The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-10-10

Monday When Board Expects to
Complete the Investigation-A Re-
port Will Tfen be Prepared.
THE investigation by the county com
missioners continues but will, in all
probability, be concluded on Monday.
The board will then go over all the ev-
idence, which has been taken down by
a stenographer and will be typewrit-
ten, III will make their report.
Six witnesses were examined yes
terday, several Of whom had previous
ly served terms On the county roads.
The evidence of Ed Smith, colOred, a
former convict, appeared to be very
straight and several who heard the
evidence remarked that the negro GER
tainly sounded Ike he was speaking
the truth. He said he served on the
loads 20 months and during the time
Was only whipped once, having receiv-
ed four or five ticks. The strap was
produced which cOnvictS were said to
be whipped with and Smith was asked
If 1t was the strap used. He examined
1t and said it was either the strap or
II very much like it. He stated that
he had never seen the blood run
when convlctS were whipped and
that the largest number of ticks he had
ever seen a convict receive was Is and
as u rule the number given was less
than 10. Smith testified that cOnvicts
SYhO worked were not whipped. He
was questioned concerning the water
furnished, and said he got water when
he wanted it and as far as he
knew the other prisoners never suffer-
Led for water.
Smith said two men died while he
was at the camp, n a negro by the
s1ame of Amos Groom, and another ne
Sro whose name he did not know.
Gloom he stated was brought to the
camp one afternoon n vas put to
rolling wheels, as he expressed it.
He said Groom stopped frequently as
he rolled the wheelbarrow and when
spoken to by Captain Hocutt, as they
called the foreman, and asked why he
stopped so often, his reply was that
he had Il weakness in his wrist
On the following morning he asked a
guard to allow him to sit down, the
foreman having gone to the shed, and
the prisoner was told by the guard,
according to Smith. that if he sat down
he would have HOcutt to whip him
when he returned. He said, as far as
he knew. the man was not whipped,
but during the same day he fell be-
tween tn wheelbarrOwS IL died. The
witness said he eel to the camp and
told Hocutt, who had the man carried
to the camp. The county physician he
stated was sent for and examined the
maj and said that whiSkey had killed
him.
Witness said he did not know the
other negro, that is, his name. He also
reached the camp one day and died OIL
the next. This time he said he heard
shooting at the mine and was old that
a man had got hot rolling a wheelbar-
row and started to run and that a
guard fired to scare him. The negro
he said was grabbed by another con-
Vict and thrown to the ground, where
he died. He stated that when the
bodies of the above mentioned prison
ers were examined, that the doctor
made some remarks about bruises
found on one of the men Inc wanted
to know how they came to be there
He said it was explained that the mar
had been whipped.
Smith was asked about an instance
when he held up his hat for Hocutt to
shoot at and the bullet passed through
his finger. He stated that he was not
compelled TO hold up his hat but iii
so willingly, knowing that HOcutt was
a good marksman and consequently
was not afraid of his hitting him. He
showed his finger which was struck
by the ball.
The witness was asked about a pris'
oner having been thrown down an EN-
bankment and covered with dirt. he
said he heard of the instance but die
not see it. According to his under
standing of the affair, he said the mar
fell down the bank where the dirt !
dumped and the other prisoners emp
tied the dirt upon him, burying him
FROM sight. A few days after this hi
said the negro joked about it.
Smith said during most of the time
he was a prisoner, he fired the engine
at the mine.
Several white men were examined
They we're Eli Batson, Gorge Roder
rick ard John Watson and a formel
guard by the name OF w. L. Smith
Ratson, Roderick and Watson have
~ail served terms on the roads.
Watson said Hocutt, the foreman