The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-09
EsX-REV. BABB HAS THE BRAAEN-
NESS OF HIS SHAMELESSNESS.


NESS OF HIS SHAMELESSNESS.
Ex-Rev Babb as the champion OF
the Republican party in Northeasterri
North Carolina, is the most fitting cam
didate for that party who has been
nominated this year. He is braHen IN
his shamelessnesS and has had the eff
frontery to challenge his Democratic
opponent for the Senate, Hon. Spur
geon Vann, for a joint debate. Now
there are Republican candidate IN
North Carolina with whom Democrats
can afford to debate political issues.
But Ex-Rev. Babb, who was removed
as chaplain of the penitentiary, or
dropped, by the odoriferous admins
tration of John r. Smith, is not such
q candidate. Hold up on preaching,
was John RS. admonition to the chap
lain when stories of Babb's lapses came
to the ears of the superintendent
Babb "held up" and later on, be-
cause public indignation forced the
action. the Russell administration
"held up Babb's salary, and when the
salary stopped Babb stopped giving So
called religious direction, etc, TO the
ccnvicts. AS a matter of fact the APP
pcintment of Babb as chaplain was
contrary to the Constitution which
forbids unusual and cruel punish
lnent." 1t is bad enough to send a
negro to the penitentiary for term OF
years for stealing, but to compel him
to hear Babb preach or pray was
enough to make him long for SEN
tence to the Siberian wilds.
But Babb is always coming to the
front and now he is the Republican
candidate for the Senate in the First
District, and as such has challenged
Mr.. Vann to a joint debate of the is
sues. OF course the challenge has been
declined 1t would be a spectacle no
good people could witness with pa
tience to see a man of Spurgeon Vann's
character debating with ex-Rev. Babb
NO man can handle pitch without get
ting some of it on his hands. Mr..
Vann does we'll to give the ex-Rev. a
wide berth.
When he was steward of the Halifax
farm. to which he was appointed when
he was told to hold up on preach
ing Babb. the overseer and phys1-
clan, ali were discharged after Babb
had made these charges against some
of his co-officialS: /. 1ncompetency
9. Total lack of discipline; 3. Too
much fondness for and familiarity
with the negro female convicts. Ii
was a case of the pot calling the Kettle
black. After Babb's charges and the
investigation, Babb, the overseer, The
superintcndent ard doctor were al
dismissed. After Babbs retirement
under such circumstances, it was sup
posed he would prefer the quiet AND
the simple life, and not invite further
public references to his past life. But
inasmuch as the Republican party
has nominated him for the State Sen
ate it becomes necessary to let tht
new generation of voters know the
sort of man he is. Long years ago NJ
was a Baptist minister in the ChoWar
BAPTIST Association. Charges Were
prSIo1re1 dSdlilSI liliii e1o AOiio"S
/. That he drank habitually ant
sometimes with public drinkers.
3. That he occasionally ordered
drinks from bars and frequently ha'
bottles filed at bars.
5. That he even drank at pubH
bars and had been perceptibly unde
the influence of liquor
i. That he was culpably Indifferent
to his financial obligations and per
sistently refused to pay his debts, ant
that he collected money for church
and Sunday school purposes for which
he had never accounted.
S. That he repeated falsehoods: tina
he paid questionable attention to {
young lady which tended to injure he
reputation.
After a fair trial by leading Baptis
preachers, all those charges were un
animously sustained and Babb was ex
PEELED from the Baptist ministry.
Do the people of the First Sena
torial District wish to be represented
by such a man in the State Senate?