The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-24
J. C. Ellington Answers
A. H. Green.
APEX NEWS ARTICLE
Mr.. Ellington Asks the Privilege OF
Making Some Corrections in this
Communication and Points Out
The Matters to Which He
Refers.

10 the LullOI III your ISSUE Ol last
Sunday appears a long article by Mr..
a. II. Green, intended, | suppose, as a
reply to some statements published in
1.-The Apex News" with which l had
no connection and not even q suSpic-
ion as to who the author was until |
was enlightened by Mr. Green. AS
he has seen fit to bring my name into
the controversy, 1 ask the privilege OF
making corrections of some of his
statements. l quote from Mr. Green S
article as follows:
Mr.. j. G. Ellington did on July 9TH
purchase from w. y. Ellington (com-
missioner one mule for 500, with
out the advice of Mr.. Allen. Mr.. j. G.
Ellington approved the bill stated
the facts and the account was paid"
Now all of the above is true except
that part that is untrue. These are
the facts referred to by Mr.. Green.
From the middle of May to July. Com
missioner Ellington tried to sell me
the old crippled mule and | persistent
ly refused to buy him. because Mr.. w.
G.. Allen had told me at the outset
that the mule was worthless for road
purposes. as he had given out on the
roads under w. g. McMackfn and
had been rendered to Mr.. Ellington.
l told Mr.. Ellington what ! had heard
about his mule and after repeatedly
insisting that l give my authority l
finally mentioned Mr.. w. u. Allen.
He went to Mr.. Allen and he imme-
diately came to see me and stated that
perhaps he had done Commissioner
Ellington an injustice, that he told
him the mule was all right, and he
thought we had better buy him, but l
still refused. At this time we had at
he 1taArn fxtr. .t.if 1a1 Il
crippled horse which we were anxious
to get rid of upon almost any terms
Mr.. Ellington failing to sell his mule
commenced trying to trade him to me
even" for one of ours but | also
refused this. About this time Mr.. AL
len sold the three" crippled animals
to Mr.. Mangum, of Raleigh. for 500
(Which I endorsed and approved), and
it was then that somebody" agreed
to pay Mr.. Ellington the whole amount
received for three" for the mule he
was anxious to trade for one of
ours.
The above are the "factS" referred
to by Mr.. Green and stated by me to
the Board" before the purchase and
again afterwards in rather vigorous
language 1t is true that | approved
the bill after the trade had been made
and the account sworn to by Mr.. Ell
lington. l purchased one mule and
one horse from e. T. Scarborough
(and not three as stately, and this af-
ter a fair trial on the roads and be-
ing ordered by the commissioners to
do SO, paying $125 each for them,
which | think was q reasonable price
/ did not purchase the DR.. McCullers
mule but approved the bill after it
was sworn to by him. l never paid
more than 1925 for any stock pur-
chased and had no part in, but pro-
tested against the purchase of all Of
the extra high-priced mules as I'M
necessary and eXtravagant, as Mr..
Green and Mr.. Allen very well know.
AS Mr.. Green saw fit to challenge
my statement about the cost of the
County Home compared to ours, |
will take up his own figures and see
where they will lead. Let it be un-
derstood that there are three and only
three divisions, or items of cost con-
nected with the County Home: Cd
Cost of home and farm; CD Cost OF
Convict camp" CD Cost of super
intendent and family Now Mr.. Green
has stated the cost of the home with
70 inmates for last year to be $4,000.
The average number of conVictS is
about the same as number of inmates
of the Home. | hardly think Mr..
Green or any other reasonable man
will contend that the convictS are or
than the inmates of the Home. This
being admitted, we have a charge of
another $4,000 for their support, max
ing a total of $4,000. Having elimi-
mated these two items, the remaining
one is that of cost of superintendent.
/ find from last years annual state
ment that the amount actually paid
out by the commissioners for the sup
port of this institution, including con-
vict camp, to be $17, S49.52. Deduct
from this $2,09S.60 on account of sale
of 81 bales of cotton, and we have
left $15,750.92 Deduct from this the
amount already accounted for as cost
of County Home and convict camp
$6,4OO. and we have left $9,350.92 for
pay and support of the superintendent
and salary of guards at the camp
Now Mr.. Green ought to be willing to
stand by his own figures as his article
was deliberately and carefully pre-
pared, and as / am informed, with the
assistance and advice of able counsel.
In this connection Mr.. Green asks