The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-14

He was ever on the alert to find out
Radical rascalitieS and plots, and to
eynose them without fear or hesitation.
There was not a day hardly that pass
ed that he was not in personal danger.
But he never fiinched, stood TO his
guns bravely, and let or1Ve MS not
shots at the rogues and rascalS ana
he trayers of the people and robbers
g, the State. He was threatened Of
.en he was attacked on the street, ne
rad a fight on Fayetteville street WIN
a Judge. he challenged Repupicdh
TO a duel he was shot at IN ms ONCE
at night. his great newspaper pruning
press was destroyed, and SO on. ne
did a great work in those parlouS
times for his people, and kept the
plugs and gamblers and Dond- roppefS
uneasy and afraid. He was not prac-
ticed or accurate writer. His produc-
| tons were crude and required careluf
editing before they were handed 10 the
! printer. But he possessed humor,
! certain directness and force, ana wrote
SO as to be "understanded of the peo-
pie" He was a most humane, consld-
! crate, generous and beneVOlent Hldi'
and would share his last dollar with
human being suffering or in distress
Of any kind. / knew of instances of
We known him literally
to give away his last dollar to poor
Woman begging him for help when the
snow was on the ground and her feet
badly exposed. / must refer to one
incident in his editorial career. He
had been out of town for some days.
and upon returning he was met by six
or seven men, Cone a negrO), led by
10. Holden, who was going to assault
Turner because of a recent very Sc
we're article upon his father, the
Governor. l got wind of it through
the young son of the then Republican
postmaster, VIM White. | sent a
heavy pistol by Mr.. Theo. Ramsay
book-keeper for the Sentinel, and run
ming with much speed he reached Mr.
Turner as the train from Goldsboro
halted. Mr. Turner got out and
started by the side walk up Hargett
street for his office. The six Repub
lican braves rushed across an open
square and were esSaying to cut him
off. Seeing their game as he was
quietly, calmly pursuing his way, he
drew two pistols Che had a small one
with him in addition to the large one
senD, and whirling into the street, con
fronted the gallant seven all bent for
a fray. He said to them: You fell
lows are too many for me, and if you
advance | shall fire" They under
stood its meaning, and stood still. He
was arrested by the Mayor and two
policemen, the Mayor a brother-in
law of Governor Holden, and a Re-
publican. Turner refused to deliver up
his arms until the mob had been dis
armed. This act was performed as
to one only-Jo. Holden. That night,
Pike, a one-legged soldier of the
North who edited the dirty sheet, the
Standard, stated in a bar-room, that
he retained his own pistol, held it in
his hand in the pocket. and would
have fired at Turner, if it had become
necessary, without drawing his pistol
out to public view. Turner and the
gang of heroes were all marched up
the streets to the Mayors large office,
and there a circus took place. Turner'S
life was no doubt in danger, but he
was calm, bold, Saucy. Governor
Holden appeared with his guard,
stood upon a bench, and harangued
the large crowd of negroes and yam
kee soldiers, for the large room was
packed. Turner was bound over to
keep the peace, and he was the only
enc who was dealt with, and he was
the man threatened, assailed by the
Republican gang. l had accompanied
him to the hall, sat by him and watch
ed everything with solicitude. look
cC. around to see who could be relied
upon to become his bondmen. / saw
but one man l knew, Mr.. Harris, the
Hillsboro Observer. He was then
young Mr.. Harris, when he saw
Turner threatened, and as he believed
in danger, was standing on Dench
against d wall and at once descended
and stood by Turner, and spoke his
mind with decided freedom. The
Mayor ordered Harris to be arrested,
whereupon he showed fight, but was
overpowered. His son, | do not recall
h h1t a
Sc lied, rushed to his assistance 1t
passed off presently. Turner was cool
indeed and defiant While the Gov
ernor ranted and beloved, the Mayor
vainly essayed to quiet him. Turner
said to him mayor Harrison) Let
him go on, but let me have reply.
This was too much for Holden. He
answered: 'You shan't reply to me;
you shan't reply to me-" 1t was in
deed a show and disgusting travesty
upon justice, decency, decorum and
right. Turner gave the bail, for sew
eral others offered at once to go on his
bond, and then he was turned loose,
and went to his Office and prepared
such an accurate, graphic, fair &C
count of it all, that | heard the big
policeman who arrested him declare
that it was correct from beginning to
end. The files of the Senti-
mel preserve the report by
him. 1T is from start to finish
one of the best known historical in
cidents in North Carolina is the arrest
of Hon. Josiah Turner at his home at
Hilisboro without warrant of authorft
ty, but by the imperial order of his
Highness, William w. Holden, Repub-
lican appointee as Provisional Gov
ernor 1t was a dastardly outrage
upon the freedom of a citizen of North
Carolina. He was sent to prison at
Yanceyville, in the county of Caswell
and placed under the dangerous guard
of Kinks Tennessee cut-throats num-
bering some 800, as complete a set of
villains as We're ever turned into
marauders. Judge John Kerr, DR.
Roane, ex-Sheriff Frank Wiley and
possibly two others of Caswell We're
also arrested and imprisoned. They
were after weeks of delay freed by
the manly and honorable action of
Judge Brooks, a United States Judge
residing at Elizabeth City, but a most
worthy native of North Carolina /
had the pleasure of knowing this up
right jurist and excellent gentleman,
who was a Republican from principle
and not for office. He was an old line
Wing of the Hamiltonian school, and
Il true, resolute, conscientious Judge
holding the scales with a firm and
eulJ1l hand &c TO