlement as
sheriff and he says that Mr.. Rodweii
settled in full every cent and that hts
bondsmen were never called upon by
the county to pay one cent AffdavitS
To that effect could be sent that would
settle the matter and show that Judge
PEBBLES has done a grievous wrong To
a good man.
AS soon as he heard that Judge
PEBBLES had made the charge against
him. Mr.. Rodwell addressed the fol-
lowing letter to Judge PEBBLES:
Mr.. Rodweil Makes Request.
To the Editor:-On last Saturday
evening Mr.. j. a. Dowtin, chairman
OF the Democratic Executive Commit
tee of Warren county. showed me your
letter to him under date OF the 20th
inst, relative to the appointment OF
a clerk for the Superior court of War
rem county, in place of w. A. White.
resigned. and for which appointments
had filed application and petition
IN your letter To Mr.. Dowtin YOU
used these words ''Since my conference
with you here Monday l have been
reliably informed that Mr.. j. r. Rod
WELL while sheriff of Warren county.
was a defaulter, and that the sure
ties on his bond had to make the de-
fault good. This puts my appointing
him Clerk of the Superior Court for
n ron Rfx- Of fl.T.r -
will. under no circumstances. appoint
TO an office of trust a man who. in a
previous office of trust. had proven
himself wanting in integrity and n
deity"
Being a man of honor and integrity
yourself. you can understand and ap.
preciate with what keen feelings OF
pain l read the words quoted above
l am n poor man with a large family
of boys and girls growing up around
me. and the only heritage l have to
leave to the wife of my bosom and the
children of my lc:nsis my good name
| could. if required to do SO. and
will. if you desire it. place in your
hands I'm ten DAYS time the affidavits
of one thousand of the best people In
Warren County stating that here where
/ was born and reared my character
has been free from stain. The trust
that the people of my county have
from time to time reposed in me.
shows in what regard they held my
character. / was elected sheriff in
1856 and remained i'm office until Jan
uary 1st 1895, when l resigned. In
the collection of taxes / was. perhaps.
too indulgent to the taxpayers. and
did not at all times settle on the ex-
act dates REQUIRED by statute-and jus,
here L would like to say that none of
the sheriffs of nv acquaintance in this
county at least have ever done So
hut / always settled whenever the
Board of County Commissioners asked
for settlement. and the tax books
were always turned over to me in Sep
tember. Neither the State nor the
county. nor my sureties ever lost one
cent by me. A few months after nv
resignation as sheriff. / was elected
Superintendent of Public Instruction
for Warren county, which office I
held until the present wear when Il
resigned and accepted the office or
deputy clerk Of the Superior court. Ir
my conduct in the public offices
hove held has not been satisfactory. /
have never received any intimation of
IL either from the Board of County
Commissioners when sheriff or from,
the Board of Education when Super
intendent of Public Instruction or
from the public at large in all thesA
years. Thus much for these matters
and things. And now. Judge PEBBLES
most earnestly and respectfully ask
that YOU will give me the name or
names of the party or parties who IN
formed you that 1 was a defaulter.
49,